Recruiter salary in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area
Hiring a recruiter costs less in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area than in Maine or the country as a whole. The median is $68,320 a year1: 4.6% below the Maine statewide median of $71,630 and 10.0% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #218 of 521. About 570 recruiters work here, 19% of the Maine total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area against Maine and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | $47,730 | $68,320 | $102,300 | |
| Maine | $45,850 | $71,630 | $105,840 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area earns $57,200–$85,080. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $102,300, only 2.1 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 $27,880 wide, against $32,170 across Maine and $40,770 nationally: employers in the Southwest Maine 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 | $47,730 | $3,978 | $22.95 | $61,587 |
| 25th percentile | $57,200 | $4,767 | $27.50 | $73,806 |
| Median | $68,320 | $5,693 | $32.85 | $88,155 |
| 75th percentile | $85,080 | $7,090 | $40.90 | $109,781 |
| 90th percentile | $102,300 | $8,525 | $49.18 | $132,000 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $16,760 over the median, the 25th only $11,120 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $21,626 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 Maine nonmetro area, and the Maine statewide median of $71,630 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Maine 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 $19,835 to the $68,320 median and brings it to $88,155 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 the Southwest Maine nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($70,430) and office managers ($66,850). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,320.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +38.1% | 440 | |
| Accountant | +3.1% | 800 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 570 | |
| Office Manager | -2.2% | 1,350 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.9% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area (-10.0%), between project coordinators (-7.8%) and HR assistants (-10.5%). The typical role here is at -5.2%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 4.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area, 5.5% across Maine and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maine
Across the 5 areas of Maine with data for this job, the median runs from $58,240 in Lewiston-Auburn to $78,100 in Portland-South Portland, a gap of $19,860 a year. The one area in Maine with more recruiters, Portland-South Portland, ME ($78,100), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Maine nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +14.3% | 1,310 | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | +8.3% | 170 | |
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 570 | |
| Bangor, ME | -6.5% | 350 | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -14.8% | 300 |
the Southwest Maine nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Maine nonmetro area is #217 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Maine, Naples-Marco Island and Winston-Salem pay just above the Southwest Maine nonmetro area and Sioux Falls and Glens Falls just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Maine nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | +15.1% | 580 | jobs | |
| Greeley, CO | +11.5% | 580 | jobs | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | +0.3% | 1,370 | pay | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 570 | ||
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | -0.1% | 670 | pay | |
| Glens Falls, NY | -0.2% | 190 | pay | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -8.6% | 570 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Southwest Maine (Nonmetro)?
About $88,155 a year at the median, or $7,346 a month: $68,320 in pay plus about $19,835 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area?
The median was $68,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,730, the 90th $102,300, and the middle half earned $57,200 to $85,080.
Is the Southwest Maine nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Maine for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $68,320 against $71,630 statewide. The next area up in Maine is the Northeast Maine nonmetro area at $73,990, the next down Bangor at $63,900.
How many recruiters work in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Maine total of 3,020. Only Portland-South Portland has more in Maine.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,470 a year more at the median. The medians are $68,320 and $66,850.
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.