Recruiter salary in Olympia-Lacey, WA
Olympia-Lacey is a higher-paying market for recruiters: the median of $86,700 a year1 is 2.5% above the Washington statewide median of $84,550, and 14.2% above the US median of $75,940. Nationally that is #10 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 1,410 recruiters work here, 6% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Olympia-Lacey against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | $59,620 | $86,700 | $114,560 | |
| Washington | $57,030 | $84,550 | $136,070 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Olympia-Lacey earns $72,910–$98,450. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $114,560, only 1.9 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 $25,540 wide, against $41,350 across Washington and $40,770 nationally: employers in Olympia-Lacey 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 | $59,620 | $4,968 | $28.66 | $76,929 |
| 25th percentile | $72,910 | $6,076 | $35.05 | $94,077 |
| Median | $86,700 | $7,225 | $41.68 | $111,871 |
| 75th percentile | $98,450 | $8,204 | $47.33 | $127,032 |
| 90th percentile | $114,560 | $9,547 | $55.08 | $147,819 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,750 a year in pay and about $15,161 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,790 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 25th percentile and the median in Olympia-Lacey, and the Washington statewide median of $84,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Olympia-Lacey
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 $25,171 to the $86,700 median and brings it to $111,871 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 Olympia-Lacey
Of the 17 roles we track in Olympia-Lacey, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($94,470) and marketing specialists ($79,910). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,000.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +18.8% | 810 | |
| Accountant | +9.0% | 1,330 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,410 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -7.8% | 620 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.3% | 720 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Olympia-Lacey (+14.2%), between administrative assistants (+14.3%) and paralegals (+13.1%). The typical role here is at +12.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 10.4% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Olympia-Lacey, 6.7% across Washington and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $72,180 in Yakima to $92,770 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $20,590 a year. The one area in Washington with more recruiters, Seattle-Tacoma, WA ($92,770), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Olympia-Lacey | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +7.0% | 14,120 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +4.1% | 710 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | this area | 1,410 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | -6.2% | 620 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | -6.9% | 120 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | -9.1% | 230 | |
| Bellingham, WA | -9.9% | 430 |
Olympia-Lacey against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Olympia-Lacey is #92 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Washington, New York-Newark and Boston-Cambridge pay just above Olympia-Lacey and Boulder and Bridgeport-Stamford just below. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Olympia-Lacey | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +4.1% | 21,770 | pay | |
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ | +3.6% | 52,370 | pay | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | this area | 1,410 | ||
| Boulder, CO | -0.6% | 1,480 | pay | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | -1.3% | 2,350 | pay | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -7.3% | 1,400 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -8.1% | 1,420 | jobs | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | -22.6% | 1,430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Olympia-Lacey, WA?
About $111,871 a year at the median, or $9,323 a month: $86,700 in pay plus about $25,171 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Olympia-Lacey?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $86,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,620, the 90th $114,560, and the middle half earned $72,910 to $98,450.
Is Olympia-Lacey cheaper than the rest of Washington for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $86,700 against $84,550 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Bremerton-Silverdale at $90,290, the next down Kennewick-Richland at $81,290.
How many recruiters work in Olympia-Lacey?
BLS counts about 1,410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Washington total of 22,770. Only Seattle-Tacoma has more in Washington.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Olympia-Lacey?
Yes: $6,790 a year more at the median. The medians are $86,700 and $79,910.
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.