Rates, 2026
What should a recruiter charge in New York or LA?
About $900 a day for a recruiter who is working and booked in New York or Los Angeles. $700 in the first years, $1,100 when senior. A retained search runs about $12,500. Also called: talent acquisition, sourcing.
Other markets: a major city · remote · a smaller market
First years
$700
a day · $90 an hour
Working, booked
$900
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,100
a day · $150 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$900 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- A retained search$12,500 per project
- Monthly retainera pipeline of roles worked$10,000 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 New York or Los Angeles: 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$8,000 to $25,000 each
- Sourcing only$1,500 to $4,000 per role
- Interview process design$1,500 to $4,000 each
How the number is made
Recruiters at this level day at about $900 ($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 $5,000. 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 New York or LA?
- About $900 a day for someone working and booked, $700 in the first years, $1,100 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a retained search?
- $12,500 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 $10,000 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.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.
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