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Recruiter salary and cost of hiring in Washington

The median recruiter in Washington earned $84,550 a year in May 2025[1], 11.3% above the US median of $75,940. That puts Washington at #3 of 51 states for this job.

$7,046median pay per month in Washington
$10,065employer cost per month with benefits
$40.65median pay per hour
22,770people in this job in Washington

BLS occupation 13-1071. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Washington$57,030$84,550$136,070
United States$47,180$75,940$128,720
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of recruiters in Washington earns $69,200–$110,550; the top tenth earns $136,070 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Washington median that makes about $120,786 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$120,786local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Washington

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$92,770
$124,38014,120
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
$90,290
$119,520710
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
$86,700
$98,4501,410
Kennewick-Richland, WA
$81,290
$106,180620
Walla Walla, WA
$80,730
$100,980120
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
$78,800
$97,930230
Bellingham, WA
$78,160
$100,810430
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
$77,920
$96,250240
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area
$77,520
$96,240430
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area
$77,320
$92,970550
Longview-Kelso, WA
$75,810
$94,260190
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
$74,430
$93,5901,370
Yakima, WA
$72,180
$86,770390

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA pays the most ($92,770) and Yakima, WA the least ($72,180): $20,590 a year apart for the same job.

What a recruiter does

A recruiter finds and attracts candidates, screens them, manages the interview process and closes offers for the hiring managers.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Washington
District of Columbia
$110,970
+31.2%
Massachusetts
$85,630
+1.3%
Washington
$84,550
+0.0%
New York
$84,380
-0.2%
Maryland
$83,910
-0.8%

Questions

How much does a recruiter earn in Washington?

The median was $84,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $69,200 to $110,550.

What does it cost to employ a recruiter in Washington?

About $120,786 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Washington do recruiters earn the most?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, with a median of $92,770 a year.

Other roles in Washington

Hire recruiters remotely

How to hire recruiters

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131071.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.