Rates, 2026
What should a recruiter charge in a major city?
About $775 a day for a recruiter who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $575 in the first years, $950 when senior. A retained search runs about $10,625. Also called: talent acquisition, sourcing.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$575
a day · $70 an hour
Working, booked
$775
a day · $95 an hour
Senior, sought after
$950
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$775 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$95 per hour
- A retained search$10,625 per project
- Monthly retainera pipeline of roles worked$8,500 per month
- Commission on first-year salary20%
Sold a percentage, a project fee, a monthly retainer. A percentage only makes sense once the money is real; under a few thousand a month, a flat fee pays better.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Contingency, per hire15 to 25% of first-year salary
- Retained search$6,800 to $21,250 each
- Sourcing only$1,275 to $3,400 per role
- Interview process design$1,275 to $3,400 each
How the number is made
Recruiters at this level in this market day at about $775 ($600 to $1,200 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A retained search runs $5,000 to $20,000 and takes about 40 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $3,800. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: a pipeline of roles worked. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
15 to 25% of first-year salary is the norm. It only makes sense when the money is real: under about $3,000 a month in fees a flat retainer pays you better and the client can budget it.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a recruiter in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $775 a day for someone working and booked, $575 in the first years, $950 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a retained search?
- $10,625 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a recruiter?
- Around $8,500 a month: a pipeline of roles worked. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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