Recruiter salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Pittsburgh than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $65,260 a year1: 7.4% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 and 14.1% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #284 of 521. BLS counts about 6,280 people in this job here, 17% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Pittsburgh, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Pittsburgh against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | $46,110 | $65,260 | $106,810 | |
| Pennsylvania | $46,610 | $70,450 | $119,850 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Pittsburgh earns $56,230–$83,800. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $106,810, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($73,080) is 12% 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 only $27,570 wide, against $34,870 across Pennsylvania and $40,770 nationally: employers in Pittsburgh 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 | $46,110 | $3,842 | $22.17 | $59,497 |
| 25th percentile | $56,230 | $4,686 | $27.03 | $72,555 |
| Median | $65,260 | $5,438 | $31.38 | $84,206 |
| 75th percentile | $83,800 | $6,983 | $40.29 | $108,129 |
| 90th percentile | $106,810 | $8,901 | $51.35 | $137,819 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,540 over the median, the 25th only $9,030 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $23,923 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 Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Pittsburgh
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 $18,946 to the $65,260 median and brings it to $84,206 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 Pittsburgh
Of the 17 roles we track in Pittsburgh, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($69,030) and paralegals ($63,620). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,320.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +17.9% | 10,430 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.8% | 2,330 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 6,280 | |
| Paralegal | -2.5% | 2,620 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.9% | 7,330 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Pittsburgh (-14.1%), between payroll specialists (-10.1%) and marketing specialists (-19.8%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Pittsburgh than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Pittsburgh, 6.5% across Pennsylvania and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $59,120 in Johnstown to $76,700 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $17,580 a year. The one area in Pennsylvania with more recruiters, Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($76,700), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Pittsburgh | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +2.2% | 440 | |
| Lancaster, PA | +1.6% | 1,200 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.2% | 1,130 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | this area | 6,280 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 480 | |
| State College, PA | -1.6% | 260 | |
| Altoona, PA | -2.1% | 310 |
Pittsburgh against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Pittsburgh is #34 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 Pennsylvania, Wichita and La Crosse-Onalaska pay just above Pittsburgh and Yuma and Odessa just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Pittsburgh. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Pittsburgh | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +15.2% | 6,950 | jobs | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +13.7% | 5,710 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | +8.6% | 6,330 | jobs | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.2% | 1,380 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | this area | 6,280 | ||
| Yuma, AZ | -0.0% | 400 | pay | |
| Odessa, TX | -0.2% | 290 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Pittsburgh, PA?
About $84,206 a year at the median, or $7,017 a month: $65,260 in pay plus about $18,946 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Pittsburgh?
The median was $65,260 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,110, the 90th $106,810, and the middle half earned $56,230 to $83,800.
Is Pittsburgh cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,260 against $70,450 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Scranton-Wilkes-Barre at $65,360, the next down the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $64,500.
How many recruiters work in Pittsburgh?
BLS counts about 6,280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the Pennsylvania total of 36,960. Only Philadelphia-Camden has more in Pennsylvania.
Does a recruiter cost more than a paralegal in Pittsburgh?
Yes: $1,640 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,260 and $63,620.
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.