Recruiter salary in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA
Portland-Vancouver is a higher-paying market for recruiters: the median of $80,100 a year1 is 2.6% above the Oregon statewide median of $78,060, and 5.5% above the US median of $75,940. Nationally that is #35 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. With about 7,610 recruiters, no area in Oregon employs more.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Portland-Vancouver against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | $54,780 | $80,100 | $133,570 | |
| Oregon | $51,480 | $78,060 | $126,280 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Portland-Vancouver earns $65,220–$102,390. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $133,570, only 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($88,270) is 10% 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 $37,170 wide, between the figure for Oregon ($37,040) and the US figure ($40,770).
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $54,780 | $4,565 | $26.34 | $70,684 |
| 25th percentile | $65,220 | $5,435 | $31.36 | $84,155 |
| Median | $80,100 | $6,675 | $38.51 | $103,355 |
| 75th percentile | $102,390 | $8,532 | $49.23 | $132,116 |
| 90th percentile | $133,570 | $11,131 | $64.22 | $172,348 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,880 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $22,290, or about $28,761 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 25th percentile and the median in Portland-Vancouver, and the Oregon statewide median of $78,060 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Portland-Vancouver
At the $80,100 median, a local hire costs about $103,355 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,255 here. 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 Portland-Vancouver
Of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($85,350) and executive assistants ($78,750). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,340.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +15.1% | 10,100 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +6.6% | 8,130 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 7,610 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.7% | 3,880 | |
| Office Manager | -4.6% | 7,740 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver (+5.5%), between project coordinators (+5.9%) and data entry specialists (+3.4%). The typical role here is at +9.9%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Portland-Vancouver than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Portland-Vancouver, 5.6% across Oregon and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 11 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $65,520 in Grants Pass to $80,270 in Salem, a gap of $14,750 a year. No other area in Oregon has as many recruiters, and 9 of the other 10 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +0.2% | 1,070 | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 7,610 | |
| Bend, OR | -4.9% | 530 | |
| Albany, OR | -7.8% | 210 | |
| Coast Oregon (Nonmetro) | -10.4% | 400 | |
| Corvallis, OR | -12.1% | 210 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -13.4% | 730 |
Portland-Vancouver against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Portland-Vancouver is #27 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 Oregon, Los Angeles-Long Beach and Minneapolis-St. Paul pay just above Portland-Vancouver and Salinas and Waterbury-Shelton just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Portland-Vancouver. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +2.8% | 7,930 | jobs | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +0.3% | 12,660 | pay | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +0.1% | 36,850 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 7,610 | ||
| Salinas, CA | +0.0% | 630 | pay | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | -0.3% | 710 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | -5.8% | 7,740 | jobs | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -9.0% | 7,570 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA?
About $103,355 a year at the median, or $8,613 a month: $80,100 in pay plus about $23,255 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Portland-Vancouver?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $54,780, the 90th $133,570, and the middle half earned $65,220 to $102,390.
Is Portland-Vancouver cheaper than the rest of Oregon for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $80,100 against $78,060 statewide. The next area up in Oregon is Salem at $80,270, the next down Bend at $76,190.
How many recruiters work in Portland-Vancouver?
BLS counts about 7,610 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Oregon has as many.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Portland-Vancouver?
Yes: $1,350 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,100 and $78,750.
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.