Recruiter salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
South Bend-Mishawaka is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $63,700 a year1 is 2.9% below the Indiana statewide median of $65,600, and 16.1% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #333 of 521. BLS counts about 670 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in South Bend-Mishawaka against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $46,900 | $63,700 | $101,470 | |
| Indiana | $44,810 | $65,600 | $106,830 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in South Bend-Mishawaka earns $52,010–$79,480. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $101,470, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($69,690) is 9% 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 $27,470 wide, against $32,290 across Indiana and $40,770 nationally: employers in South Bend-Mishawaka 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 | $46,900 | $3,908 | $22.55 | $60,516 |
| 25th percentile | $52,010 | $4,334 | $25.00 | $67,110 |
| Median | $63,700 | $5,308 | $30.62 | $82,194 |
| 75th percentile | $79,480 | $6,623 | $38.21 | $102,555 |
| 90th percentile | $101,470 | $8,456 | $48.78 | $130,929 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $11,690 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,780, or about $20,361 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 median and the 75th percentile in South Bend-Mishawaka, and the Indiana statewide median of $65,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in South Bend-Mishawaka
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 $18,494 to the $63,700 median and brings it to $82,194 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($64,000) and sales development representatives ($63,230). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,820.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +3.0% | 920 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.5% | 620 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 670 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -0.7% | 880 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.5% | 290 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka (-16.1%), between payroll specialists (-13.6%) and administrative assistants (-16.9%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in South Bend-Mishawaka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in South Bend-Mishawaka, 6.4% across Indiana and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $60,990 in Muncie to $67,690 in Michigan City-La Porte, a gap of $6,700 a year. Of the 4 areas in Indiana with more recruiters than South Bend-Mishawaka, 2 pay less: the Northern Indiana nonmetro area ($62,530) and the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($62,680).
| Area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | +2.8% | 1,150 | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +1.8% | 620 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +0.7% | 510 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 670 | |
| Evansville, IN | -0.3% | 660 | |
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 760 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -1.8% | 820 |
South Bend-Mishawaka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, South Bend-Mishawaka is #181 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Indiana, Decatur and Kankakee pay just above South Bend-Mishawaka and Appleton and Lima just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in South Bend-Mishawaka. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +7.1% | 670 | jobs | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +1.6% | 670 | jobs | |
| Kankakee, IL | +0.0% | 160 | pay | |
| Decatur, IL | +0.0% | 140 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 670 | ||
| Appleton, WI | -0.1% | 720 | pay | |
| Lima, OH | -0.3% | 230 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -1.0% | 670 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
About $82,194 a year at the median, or $6,849 a month: $63,700 in pay plus about $18,494 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The median was $63,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,900, the 90th $101,470, and the middle half earned $52,010 to $79,480.
Is South Bend-Mishawaka cheaper than the rest of Indiana for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,700 against $65,600 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Lafayette-West Lafayette at $64,140, the next down Evansville at $63,520.
How many recruiters work in South Bend-Mishawaka?
BLS counts about 670 in the May 2025 survey. 4 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is the Southern Indiana nonmetro area, with about 760.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes: $470 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,700 and $63,230.
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.