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Job outlook for senior recruiters in the United States
Senior recruiter job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior recruiter job growth rate is 8% from 2018-2028.
About 58,800 new jobs for senior recruiters are projected over the next decade.
Senior recruiter salaries have increased 7% for senior recruiters in the last 5 years.
There are over 219,813 senior recruiters currently employed in the United States.
There are 34,976 active senior recruiter job openings in the US.
The average senior recruiter salary is $78,931.
Are senior recruiter jobs in demand?
Senior Recruiter job and salary trends over time
Senior Recruiter jobs over time
Senior Recruiter job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 219,813 | 0.07% |
| 2020 | 192,246 | 0.06% |
| 2019 | 187,868 | 0.06% |
| 2018 | 176,215 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 164,399 | 0.05% |
Average senior recruiter salary over time
Senior Recruiter salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,931 | $37.95 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $76,979 | $37.01 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $75,686 | $36.39 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $75,027 | $36.07 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $73,573 | $35.37 | +1.4% |
Senior Recruiter jobs by state
Most common states for senior recruiters
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 131 | 19% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 384 | 6% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 261 | 6% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 41 | 6% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 395 | 5% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 282 | 5% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 69 | 5% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 52 | 5% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 36 | 5% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 33 | 5% |
| 11 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 27 | 5% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,516 | 4% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 329 | 4% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 302 | 4% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 211 | 4% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 132 | 4% |
| 17 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 127 | 4% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 86 | 4% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 45 | 4% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 33 | 4% |
Most common cities for senior recruiters
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta | 20 | 4% | $70,761 |
| 2 | Boston | 17 | 3% | $84,634 |
| 3 | Des Moines | 6 | 3% | $66,482 |
| 4 | Washington | 11 | 2% | $92,076 |
| 5 | Tampa | 8 | 2% | $66,814 |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu | 6 | 2% | $80,520 |
| 7 | Irvine | 5 | 2% | $88,523 |
| 8 | Austin | 14 | 1% | $73,122 |
| 9 | Chicago | 14 | 1% | $73,821 |
| 10 | San Francisco | 13 | 1% | $101,522 |
| 11 | Denver | 10 | 1% | $72,182 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 10 | 1% | $64,339 |
| 13 | San Diego | 9 | 1% | $87,448 |
| 14 | Dallas | 8 | 1% | $72,401 |
| 15 | Baltimore | 5 | 1% | $76,776 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | 5 | 1% | $67,479 |
| 17 | New York | 23 | 0% | $84,741 |
| 18 | Los Angeles | 17 | 0% | $89,593 |
| 19 | Phoenix | 7 | 0% | $72,084 |
Senior Recruiter job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior recruiter experts
Manhattan College
Muhlenberg College
The Pennsylvania State University
Emmaus Homes
East Tennessee State University
Life Time
Pamela Chasek
Professor of Political Science, Manhattan CollegeManhattan College
International Relations And National Security Studies
What general advice would you give to a Senior Recruiter?
Pamela Chasek: I think it is important to understand economics, speak another major language in addition to English, and have good computer skills. It is also important. But strong interpersonal skills should not be underestimated.
What Senior Recruiter skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Pamela Chasek: The more skills you have the better off you will be. Negotiate your salary package -- don't just accept what they offer you. However, if they refuse to budge, you may want to negotiate consideration of a raise after a 3-month probationary period.
What will help Senior Recruiters increase their earning potential?
Pamela Chasek: I think it is important to understand economics, speak another major language in addition to English, and have good computer skills. It is also important. But strong interpersonal skills should not be underestimated.
Ryan Smolko
Associate Director, Career CenterMuhlenberg College
The Career Center at Muhlenberg College
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Recruiter job market given the pandemic?
Ryan Smolko: Overnight, employers have had to innovate the way in which they do their work. Even when it is safe for employees to return to their offices, a level of flexibility will almost certainly be a staple going forward. Productivity is measured by work done- not hours at a desk. Those employers who remain rigid will find retaining top talent challenging. Along those lines employees will have the ability to live almost anywhere while still building a successful career.
What's a good job out of college for Senior Recruiters?
Ryan Smolko: A good job out of college is one that integrates a students skillset with their larger value system. Students can see every job available with a click of a button so employers are doing a lot around showing their culture, mission and social responsibility in very genuine ways.
What technical skills for a Senior Recruiter stand out to employers?
Ryan Smolko: Technical skills vary by industry and the technical skills needed today are not those that will be needed five or even one year from now. Adaptability is key to staying relevant in their career both now and in the future. O*Net is a great resource for students to see technical skills commonly used in their jobs of interest.
The technical skills everyone should be continually working on are Excel/Tableau and Canva/PowerPoint. Working with large amounts of data is almost universal in today's economy regardless of industry or position. You can also have the best data in the world but if you can't present it in a dynamic way it won't be seen which is why being well versed in presentation and design tools can be a big advantage.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Recruiter job market given the pandemic?
Elaine Farndale Ph.D.: As we move into a period of economic recovery following the pandemic, I would expect to see a gradual opening up of positions across the job market, but no major recovery for the next couple of years. As most businesses start to regroup and win back their customers, there will likely be cautious steps forward. STEM jobs are most likely to be in high demand as these are areas in which the future economy will grow, but also areas in which the supply of suitable talent is limited. HR graduates will have an influential role to play if they can demonstrate skills in helping organizations transition through a complex restructuring of jobs and activities.
What skills stand out on Senior Recruiter resumes?
Elaine Farndale Ph.D.: An ability to be flexible and adaptable has to be a number one priority for most positions, particularly HR. This might be related to geographic flexibility, i.e., being willing to go where skills are needed, or flexibility of working hours or place of work (in an office or working from home). We have learned a lot about the advantages (e.g., reduced office space, meeting, and travel costs) and disadvantages (e.g., losing connections with co-workers, more complex people management, and productivity challenges) of remote working so businesses will be trying to continue to keep the advantages while removing the disadvantages once people can work on-site as well as remotely. HR professionals who can advise businesses through this balancing act will be invaluable.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Recruiters to find work opportunities?
Elaine Farndale Ph.D.: The answer will lie in which states can recover from the pandemic the quickest, which is still very much unknown.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Recruiter job market given the pandemic?
Tonya Courtois: Covid 19 has forced many to rethink and reevaluate the status quo. Remote work has always been a topic of consideration for many but the pandemic pushed it into high gear for both employers and potential employees. More employers are going to be looking for individuals who are open to remote work. This brings its own set of new considerations. As an employer you are looking for individuals who are able to manage themselves and their time. Are they tech-savvy, adaptable, innovative, organized and self-aware? How will we manage accountability and production? For potential employees, they want to know how they will learn the role, how personal will it feel, will there be any disconnect, and how to balance work and home life.
Recruiters will have to think outside of the box to hire and onboard individuals. However, it doesn't stop there. Recruiters now have to be more accommodating, educated on the culture of the organization, and find that personal touch that allows the candidate to feel connected to the mission of the organization. They have to paint that picture of the company as a whole. They will have to be the expert, the coach, the teacher, the face of the organization.
What skills stand out on Senior Recruiter resumes?
Tonya Courtois: To be most attractive to us a resume should be more than just a list of a person's work history and the skills they acquired while they occupied each role. A resume that will stand out to us, is a resume that tells us how a candidate problem-solved during their tenure at each job. We are also looking for candidates who closely align with our core value system. A one size fits all resume is not a best practice. Candidates should do their homework and clearly and specifically identify past behaviors that demonstrate they share our values. Resumes should be full of well-written examples of how they added value.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Recruiters to find work opportunities?
Tonya Courtois: Our industry provides support staff to adults who have developmental disabilities. Our entry-level employees are called Direct Support Professionals (DSPS). We, like many others in our industry, are experiencing a significant staffing crisis. This crisis has gained national attention. To close the gap we continue to encourage our state legislatures to standardize rates and pay rates that will allow us to outpace minimum wage and be competitive with other high-volume employers. My recommendation to students and recent graduates is to research mission-driven, caregiving roles in their area, specifically those for individuals with disabilities. Learn about disabilities and understand the need. Reach out to a couple of different organizations in your area and connect with them to learn more about their mission. Find a good fit and pick up some part-time hours while finishing school. At Emmaus we are very intentional in creating career paths for individuals who have a mission heart and want to do work that matters. It's not just a job but a defined career path!
What Senior Recruiter skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. James Lampley: I would encourage a graduate or graduate student to use the gap year experience to learn a new marketable skill or to work with under-served groups. Learn how to do something that not a lot of people can do.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Recruiter job market given the pandemic?
Dr. James Lampley: Online delivery. Before the pandemic, we were already seeing a trend to more online programs. After we return to "normal" we will see online courses and online programs expand exponentially.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Recruiter?
Dr. James Lampley: Be willing to go where the jobs are. Many of our graduates are "place-bound". Their family obligations or spouses make it difficult to relocate.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Recruiter?
Mick Joneja: We see similar trends to the Great Recession and Global Financial Crisis of 2008, regarding the workforce supply and demand in many US industries. Because of the recent spike in the amount of talent, companies have become inundated with a significant increase in applicants. For those graduates entering the workforce now or shortly, it will be vital for them to find ways to set themselves apart, while being open and patient during this unique time.
1.Graduates need to use their networks to make personal connections to increase their chances of being considered for those more desired, entry-level roles. Student organizations with alumni networks, family friends, and career service centers with strong relationships with local companies are great places to start. Appropriate and professional persistence is essential when candidates are requesting introductions through their network.
2.Many companies that were financially impacted during the epidemic have restructured their corporate offices, and have found more creative ways to combine roles and work more cross-functionally. Candidates need to be more open to positions that may come with a mixture of different types of related work and see it as a way to grow their skills while learning their new role and integrating themselves into the company. Temporary roles are also the right way for candidates to get their foot in the door, exceed expectations, and transition into permanent positions.
3.The implementation of short, project-based work and gigs is becoming significantly more common, where various leaders need additional help on critical initiatives in short periods. Once hired, those beginning their careers should look for these opportunities to quickly diversify their backgrounds and internally network across new divisions.
4.While conducting your job search, or after getting settled into your first position, consider online courses and certificates related to your desired profession and industry. Not only will you gain new educational experience, but the progress also shows work ethic and dedication to continuous development.