Recruiter salary in Rochester, NY
For this job Rochester sits right at the US figure, with a median of $76,590 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $75,940, and 9.2% below the New York statewide median of $84,380. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#83 of 521). BLS counts about 2,460 people in this job here, 5% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Rochester, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rochester against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | $51,760 | $76,590 | $122,760 | |
| New York | $56,040 | $84,380 | $149,990 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Rochester earns $60,950–$98,470. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $122,760, only 2.4 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 $37,520 wide, against $53,120 across New York 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 | $51,760 | $4,313 | $24.88 | $66,787 |
| 25th percentile | $60,950 | $5,079 | $29.30 | $78,645 |
| Median | $76,590 | $6,382 | $36.82 | $98,826 |
| 75th percentile | $98,470 | $8,206 | $47.34 | $127,058 |
| 90th percentile | $122,760 | $10,230 | $59.02 | $158,400 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $15,640 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $21,880, or about $28,232 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 Rochester, and the New York statewide median of $84,380 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
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 $22,236 to the $76,590 median and brings it to $98,826 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 Rochester
Of the 17 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($77,170) and executive assistants ($72,210). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,520.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +5.6% | 4,370 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.8% | 2,550 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 2,460 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.7% | 2,830 | |
| Office Manager | -9.3% | 4,220 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Rochester (+0.9%), between project coordinators (+1.2%) and bookkeepers (+0.4%). The typical role here is at -2.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Rochester, 5.0% across New York and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $68,170 in Glens Falls to $89,780 in New York-Newark, a gap of $21,610 a year. Of the 3 areas in New York with more recruiters than Rochester, 1 pays less: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($74,510).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +1.6% | 1,040 | |
| Syracuse, NY | +0.8% | 1,280 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +0.5% | 2,970 | |
| Rochester, NY | this area | 2,460 | |
| Binghamton, NY | -0.6% | 330 | |
| Ithaca, NY | -1.7% | 200 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -2.7% | 2,730 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #58 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 New York, Madison and Topeka pay just above Rochester and Riverside-San Bernardino and Stockton-Lodi just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +5.9% | 2,370 | jobs | |
| Topeka, KS | +0.1% | 720 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | +0.1% | 2,810 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | this area | 2,460 | ||
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -0.0% | 7,210 | pay | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.0% | 1,160 | pay | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -6.5% | 2,450 | jobs | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -12.7% | 2,430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Rochester, NY?
About $98,826 a year at the median, or $8,235 a month: $76,590 in pay plus about $22,236 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Rochester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $76,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,760, the 90th $122,760, and the middle half earned $60,950 to $98,470.
Is Rochester cheaper than the rest of New York for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,590 against $84,380 statewide. The next area up in New York is Albany-Schenectady at $77,000, the next down Binghamton at $76,140.
How many recruiters work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 2,460 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the New York total of 54,610. 3 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Buffalo-Cheektowaga, with about 2,730.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Rochester?
Yes: $4,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,590 and $72,210.
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.