Recruiter salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Tampa-St. Petersburg than in Florida or the country as a whole. The median is $65,580 a year1: 1.2% below the Florida statewide median of $66,410 and 13.6% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #270 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 10,410 people in this job here, 17% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $44,530 | $65,580 | $115,180 | |
| Florida | $44,920 | $66,410 | $115,920 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Tampa-St. Petersburg earns $51,060–$91,170. The top tenth earns $115,180 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. The mean ($74,390) is 13% 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 $40,110 wide, between the figure for Florida ($39,150) 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 | $44,530 | $3,711 | $21.41 | $57,458 |
| 25th percentile | $51,060 | $4,255 | $24.55 | $65,884 |
| Median | $65,580 | $5,465 | $31.53 | $84,619 |
| 75th percentile | $91,170 | $7,598 | $43.83 | $117,639 |
| 90th percentile | $115,180 | $9,598 | $55.38 | $148,619 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $25,590 over the median, the 25th only $14,520 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $33,019 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg, and the Florida statewide median of $66,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tampa-St. Petersburg
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 $19,039 to the $65,580 median and brings it to $84,619 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg
Of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($75,210) and executive assistants ($64,710). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,780.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +20.4% | 14,770 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +14.7% | 8,420 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 10,410 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.3% | 3,140 | |
| Office Manager | -2.9% | 14,050 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #14 of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg (-13.6%), between payroll specialists (-13.4%) and sales development representatives (-14.8%). The typical role here is at -4.7%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Tampa-St. Petersburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tampa-St. Petersburg, 6.0% across Florida and 6.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $57,320 in Tallahassee to $76,230 in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, a gap of $18,910 a year. The one area in Florida with more recruiters, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($67,580), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +2.3% | 1,430 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +1.0% | 1,060 | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | +0.9% | 170 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 10,410 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -0.2% | 9,380 | |
| South Florida (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 330 | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -1.2% | 1,220 |
Tampa-St. Petersburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tampa-St. Petersburg is #17 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 Florida, Clarksville and Grand Rapids-Wyoming pay just above Tampa-St. Petersburg and Columbus and Staunton-Stuarts Draft just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Tampa-St. Petersburg. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | +24.0% | 9,110 | jobs | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | +15.7% | 8,940 | jobs | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +15.6% | 11,480 | jobs | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +0.3% | 3,490 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.2% | 540 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 10,410 | ||
| Columbus, GA-AL | -0.0% | 700 | pay | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -0.1% | 220 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL?
About $84,619 a year at the median, or $7,052 a month: $65,580 in pay plus about $19,039 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
The median was $65,580 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $44,530, the 90th $115,180, and the middle half earned $51,060 to $91,170.
Is Tampa-St. Petersburg cheaper than the rest of Florida for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,580 against $66,410 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Wildwood-The Villages at $66,190, the next down Orlando-Kissimmee at $65,430.
How many recruiters work in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
BLS counts about 10,410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the Florida total of 62,730. Only Miami-Fort Lauderdale has more in Florida.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
Yes: $870 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,580 and $64,710.
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.