Recruiter salary in St. Louis, MO-IL
For this job St. Louis sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $71,670 a year1. That is 7.0% above the Missouri statewide median of $66,990, and 5.6% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #170 of 521. It is the largest market for the job in Missouri: about 8,130 people.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area St. Louis, MO-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in St. Louis against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,230 | $71,670 | $116,290 | |
| Missouri | $44,730 | $66,990 | $110,660 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in St. Louis earns $54,770–$93,950. The top tenth earns $116,290 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $39,180 wide, between the figure for Missouri ($38,150) and the US figure ($40,770).
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,230 | $3,936 | $22.71 | $60,942 |
| 25th percentile | $54,770 | $4,564 | $26.33 | $70,671 |
| Median | $71,670 | $5,972 | $34.46 | $92,477 |
| 75th percentile | $93,950 | $7,829 | $45.17 | $121,226 |
| 90th percentile | $116,290 | $9,691 | $55.91 | $150,052 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $22,280 a year in pay and about $28,748 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $16,900 in pay. 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 St. Louis, and the Missouri statewide median of $66,990 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in St. Louis
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 $20,807 to the $71,670 median and brings it to $92,477 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 St. Louis
Of the 17 roles we track in St. Louis, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($74,130) and office managers ($68,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,510.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +10.1% | 13,610 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +3.4% | 6,980 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 8,130 | |
| Office Manager | -4.3% | 9,840 | |
| Executive Assistant | -11.4% | 3,990 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in St. Louis (-5.6%), between data entry specialists (-5.3%) and accountants (-5.7%). The typical role here is at -2.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 6.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in St. Louis, 6.3% across Missouri and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $56,140 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $75,190 in Kansas City, a gap of $19,050 a year. No other area in Missouri has as many recruiters, and 10 of the other 11 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs St. Louis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +4.9% | 6,950 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | this area | 8,130 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -10.4% | 250 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -10.6% | 640 | |
| Columbia, MO | -11.6% | 640 | |
| Springfield, MO | -11.9% | 1,270 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -12.9% | 530 |
St. Louis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, St. Louis is #23 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Missouri, Chambersburg and Jacksonville pay just above St. Louis and Des Moines-West Des Moines and Kahului-Wailuku just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in St. Louis. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs St. Louis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +56.5% | 7,970 | jobs | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +14.9% | 7,930 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.3% | 5,060 | pay | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +0.2% | 260 | pay | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | this area | 8,130 | ||
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -0.1% | 2,450 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -0.4% | 240 | pay | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | -6.0% | 8,210 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in St. Louis, MO-IL?
About $92,477 a year at the median, or $7,706 a month: $71,670 in pay plus about $20,807 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in St. Louis?
The median was $71,670 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,230, the 90th $116,290, and the middle half earned $54,770 to $93,950.
Is St. Louis cheaper than the rest of Missouri for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $71,670 against $66,990 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Kansas City at $75,190, the next down St. Joseph at $64,200.
How many recruiters work in St. Louis?
BLS counts about 8,130 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Missouri has as many.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in St. Louis?
Yes: $3,080 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,670 and $68,590.
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.