Recruiter salary in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
The Northwest Colorado nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $73,300 a year1 is 9.3% below the Colorado statewide median of $80,840, and 3.5% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #148 of 521. BLS counts about 580 people in this job here, 3% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | $50,450 | $73,300 | $109,270 | |
| Colorado | $51,290 | $80,840 | $133,850 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area earns $61,050–$88,850. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $109,270, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $27,800 wide, against $42,350 across Colorado and $40,770 nationally: employers in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area 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 | $50,450 | $4,204 | $24.25 | $65,097 |
| 25th percentile | $61,050 | $5,088 | $29.35 | $78,774 |
| Median | $73,300 | $6,108 | $35.24 | $94,581 |
| 75th percentile | $88,850 | $7,404 | $42.72 | $114,645 |
| 90th percentile | $109,270 | $9,106 | $52.53 | $140,994 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $15,550 a year in pay and about $20,065 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,250 in pay. 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 the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, and the Colorado statewide median of $80,840 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $21,281 to the $73,300 median and brings it to $94,581 a year. 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 the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between paralegals ($74,210) and office managers ($73,170). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,970.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +6.0% | 1,190 | |
| Paralegal | +1.2% | 100 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 580 | |
| Office Manager | -0.2% | 1,300 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -0.5% | 740 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area (-3.5%), between project coordinators (-1.3%) and marketing specialists (-7.4%). The typical role here is at +3.7%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 4.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, 6.1% across Colorado and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $66,660 in Grand Junction to $86,200 in Boulder, a gap of $19,540 a year. All 4 areas in Colorado with more recruiters than the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area also pay more, among them Denver-Aurora, CO ($82,550) and Colorado Springs, CO ($79,000).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | +7.8% | 1,800 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +7.1% | 900 | |
| Greeley, CO | +3.9% | 580 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | this area | 580 | |
| Pueblo, CO | -6.1% | 290 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -8.1% | 290 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -8.2% | 420 |
the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area is #214 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Colorado, Grand Forks and Provo-Orem pay just above the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area and Albuquerque and Cincinnati just below. All four are within $290 a year of the median in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | +7.3% | 580 | jobs | |
| Visalia, CA | +1.0% | 580 | jobs | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +0.0% | 2,000 | pay | |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | +0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | this area | 580 | ||
| Albuquerque, NM | -0.0% | 2,250 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -0.4% | 7,110 | pay | |
| Waco, TX | -13.6% | 590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro)?
About $94,581 a year at the median, or $7,882 a month: $73,300 in pay plus about $21,281 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
The median was $73,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,450, the 90th $109,270, and the middle half earned $61,050 to $88,850.
Is the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Colorado for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $73,300 against $80,840 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Greeley at $76,180, the next down Pueblo at $68,830.
How many recruiters work in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 580 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Colorado total of 19,450. 5 areas in Colorado have more; the closest in size is Greeley, with about 580.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
Yes: $130 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,300 and $73,170.
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.