Recruiter salary in Rockford, IL
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Rockford than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $65,490 a year1: 14.7% below the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 and 13.8% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #276 of 521. BLS counts about 650 people in this job here, 2% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Rockford, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rockford against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $46,830 | $65,490 | $94,930 | |
| Illinois | $48,980 | $76,820 | $123,940 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Rockford earns $55,530–$79,920. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $94,930, only 2.0 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 $24,390 wide, against $37,830 across Illinois and $40,770 nationally: employers in Rockford 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 | $46,830 | $3,902 | $22.51 | $60,426 |
| 25th percentile | $55,530 | $4,628 | $26.70 | $71,652 |
| Median | $65,490 | $5,458 | $31.49 | $84,503 |
| 75th percentile | $79,920 | $6,660 | $38.42 | $103,123 |
| 90th percentile | $94,930 | $7,911 | $45.64 | $122,490 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,430 a year in pay and about $18,619 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,960 in pay. 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 Rockford, and the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rockford
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 $19,013 to the $65,490 median and brings it to $84,503 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 Rockford
Of the 17 roles we track in Rockford, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between office managers ($65,740) and executive assistants ($62,100). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,690.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +14.9% | 850 | |
| Office Manager | +0.4% | 750 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 650 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.2% | 160 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -5.6% | 460 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Rockford (-13.8%), between HR assistants (-11.0%) and sales development representatives (-14.7%). The typical role here is at -5.4%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Rockford than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Rockford, 5.8% across Illinois and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 12 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $63,380 in the South Illinois nonmetro area to $78,840 in Springfield, a gap of $15,460 a year. All 3 areas in Illinois with more recruiters than Rockford also pay more, among them Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($78,210) and Springfield, IL ($78,840).
| Area | Median | vs Rockford | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +7.1% | 390 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +2.9% | 540 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +2.8% | 500 | |
| Rockford, IL | this area | 650 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 540 | |
| Kankakee, IL | -2.7% | 160 | |
| Decatur, IL | -2.7% | 140 |
Rockford against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rockford is #186 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Fort Wayne and Grants Pass pay just above Rockford and Billings and Orlando-Kissimmee just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Rockford. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rockford | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | +27.0% | 650 | jobs | |
| Grants Pass, OR | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +0.0% | 1,150 | pay | |
| Rockford, IL | this area | 650 | ||
| Billings, MT | -0.0% | 440 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -0.1% | 9,380 | pay | |
| Evansville, IN | -3.0% | 660 | jobs | |
| Columbia, MO | -3.3% | 640 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Rockford, IL?
About $84,503 a year at the median, or $7,042 a month: $65,490 in pay plus about $19,013 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Rockford?
The median was $65,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,830, the 90th $94,930, and the middle half earned $55,530 to $79,920.
Is Rockford cheaper than the rest of Illinois for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,490 against $76,820 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area at $67,340, the next down the West Central Illinois nonmetro area at $65,350.
How many recruiters work in Rockford?
BLS counts about 650 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Illinois total of 35,430. 3 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Peoria, with about 890.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Rockford?
Yes: $3,390 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,490 and $62,100.
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.