Recruiter salary in Waterbury-Shelton, CT
Waterbury-Shelton pays recruiters less than Connecticut as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $79,850 a year1: 3.7% below the Connecticut statewide median of $82,890 and 5.1% above the US median of $75,940. Nationally that is #37 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 710 recruiters work here, 8% of the Connecticut total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Waterbury-Shelton, CT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Waterbury-Shelton against Connecticut and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $49,730 | $79,850 | $129,610 | |
| Connecticut | $51,000 | $82,890 | $134,810 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
Recruiters at the 90th percentile earn $129,610, 2.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.7. The middle half of recruiters in Waterbury-Shelton earns $62,620–$101,350. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $38,730 wide, against $43,800 across Connecticut and $40,770 nationally: employers in Waterbury-Shelton 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 | $49,730 | $4,144 | $23.91 | $64,168 |
| 25th percentile | $62,620 | $5,218 | $30.11 | $80,800 |
| Median | $79,850 | $6,654 | $38.39 | $103,032 |
| 75th percentile | $101,350 | $8,446 | $48.73 | $130,774 |
| 90th percentile | $129,610 | $10,801 | $62.31 | $167,239 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $21,500 a year in pay and about $27,742 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $17,230 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 25th percentile and the median in Waterbury-Shelton, and the Connecticut statewide median of $82,890 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Waterbury-Shelton
At the $79,850 median, a local hire costs about $103,032 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,182 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 Waterbury-Shelton
Of the 17 roles we track in Waterbury-Shelton, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($81,640) and sales development representatives ($76,550). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,990.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +16.5% | 1,230 | |
| Executive Assistant | +2.2% | 430 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 710 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -4.1% | 1,180 | |
| Office Manager | -7.6% | 2,320 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Waterbury-Shelton (+5.1%), between administrative assistants (+6.1%) and payroll specialists (+5.1%). The typical role here is at +5.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Waterbury-Shelton, 5.0% across Connecticut and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Connecticut
Across the 6 areas of Connecticut with data for this job, the median runs from $76,260 in the Connecticut nonmetro area to $85,550 in Bridgeport-Stamford, a gap of $9,290 a year. All 3 areas in Connecticut with more recruiters than Waterbury-Shelton also pay more, among them Hartford-West Hartford, CT ($82,920) and Bridgeport-Stamford, CT ($85,550).
| Area | Median | vs Waterbury-Shelton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +7.1% | 2,350 | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +3.8% | 3,460 | |
| New Haven, CT | +3.3% | 1,230 | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | this area | 710 | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | -3.8% | 440 | |
| Connecticut (Nonmetro) | -4.5% | 250 |
Waterbury-Shelton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Waterbury-Shelton is #171 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Connecticut, Salinas and Portland-Vancouver pay just above Waterbury-Shelton and Davenport-Moline and Richmond just below. All four are within $510 a year of the median in Waterbury-Shelton. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Waterbury-Shelton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +13.1% | 710 | jobs | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +0.3% | 7,610 | pay | |
| Salinas, CA | +0.3% | 630 | pay | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | this area | 710 | ||
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.2% | 1,420 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | -0.6% | 4,540 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | -20.3% | 720 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -24.8% | 720 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?
About $103,032 a year at the median, or $8,586 a month: $79,850 in pay plus about $23,182 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Waterbury-Shelton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $79,850 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,730, the 90th $129,610, and the middle half earned $62,620 to $101,350.
Is Waterbury-Shelton cheaper than the rest of Connecticut for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $79,850 against $82,890 statewide. The next area up in Connecticut is New Haven at $82,510, the next down Norwich-New London at $76,810.
How many recruiters work in Waterbury-Shelton?
BLS counts about 710 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Connecticut total of 9,010. 3 areas in Connecticut have more; the closest in size is New Haven, with about 1,230.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in Waterbury-Shelton?
Yes: $3,300 a year more at the median. The medians are $79,850 and $76,550.
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.