Recruiter salary in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area
The Southwest Iowa nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $63,060 a year1 is 5.5% below the Iowa statewide median of $66,710, and 17.0% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #359 of 521. About 300 recruiters work here, 4% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | $45,840 | $63,060 | $99,340 | |
| Iowa | $45,400 | $66,710 | $110,640 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area earns $51,060–$81,510. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $99,340, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($70,130) is 11% 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 $30,450 wide, against $31,880 across Iowa and $40,770 nationally: employers in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area 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 | $45,840 | $3,820 | $22.04 | $59,148 |
| 25th percentile | $51,060 | $4,255 | $24.55 | $65,884 |
| Median | $63,060 | $5,255 | $30.32 | $81,368 |
| 75th percentile | $81,510 | $6,792 | $39.19 | $105,174 |
| 90th percentile | $99,340 | $8,278 | $47.76 | $128,181 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,450 over the median, the 25th only $12,000 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $23,806 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 Southwest Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $66,710 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area
At the $63,060 median, a local hire costs about $81,368 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,308 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 the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($70,190) and office managers ($61,010). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,560.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +34.1% | 140 | |
| Accountant | +11.3% | 430 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 300 | |
| Office Manager | -3.3% | 430 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -5.3% | 200 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #9 of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area (-17.0%), between accountants (-16.1%) and project coordinators (-17.4%). The typical role here is at -16.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 6.2% of the jobs in the 14 of these roles with a job count in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area, 5.9% across Iowa and 5.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $61,900 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to $79,670 in Davenport-Moline, a gap of $17,770 a year. Of the 9 areas in Iowa with more recruiters than the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area, 2 pay less: the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area ($62,850) and Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA ($61,900).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | +2.1% | 380 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 590 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.0% | 670 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 300 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -0.0% | 280 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 460 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -1.8% | 360 |
the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area is #359 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Springfield and Oklahoma City pay just above the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area and Auburn-Opelika and Decatur just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | +10.6% | 300 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.2% | 3,900 | pay | |
| Springfield, MO | +0.1% | 1,270 | pay | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 300 | ||
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -0.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Decatur, AL | -0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -6.4% | 300 | jobs | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -7.6% | 300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $81,368 a year at the median, or $6,781 a month: $63,060 in pay plus about $18,308 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $63,060 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,840, the 90th $99,340, and the middle half earned $51,060 to $81,510.
Is the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,060 against $66,710 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Cedar Rapids at $63,070, the next down Sioux City at $63,040.
How many recruiters work in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Iowa total of 7,930. 9 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Waterloo-Cedar Falls, with about 360.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,050 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,060 and $61,010.
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.