Recruiter salary in Yakima, WA
No other area in Washington pays recruiters less than Yakima. The median is $72,180 a year1, 14.6% below the Washington statewide median of $84,550 and 5.0% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #161 of 521. About 390 recruiters work here, 2% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Yakima, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Yakima against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | $49,950 | $72,180 | $106,760 | |
| Washington | $57,030 | $84,550 | $136,070 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Yakima earns $59,950–$86,770. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $106,760, 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 $26,820 wide, against $41,350 across Washington and $40,770 nationally: employers in Yakima 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 | $49,950 | $4,162 | $24.01 | $64,452 |
| 25th percentile | $59,950 | $4,996 | $28.82 | $77,355 |
| Median | $72,180 | $6,015 | $34.70 | $93,135 |
| 75th percentile | $86,770 | $7,231 | $41.72 | $111,961 |
| 90th percentile | $106,760 | $8,897 | $51.33 | $137,755 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,230 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,590, or about $18,826 once benefits are added. 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 Yakima, and the Washington statewide median of $84,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Yakima
At the $72,180 median, a local hire costs about $93,135 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,955 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 Yakima
Of the 15 roles we track in Yakima, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between office managers ($73,050) and marketing specialists ($64,900). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,780.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +1.4% | 180 | |
| Office Manager | +1.2% | 880 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 390 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -10.1% | 240 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -11.3% | 110 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 15 roles we track in Yakima (-5.0%), between executive assistants (-4.4%) and sales development representatives (-17.6%). The typical role here is at +0.6%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Yakima than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 5.6% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Yakima, 6.7% across Washington and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $72,180 in Yakima to $92,770 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $20,590 a year. All 8 areas in Washington with more recruiters than Yakima also pay more, among them Seattle-Tacoma, WA ($92,770) and Olympia-Lacey, WA ($86,700).
| Area | Median | vs Yakima | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +8.3% | 430 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | +8.0% | 240 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | +7.4% | 430 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +7.1% | 550 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +5.0% | 190 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +3.1% | 1,370 | |
| Yakima, WA | this area | 390 |
Yakima against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Yakima is #309 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Washington, Mankato and Utica-Rome pay just above Yakima and Elmira and Kingston just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in Yakima. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Yakima | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | +0.3% | 540 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | +0.3% | 260 | pay | |
| Yakima, WA | this area | 390 | ||
| Elmira, NY | -0.0% | 130 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | -0.2% | 200 | pay | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | -9.4% | 390 | jobs | |
| Eau Claire, WI | -10.1% | 390 | jobs | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -15.2% | 390 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Yakima, WA?
About $93,135 a year at the median, or $7,761 a month: $72,180 in pay plus about $20,955 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Yakima?
The median was $72,180 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,950, the 90th $106,760, and the middle half earned $59,950 to $86,770.
Is Yakima the cheapest area in Washington for recruiters?
Yes. Its median of $72,180 is the lowest of 13 areas in Washington. Spokane-Spokane Valley is next at $74,430.
How many recruiters work in Yakima?
BLS counts about 390 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Washington total of 22,770. 8 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is the Eastern Washington nonmetro area, with about 430.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Yakima?
Yes: $7,280 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,180 and $64,900.
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.