Recruiter salary in Riverside-San Bernardino, CA
Riverside-San Bernardino pays recruiters close to the national norm. The median is $76,570 a year1, 8.3% below the California statewide median of $83,500 and about level with the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#84 of 521). About 7,210 recruiters work here, 7% of the California total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Riverside-San Bernardino against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $48,040 | $76,570 | $126,110 | |
| California | $52,770 | $83,500 | $151,410 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Riverside-San Bernardino earns $60,180–$99,700. The top tenth earns $126,110 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $39,520 wide, against $51,370 across California and $40,770 nationally: employers in Riverside-San Bernardino 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 | $48,040 | $4,003 | $23.10 | $61,987 |
| 25th percentile | $60,180 | $5,015 | $28.93 | $77,652 |
| Median | $76,570 | $6,381 | $36.81 | $98,800 |
| 75th percentile | $99,700 | $8,308 | $47.93 | $128,645 |
| 90th percentile | $126,110 | $10,509 | $60.63 | $162,723 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,390 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $23,130, or about $29,845 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 Riverside-San Bernardino, and the California statewide median of $83,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Riverside-San Bernardino
At the $76,570 median, a local hire costs about $98,800 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,230 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 Riverside-San Bernardino
Of the 17 roles we track in Riverside-San Bernardino, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($83,920) and office managers ($73,640). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,770.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +31.6% | 6,720 | |
| Accountant | +9.6% | 9,240 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 7,210 | |
| Office Manager | -3.8% | 13,240 | |
| Executive Assistant | -4.3% | 4,140 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Riverside-San Bernardino (+0.8%), between e-commerce order specialists (+1.0%) and accountants (+0.3%). The typical role here is at +3.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Riverside-San Bernardino, 6.2% across California and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $70,830 in Redding to $112,140 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $41,310 a year. All 4 areas in California with more recruiters than Riverside-San Bernardino also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($80,220) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($103,140).
| Area | Median | vs Riverside-San Bernardino | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | +0.7% | 730 | |
| Merced, CA | +0.3% | 280 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +0.2% | 1,240 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | this area | 7,210 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.0% | 1,160 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -0.4% | 110 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 210 |
Riverside-San Bernardino against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Riverside-San Bernardino is #29 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 California, Rochester and Madison pay just above Riverside-San Bernardino and Fargo and Manhattan just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Riverside-San Bernardino. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Riverside-San Bernardino | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +0.1% | 2,810 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | +0.0% | 2,460 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | this area | 7,210 | ||
| Fargo, ND-MN | -0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| Manhattan, KS | -0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -1.8% | 6,950 | jobs | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -4.6% | 7,110 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -12.1% | 7,150 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Riverside-San Bernardino, CA?
About $98,800 a year at the median, or $8,233 a month: $76,570 in pay plus about $22,230 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Riverside-San Bernardino?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $76,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,040, the 90th $126,110, and the middle half earned $60,180 to $99,700.
Is Riverside-San Bernardino cheaper than the rest of California for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,570 against $83,500 statewide. The next area up in California is Bakersfield-Delano at $76,700, the next down Stockton-Lodi at $76,560.
How many recruiters work in Riverside-San Bernardino?
BLS counts about 7,210 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the California total of 104,000. 4 areas in California have more; the closest in size is San Jose-Sunnyvale, with about 7,970.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Riverside-San Bernardino?
Yes: $2,930 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,570 and $73,640.
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.