A Headhunter's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Headhunter Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Headhunter's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $92,716
San Francisco: $91,701
Oakland: $89,768
San Jose, CA$92,716
San Francisco, CA$91,701
Oakland, CA$89,768
New York, NY$84,637
Paramus, NJ$83,608
Queens Village, NY$83,604
Passaic, NJ$83,534
Bergenfield, NJ$83,528
Stamford, CT$83,366
Huntington, NY$83,336
Newark, NJ$82,793
Bridgeport, CT$82,637
Vallejo, CA$82,491
New Brunswick, NJ$82,462
Petaluma, CA$82,418
Middlesex, NJ$82,278
Somerset, NJ$82,226
Santa Cruz, CA$82,131
Boston, MA$81,683
Monterey, CA$81,425
Seattle, WA$81,256
Santa Rosa, CA$81,241
Los Angeles, CA$81,219
Juneau, AK$81,028
Washington, DC$80,947
Orange, CA$80,686
Santa Ana, CA$80,492
Long Beach, CA$80,418
Anaheim, CA$80,403
Anchorage, AK$80,367
Santa Maria, CA$80,146
Everett, WA$80,132
Danbury, CT$79,873
Bremerton, WA$79,771
Tacoma, WA$79,507
New Suffolk, NY$79,505
Sacramento, CA$79,485
Santa Barbara, CA$79,404
Trenton, NJ$79,323
San Diego, CA$79,323
Brockton, MA$79,242
Fairbanks, AK$79,062
Lompoc, CA$78,875
Lowell, MA$78,815
Ventura, CA$78,801
Nashua, NH$78,786
Stockton, CA$78,779
Modesto, CA$78,242
Poughkeepsie, NY$78,081
Olympia, WA$77,941
Kennewick, WA$77,941
New Haven, CT$77,912
Lawrence, MA$77,647
Hartford, CT$77,573
Riverside, CA$77,559
New Bedford, MA$77,485
Richland, WA$77,485
Bakersfield, CA$77,382
San Bernardino, CA$77,353
New Britain, CT$77,346
Atlantic City, NJ$77,346
New London, CT$77,316
Norwich, CT$77,294
Portsmouth, NH$77,279
Boulder, CO$77,124
Portland, OR$77,022
Worcester, MA$77,015
Minneapolis, MN$76,787
Philadelphia, PA$76,684
Honolulu, HI$76,441
Saint Paul, MN$76,406
Vineland, NJ$76,390
Providence, RI$76,177
Chicago, IL$75,964
Bellingham, WA$75,875
Springfield, MA$75,817
Baltimore, MD$75,795
Chico, CA$75,611
Pittsfield, MA$75,412
Manchester, NH$75,273
Spokane, WA$74,949
Denver, CO$74,942
Albany, NY$74,596
Troy, NY$74,567
Nassau, NY$74,488
Schenectady, NY$74,413
Wilmington, DE$74,354
Burlington, VT$74,251
Salem, OR$74,221
Portland, ME$73,994
Yakima, WA$73,920
Rochester, MN$73,692
Reno, NV$73,655
Fresno, CA$73,655
Milwaukee, WI$73,589
Detroit, MI$73,516
Ann Arbor, MI$73,503
Allentown, PA$73,494
Colorado Springs, CO$73,369
Syracuse, NY$73,332
Carson City, NV$73,332
Houston, TX$73,229
Eugene, OR$73,192
Gary, IN$73,104
Springfield, OR$73,045
Bismarck, ND$73,031
Galveston, TX$72,979
Medford, OR$72,869
Fort Collins, CO$72,839
Concord, NH$72,803
Austin, TX$72,781
Mesa, AZ$72,626
Reading, PA$72,619
Phoenix, AZ$72,612
Dallas, TX$72,590
Saint Cloud, MN$72,519
Madison, WI$72,420
Utica, NY$72,222
Rochester, NY$72,104
Des Moines, IA$72,097
Raleigh, NC$72,090
Atlanta, GA$71,979
Battle Creek, MI$71,957
Salt Lake City, UT$71,935
Lancaster, PA$71,825
Harrisburg, PA$71,722
Kansas City, MO$71,649
Champaign, IL$71,634
Kansas City, KS$71,634
Fort Worth, TX$71,627
Columbus, OH$71,614
Boca Raton, FL$71,597
Pittsburgh, PA$71,568
Richmond, VA$71,538
Indianapolis, IN$71,524
Cleveland, OH$71,516
Las Vegas, NV$71,428
Cincinnati, OH$71,428
Petersburg, VA$71,318
Huntsville, AL$71,208
Lansing, MI$71,158
Lebanon, PA$71,149
Pueblo, CO$71,141
Appleton, WI$71,119
Buffalo, NY$71,090
Dayton, OH$71,068
Racine, WI$71,053
Charlotte, NC$71,046
Saint Louis, MO$71,024
York, PA$70,980
Elkhart, IN$70,980
Gastonia, NC$70,966
Billings, MT$70,948
Beaumont, TX$70,928
Lorain, OH$70,914
Benton Harbor, MI$70,899
Toledo, OH$70,884
Binghamton, NY$70,847
Rock Hill, SC$70,840
Rockford, IL$70,803
Springfield, IL$70,774
Elyria, OH$70,767
Fargo, ND$70,767
Flagstaff, AZ$70,715
Fort Lauderdale, FL$70,671
Duluth, MN$70,627
Miami, FL$70,627
Cheyenne, WY$70,575
Grand Forks, ND$70,575
Bangor, ME$70,414
Cedar Rapids, IA$70,333
Durham, NC$70,302
Louisville, KY$70,296
Grand Rapids, MI$70,281
Hialeah, FL$70,274
Casper, WY$70,171
Scranton, PA$70,083
New Orleans, LA$70,061
Virginia Beach, VA$70,054
Akron, OH$70,017
Peoria, IL$69,921
Sarasota, FL$69,906
Nashville, TN$69,855
Omaha, NE$69,855
Green Bay, WI$69,855
Baton Rouge, LA$69,818
Charleston, SC$69,804
Jamestown, NY$69,767
Davenport, IA$69,767
Tucson, AZ$69,730
Saint Petersburg, FL$69,686
Tampa, FL$69,671
Evansville, IN$69,627
Port Arthur, TX$69,627
Bradenton, FL$69,598
Santa Fe, NM$69,465
Orlando, FL$69,333
Clearwater, FL$69,311
Canton, OH$69,157
La Crosse, WI$69,157
Albuquerque, NM$69,113
Newport News, VA$69,105
High Point, NC$69,083
Ogden, UT$69,054
Corpus Christi, TX$68,995
Norfolk, VA$68,951
Laramie, WY$68,951
Rock Island, IL$68,907
Saginaw, MI$68,892
Jacksonville, FL$68,885
Salisbury, NC$68,870
Boise, ID$68,855
Moline, IL$68,819
Fort Myers, FL$68,797
Memphis, TN$68,782
Tulsa, OK$68,745
Waterloo, IA$68,701
Spartanburg, SC$68,627
Lincoln, NE$68,591
Fort Wayne, IN$68,576
Provo, UT$68,569
Cedar Falls, IA$68,480
San Antonio, TX$68,451
Greensboro, NC$68,422
South Bend, IN$68,414
Savannah, GA$68,333
Muskegon, MI$68,304
Birmingham, AL$68,297
Winston Salem, NC$68,261
Lake Charles, LA$68,083
Anderson, IN$68,069
Lexington, KY$68,047
Augusta, GA$68,025
Greenville, SC$68,025
Lima, OH$67,966
Wichita, KS$67,959
Tuscaloosa, AL$67,959
Columbia, SC$67,892
Springfield, OH$67,878
Asheville, NC$67,760
Bloomington, IN$67,709
Knoxville, TN$67,444
Shreveport, LA$67,437
Wilmington, NC$67,341
Roanoke, VA$67,341
Topeka, KS$67,209
Frankfort, KY$67,201
Oklahoma City, OK$67,150
Chillicothe, OH$67,121
Longview, TX$67,113
Melbourne, FL$67,106
Sioux Falls, SD$66,988
Mobile, AL$66,981
Terre Haute, IN$66,951
Altoona, PA$66,907
Amarillo, TX$66,856
Killeen, TX$66,834
Fayetteville, AR$66,775
Chattanooga, TN$66,753
Sioux City, IA$66,687
Idaho Falls, ID$66,672
Lynchburg, VA$66,613
Gainesville, FL$66,518
Portsmouth, OH$66,481
Little Rock, AR$66,466
Lafayette, LA$66,437
Youngstown, OH$66,437
Daytona Beach, FL$66,393
Clarksville, TN$66,385
Pensacola, FL$66,378
Temple, TX$66,373
Hopkinsville, KY$66,158
Erie, PA$66,143
Florence, SC$66,113
Charleston, WV$65,996
Great Falls, MT$65,959
Macon, GA$65,856
Tallahassee, FL$65,849
Fayetteville, NC$65,834
Waco, TX$65,819
Helena, MT$65,768
Pine Bluff, AR$65,740
Vincennes, IN$65,650
Lubbock, TX$65,621
Alamogordo, NM$65,577
Twin Falls, ID$65,511
Rapid City, SD$65,489
Jackson, MS$65,356
Huntington, WV$65,351
Greenville, MS$65,349
Parkersburg, WV$65,274
Montgomery, AL$65,261
Wichita Falls, TX$65,187
Springfield, MO$65,187
Biloxi, MS$65,150
Monroe, LA$65,077
Johnstown, PA$65,026
Sumter, SC$64,996
Columbus, GA$64,989
Pascagoula, MS$64,849
Abilene, TX$64,849
Kingsport, TN$64,658
Albany, GA$64,658
Gulfport, MS$64,636
Alexandria, LA$64,393
Fort Smith, AR$64,210
El Paso, TX$64,011
Las Cruces, NM$63,680
Harlingen, TX$63,494
Pocatello, ID$63,482
Florence, AL$63,386
Brownsville, TX$63,372
Mcallen, TX$63,217
Dothan, AL$63,114
Columbus, MS$62,678
Altus, OK$62,335
Lawton, OK$62,195
Pierre, SD$61,931
What Skills Can Increase a Headhunter's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Interviewing (Mentioned in 4.91% Job Postings): The ability and process of conducting a conversation to gather information to facilitate all kinds of decision-making.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.33% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Advertising (Mentioned in 1.08% Job Postings): Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.:465 Sponsors of advertising are typically businesses wishing to promote their products or services. Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser pays for and has control over the message. It differs from personal selling in that the message is non-personal, i.e., not directed to a particular individual.:661,672 Advertising is communicated through various mass media, including traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; and new media such as search results, blogs, social media, websites or text messages. The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement, or "ad" or advert for short. Commercial ads often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through "branding", which associates a product name or image with certain qualities in the minds of consumers. On the other hand, ads that intend to elicit an immediate sale are known as direct-response advertising. Non-commercial entities that advertise more than consumer products or services include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Non-profit organizations may use free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement. Advertising may also help to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Headhunter's salary.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Resource Management: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
For Headhunter roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Headhunter positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Headhunter as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Headhunter
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$86,975
$42.0
30%
Financial Services
$83,630
$40.0
25%
Pharmaceuticals
$80,284
$39.0
20%
Energy & Utilities
$76,939
$37.0
15%
Biotechnology
$73,594
$35.0
10%
Headhunter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Headhunter's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Yearly
Monthly
Weekly
Hourly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$58,123
Average$66,904/year
$69,236
$4,844
Average$5,575/month
$5,770
$1,118
Average$1,287/week
$1,331
$28
Average$32/hour
$33
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$69,236
$5,770
$1,331
$33
Average
$66,904
$5,575
$1,287
$32
25th Percentile
$58,123
$4,844
$1,118
$28
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources.
We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right.
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