Recruiter salary in McAllen-Edinburg, TX
McAllen-Edinburg is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $53,600 a year1 is 22.2% below the Texas statewide median of $68,920, and 29.4% below the US median of $75,940. Only 7 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. About 970 recruiters work here, 1% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in McAllen-Edinburg against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | $36,190 | $53,600 | $86,900 | |
| Texas | $43,410 | $68,920 | $117,060 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in McAllen-Edinburg earns $44,250–$67,460. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $86,900, only 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($58,780) is 10% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $23,210 wide, against $37,890 across Texas and $40,770 nationally: employers in McAllen-Edinburg pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,190 | $3,016 | $17.40 | $46,697 |
| 25th percentile | $44,250 | $3,688 | $21.27 | $57,097 |
| Median | $53,600 | $4,467 | $25.77 | $69,161 |
| 75th percentile | $67,460 | $5,622 | $32.43 | $87,045 |
| 90th percentile | $86,900 | $7,242 | $41.78 | $112,129 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,350 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,860, or about $17,884 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $75,940 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in McAllen-Edinburg, and the Texas statewide median of $68,920 falls there too. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local recruiters earn.
What a hire really costs in McAllen-Edinburg
At the $53,600 median, a local hire costs about $69,161 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,561 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for recruiters we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in McAllen-Edinburg
Of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between office managers ($55,570) and sales development representatives ($49,350). Project Coordinator is the highest at $69,910.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +12.7% | 420 | |
| Office Manager | +3.7% | 3,040 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 970 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -7.9% | 1,910 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -9.8% | 570 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg (-29.4%), between virtual receptionists (-24.9%) and sales development representatives (-29.5%). The typical role here is at -21.6%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in McAllen-Edinburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 3.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in McAllen-Edinburg, 5.4% across Texas and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $46,630 in Eagle Pass to $78,650 in Midland, a gap of $32,020 a year. All 6 areas in Texas with more recruiters than McAllen-Edinburg also pay more, among them Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ($70,700) and Houston-Pasadena, TX ($72,550).
| Area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso, TX | +10.1% | 1,800 | |
| Tyler, TX | +9.6% | 490 | |
| Hill Country Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +7.2% | 750 | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | +3.6% | 600 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 970 | |
| Laredo, TX | -3.4% | 430 | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -13.0% | 50 |
McAllen-Edinburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, McAllen-Edinburg is #129 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Jonesboro and Fort Smith pay just above McAllen-Edinburg and Hot Springs just below. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York-Hanover, PA | +38.7% | 980 | jobs | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | +28.5% | 970 | jobs | |
| Montgomery, AL | +19.7% | 970 | jobs | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +1.2% | 400 | pay | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +0.4% | 200 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 970 | ||
| Hot Springs, AR | -4.4% | 110 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in McAllen-Edinburg, TX?
About $69,161 a year at the median, or $5,763 a month: $53,600 in pay plus about $15,561 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in McAllen-Edinburg?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $53,600 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,190, the 90th $86,900, and the middle half earned $44,250 to $67,460.
Is McAllen-Edinburg cheaper than the rest of Texas for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $53,600 against $68,920 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Brownsville-Harlingen at $55,550, the next down Laredo at $51,780.
How many recruiters work in McAllen-Edinburg?
BLS counts about 970 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Texas total of 84,930. 6 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is the North Region of Texas nonmetro area, with about 1,000.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in McAllen-Edinburg?
Yes: $4,250 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,600 and $49,350.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.