Recruiter salary in Rochester, MN
Recruiters earn more in Rochester than anywhere else in Minnesota. Expect a median of $83,810 a year1, 6.4% above the Minnesota statewide median of $78,760 and 10.4% above the US median of $75,940. Nationally that is #15 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 500 recruiters work here, 3% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Rochester, MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rochester against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | $57,380 | $83,810 | $127,380 | |
| Minnesota | $50,330 | $78,760 | $127,060 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Rochester earns $69,000–$106,330. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $127,380, only 2.2 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 $37,330 wide, against $39,070 across Minnesota and $40,770 nationally: employers in Rochester 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 | $57,380 | $4,782 | $27.59 | $74,039 |
| 25th percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33.17 | $89,032 |
| Median | $83,810 | $6,984 | $40.29 | $108,142 |
| 75th percentile | $106,330 | $8,861 | $51.12 | $137,200 |
| 90th percentile | $127,380 | $10,615 | $61.24 | $164,361 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $22,520 over the median, the 25th only $14,810 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,058 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 25th percentile and the median in Rochester, and the Minnesota statewide median of $78,760 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
At the $83,810 median, a local hire costs about $108,142 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $24,332 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 Rochester
Of the 14 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($83,960) and marketing specialists ($83,030). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,270.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +26.8% | 460 | |
| Accountant | +0.2% | 760 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 500 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -0.9% | 320 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.9% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #4 of the 14 roles we track in Rochester (+10.4%), between administrative assistants (+11.3%) and payroll specialists (+9.1%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost more in Rochester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.6% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Rochester, 6.3% across Minnesota and 6.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $67,040 in Duluth to $83,810 in Rochester, a gap of $16,770 a year. All 4 areas in Minnesota with more recruiters than Rochester pay less, among them Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI ($80,330) and the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($72,750).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | this area | 500 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | -4.2% | 12,660 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -10.7% | 630 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -10.9% | 480 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -11.8% | 150 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -12.1% | 410 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -13.2% | 630 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #249 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Napa and Santa Cruz-Watsonville pay just above Rochester and Vallejo and Hartford-West Hartford just below. All four are within $890 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +1.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Napa, CA | +0.7% | 310 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 500 | ||
| Vallejo, CA | -0.8% | 650 | pay | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | -1.1% | 3,460 | pay | |
| Manhattan, KS | -8.8% | 500 | jobs | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -24.5% | 500 | jobs | |
| Amarillo, TX | -25.8% | 500 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Rochester, MN?
About $108,142 a year at the median, or $9,012 a month: $83,810 in pay plus about $24,332 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Rochester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $83,810 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $57,380, the 90th $127,380, and the middle half earned $69,000 to $106,330.
Is Rochester the most expensive area in Minnesota for recruiters?
Yes. Its median of $83,810 is the highest of 9 areas in Minnesota. Minneapolis-St. Paul comes next at $80,330.
How many recruiters work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Minnesota total of 17,240. 4 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Duluth, with about 560.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Rochester?
Yes: $780 a year more at the median. The medians are $83,810 and $83,030.
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.