Cost of hiring a recruiter in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
Phoenix-Mesa pays recruiters more than Arizona as a whole but less than the country. The median is $74,640 a year[1]: 4.6% above the Arizona statewide median of $71,390 and 1.7% below the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#125 of 521). It is the largest market for the job in Arizona: about 15,430 people, 76% of the Arizona total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Phoenix-Mesa against Arizona and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | $48,510 | $74,640 | $116,000 | |
| Arizona | $47,290 | $71,390 | $112,900 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Phoenix-Mesa earns $58,720–$95,970. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $116,000, only 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read.
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,510 | $4,042 | $23.32 | $69,300 |
| 25th percentile | $58,720 | $4,893 | $28.23 | $83,886 |
| Median | $74,640 | $6,220 | $35.88 | $106,629 |
| 75th percentile | $95,970 | $7,998 | $46.14 | $137,100 |
| 90th percentile | $116,000 | $9,667 | $55.77 | $165,714 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $21,330 a year in pay and about $30,471 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $15,920 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.
What a hire really costs in Phoenix-Mesa
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], which adds about $31,989 to the $74,640 median and brings it to $106,629 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Other roles in Phoenix-Mesa
Of the 17 roles we track in Phoenix-Mesa, this one ranks #4 by median pay. Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,780 and Virtual Receptionist the lowest at $39,340.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +35.0% | 17,790 | |
| Accountant | +8.3% | 21,360 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.4% | 19,810 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 15,430 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -0.1% | 12,220 | |
| Executive Assistant | -0.8% | 5,000 | |
| Office Manager | -12.3% | 23,940 | |
| Paralegal | -16.1% | 6,280 | |
| Bookkeeper | -30.4% | 16,280 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -32.5% | 2,650 | |
| HR Assistant | -32.8% | 1,080 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -34.5% | 620 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -34.6% | 22,010 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -37.6% | 13,570 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -37.8% | 68,930 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -40.8% | 2,650 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -47.3% | 16,850 |
Other areas in Arizona
Across the 8 areas of Arizona with data for this job, the median runs from $60,500 in the Arizona nonmetro area to $78,450 in Sierra Vista-Douglas, a gap of $17,950 a year.
| Area | Median | vs Phoenix-Mesa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | +5.1% | 200 | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | this area | 15,430 | |
| Yuma, AZ | -12.6% | 400 | |
| Tucson, AZ | -14.3% | 2,130 | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | -15.0% | 310 | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | -16.3% | 290 | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -16.4% | 250 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ?
About $106,629 a year at the median, or $8,886 a month: $74,640 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Phoenix-Mesa?
The median was $74,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,510, the 90th $116,000, and the middle half earned $58,720 to $95,970.
Is Phoenix-Mesa cheaper than the rest of Arizona for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $74,640 against $71,390 statewide. Sierra Vista-Douglas pays the most ($78,450) and the Arizona nonmetro area the least ($60,500).
How many recruiters work in Phoenix-Mesa?
BLS counts about 15,430 in the May 2025 survey. That is 76% of the Arizona total of 20,230.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Phoenix-Mesa?
Yes: $50 a year more at the median. The medians are $74,640 and $74,590.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131071.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-06.