Recruiter salary in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area
Hiring a recruiter costs less in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area than in Minnesota or the country as a whole. The median is $72,750 a year1: 7.6% below the Minnesota statewide median of $78,760 and 4.2% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #153 of 521. About 630 recruiters work here, 4% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | $52,980 | $72,750 | $107,800 | |
| Minnesota | $50,330 | $78,760 | $127,060 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area earns $61,360–$88,870. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $107,800, only 2.0 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 $27,510 wide, against $39,070 across Minnesota and $40,770 nationally: employers in the Northwest Minnesota 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 | $52,980 | $4,415 | $25.47 | $68,361 |
| 25th percentile | $61,360 | $5,113 | $29.50 | $79,174 |
| Median | $72,750 | $6,062 | $34.98 | $93,871 |
| 75th percentile | $88,870 | $7,406 | $42.73 | $114,671 |
| 90th percentile | $107,800 | $8,983 | $51.83 | $139,097 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $11,390 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $16,120, or about $20,800 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, and the Minnesota statewide median of $78,760 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest Minnesota 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 $21,121 to the $72,750 median and brings it to $93,871 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 Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($73,600) and office managers ($66,180). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,000.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +1.5% | 1,340 | |
| Executive Assistant | +1.2% | 280 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 630 | |
| Office Manager | -9.0% | 1,510 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -11.6% | 590 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area (-4.2%), between executive assistants (-3.9%) and office managers (-4.8%). The typical role here is at -1.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, 5.9% across Minnesota and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $67,040 in Duluth to $83,810 in Rochester, a gap of $16,770 a year. The one area in Minnesota with more recruiters, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI ($80,330), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +2.9% | 630 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | +2.7% | 480 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 150 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 410 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 630 | |
| Mankato, MN | -0.5% | 260 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -7.8% | 560 |
the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area is #193 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Minnesota, San Antonio-New Braunfels and Cincinnati pay just above the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area and Midland and Fond du Lac just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +10.1% | 630 | jobs | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | +4.8% | 630 | jobs | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.4% | 7,110 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | +0.2% | 7,570 | pay | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 630 | ||
| Midland, MI | -0.2% | 240 | pay | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -0.2% | 270 | pay | |
| Columbia, MO | -12.9% | 640 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro)?
About $93,871 a year at the median, or $7,823 a month: $72,750 in pay plus about $21,121 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
The median was $72,750 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $52,980, the 90th $107,800, and the middle half earned $61,360 to $88,870.
Is the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,750 against $78,760 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area at $73,630, the next down Mankato at $72,410.
How many recruiters work in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 630 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Minnesota total of 17,240. Only Minneapolis-St. Paul has more in Minnesota.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Yes: $6,570 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,750 and $66,180.
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.