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Recruiter salary by level

Recruiting pay in 2026, from entry level to VP, in the highest-paying US markets.

Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026

Median base salary, Senior Recruiter, top-tier markets

$135,000

From entry level to VP, medians run from $75k to $297k.

Individual contributor track

Median base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle.

TitleMedian base
Associate RecruiterIC1 Associate / Entry$75k
RecruiterIC2 Mid-level$103k
Senior RecruiterIC3 Senior$135k
Lead RecruiterIC4 Staff / Lead$165k
Principal RecruiterIC5 Senior Staff / Principal$192k
Senior Principal RecruiterIC6 Distinguished$223k

Management track

TitleMedian base
Associate Manager, RecruitingM2 Associate Manager$142k
Manager, RecruitingM3 Manager$165k
Senior Manager, RecruitingM4 Senior Manager$192k
Director, RecruitingM5 Director$227k
Senior Director, RecruitingM6 Senior Director$257k
VP, RecruitingE1 Vice President$297k

The full range

Every market, the 10th to 90th percentiles, bonus, equity, and new hire grants, adjusted for your industry and company size.

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Other People roles

Where do these numbers come from?

They are modeled estimates built by compensation practitioners from publicly discussed pay and from how companies typically structure salary ranges by level and location. They are not survey results and not any company's actual ranges. Use them to get oriented before a pay conversation, not as an exact offer number.