Recruiter salary in Salinas, CA
Salinas pays recruiters less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $80,100 a year1: 4.1% below the California statewide median of $83,500 and 5.5% above the US median of $75,940. Nationally that is #36 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 630 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Salinas, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Salinas against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | $51,630 | $80,100 | $135,110 | |
| California | $52,770 | $83,500 | $151,410 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Salinas earns $64,660–$102,220. The top tenth earns $135,110 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. 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 only $37,560 wide, against $51,370 across California and $40,770 nationally: employers in Salinas 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 | $51,630 | $4,302 | $24.82 | $66,619 |
| 25th percentile | $64,660 | $5,388 | $31.09 | $83,432 |
| Median | $80,100 | $6,675 | $38.51 | $103,355 |
| 75th percentile | $102,220 | $8,518 | $49.14 | $131,897 |
| 90th percentile | $135,110 | $11,259 | $64.96 | $174,335 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $15,440 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $22,120, or about $28,542 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 Salinas, and the California statewide median of $83,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Salinas
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 Salinas
Of the 17 roles we track in Salinas, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($83,810) and executive assistants ($79,390). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,400.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +27.8% | 490 | |
| Accountant | +4.6% | 1,050 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 630 | |
| Executive Assistant | -0.9% | 360 | |
| Office Manager | -7.6% | 1,230 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Salinas (+5.5%), between office managers (+6.5%) and HR assistants (+4.7%). The typical role here is at +4.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Salinas, 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. Of the 14 areas in California with more recruiters than Salinas, 5 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($76,570), Fresno, CA ($74,170) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($76,700).
| Area | Median | vs Salinas | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +0.6% | 1,710 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +0.3% | 870 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +0.1% | 36,850 | |
| Salinas, CA | this area | 630 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | -2.6% | 610 | |
| Modesto, CA | -3.8% | 730 | |
| Merced, CA | -4.1% | 280 |
Salinas against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Salinas is #192 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 California, Portland-Vancouver and Salem pay just above Salinas and Waterbury-Shelton and Davenport-Moline just below. All four are within $430 a year of the median in Salinas. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Salinas | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +0.2% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +0.0% | 7,610 | pay | |
| Salinas, CA | this area | 630 | ||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | -0.3% | 710 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.5% | 1,420 | pay | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -4.8% | 630 | jobs | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -19.0% | 620 | jobs | |
| Columbia, MO | -20.9% | 640 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Salinas, CA?
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 is the pay range for recruiters in Salinas?
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 $51,630, the 90th $135,110, and the middle half earned $64,660 to $102,220.
Is Salinas cheaper than the rest of California for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $80,100 against $83,500 statewide. The next area up in California is Los Angeles-Long Beach at $80,220, the next down San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles at $78,020.
How many recruiters work in Salinas?
BLS counts about 630 in the May 2025 survey. 14 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Vallejo, with about 650.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Salinas?
Yes: $710 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,100 and $79,390.
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.