Recruiter salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
For this job New Orleans-Metairie sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $64,780 a year1. That is 5.7% above the Louisiana statewide median of $61,300, and 14.7% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #294 of 521. About 1,900 recruiters work here, 26% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area New Orleans-Metairie, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in New Orleans-Metairie against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $44,540 | $64,780 | $111,290 | |
| Louisiana | $39,170 | $61,300 | $100,420 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
Recruiters at the 90th percentile earn $111,290, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.7. The middle half of recruiters in New Orleans-Metairie earns $51,710–$84,610. The mean ($71,560) 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 $32,900 wide, between the figure for Louisiana ($29,810) and the US figure ($40,770).
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,540 | $3,712 | $21.41 | $57,471 |
| 25th percentile | $51,710 | $4,309 | $24.86 | $66,723 |
| Median | $64,780 | $5,398 | $31.14 | $83,587 |
| 75th percentile | $84,610 | $7,051 | $40.68 | $109,174 |
| 90th percentile | $111,290 | $9,274 | $53.50 | $143,600 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $19,830 over the median, the 25th only $13,070 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $25,587 a year in employer cost. 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 median and the 75th percentile in New Orleans-Metairie, and the Louisiana statewide median of $61,300 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in New Orleans-Metairie
At the $64,780 median, a local hire costs about $83,587 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,807 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 New Orleans-Metairie
Of the 17 roles we track in New Orleans-Metairie, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between paralegals ($64,780) and sales development representatives ($61,670). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,410.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +1.3% | 1,580 | |
| Paralegal | +0.0% | 2,120 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,900 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -4.8% | 2,200 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.8% | 1,920 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in New Orleans-Metairie (-14.7%), between office managers (-13.3%) and data entry specialists (-15.6%). The typical role here is at -11.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in New Orleans-Metairie, 4.2% across Louisiana and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $54,610 in Monroe to $64,990 in Slidell-Mandeville, a gap of $10,380 a year. The one area in Louisiana with more recruiters, Baton Rouge, LA ($61,400), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs New Orleans-Metairie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | +0.3% | 320 | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | this area | 1,900 | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -1.0% | 280 | |
| Alexandria, LA | -4.0% | 230 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -5.2% | 1,960 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -5.5% | 460 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -7.4% | 230 |
New Orleans-Metairie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, New Orleans-Metairie is #73 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Louisiana, Elkhart-Goshen and Eau Claire pay just above New Orleans-Metairie and Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Longview just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in New Orleans-Metairie. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs New Orleans-Metairie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | +16.5% | 1,990 | jobs | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +13.2% | 2,000 | jobs | |
| Akron, OH | +7.9% | 1,800 | jobs | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | this area | 1,900 | ||
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -0.0% | 1,220 | pay | |
| Longview, TX | -0.0% | 520 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
About $83,587 a year at the median, or $6,966 a month: $64,780 in pay plus about $18,807 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in New Orleans-Metairie?
The median was $64,780 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $44,540, the 90th $111,290, and the middle half earned $51,710 to $84,610.
Is New Orleans-Metairie cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $64,780 against $61,300 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is Slidell-Mandeville at $64,990, the next down Lake Charles at $64,130.
How many recruiters work in New Orleans-Metairie?
BLS counts about 1,900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 26% of the Louisiana total of 7,240. Only Baton Rouge has more in Louisiana.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes: $3,110 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,780 and $61,670.
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.