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Recruiter salary in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area

Hiring a recruiter costs less in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area than in Wisconsin or the country as a whole. The median is $65,570 a year1: 7.0% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $70,540 and 13.7% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #271 of 521. About 910 recruiters work here, 5% of the Wisconsin total.

$5,464median pay per month in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area
$7,051employer cost per month with benefits
$31.52median pay per hour
910people in this job in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area

BLS occupation 13-1071, area South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area against Wisconsin and the US

Range10thMedian90th
South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro)$46,850$65,570$101,410
Wisconsin$47,860$70,540$105,270
United States$47,180$75,940$128,720
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of recruiters in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area earns $55,520–$80,660. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $101,410, 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 $25,140 wide, against $27,560 across Wisconsin and $40,770 nationally: employers in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for a recruiter here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$46,850$3,904$22.52$60,452
25th percentile$55,520$4,627$26.69$71,639
Median$65,570$5,464$31.52$84,606
75th percentile$80,660$6,722$38.78$104,077
90th percentile$101,410$8,451$48.75$130,852

Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,090 over the median, the 25th only $10,050 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $19,471 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 median and the 75th percentile in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $70,540 falls there too.

What a hire really costs in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area

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 $19,036 to the $65,570 median and brings it to $84,606 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.

$84,606local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$70,718difference in year one
84%of the local cost saved

Other roles in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area

Of the 17 roles we track in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($77,340) and office managers ($63,350). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,460.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs recruiterJobs
Project Coordinator
$91,460
+39.5%860
Accountant
$77,340
+18.0%1,310
Recruiter
$65,570
this role910
Office Manager
$63,350
-3.4%1,450
Executive Assistant
$62,100
-5.3%180

Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area (-13.7%), between sales development representatives (-11.8%) and paralegals (-17.4%). The typical role here is at -7.6%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.2% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area, 6.2% across Wisconsin and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.

Other areas in Wisconsin

Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $63,270 in Janesville-Beloit to $76,660 in Madison, a gap of $13,390 a year. All 2 areas in Wisconsin with more recruiters than the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area also pay more, among them Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ($74,970) and Madison, WI ($76,660).

AreaMedianvs the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro areaJobs
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
$68,940
+5.1%530
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI
$67,200
+2.5%400
Wausau, WI
$66,750
+1.8%330
South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$65,570
this area910
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$65,400
-0.3%390
Eau Claire, WI
$64,900
-1.0%390
Kenosha, WI
$64,080
-2.3%470

the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area is #137 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Clarksville pay just above the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area and Columbus and Staunton-Stuarts Draft just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.

Metro areaMedianvs the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$81,540
+24.4%920jobs
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
$78,520
+19.7%900jobs
Asheville, NC
$70,210
+7.1%910jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$65,680
+0.2%540pay
Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL
$65,580
+0.0%10,410pay
South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$65,570
this area910
Columbus, GA-AL
$65,550
-0.0%700pay
Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA
$65,540
-0.0%220pay

Questions

How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro)?

About $84,606 a year at the median, or $7,051 a month: $65,570 in pay plus about $19,036 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do recruiters earn in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area?

The median was $65,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,850, the 90th $101,410, and the middle half earned $55,520 to $80,660.

Is the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for recruiters?

Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,570 against $70,540 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Wausau at $66,750, the next down La Crosse-Onalaska at $65,400.

How many recruiters work in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 910 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Wisconsin total of 17,360. Only Milwaukee-Waukesha and Madison have more in Wisconsin.

Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area?

Yes: $2,220 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,570 and $63,350.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.