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Executive Recruiters

Earnings

Executive recruiters are paid well for their efforts. Contingency recruiters, who get paid only if their candidate is hired, typically charge a fee from 25 percent to 35 percent of the candidate's first-year cash compensation.

Retained recruiters average fees of one-third of the candidate's first-year cash compensation. Any expenses incurred by the recruiter are usually paid by the employer.

Executive recruiters earned median annual salaries of $88,864 in December 2024, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Earnings ranged from less than $36,500 to $190,500 or more. Top earners, those working for larger retainer recruiting firms, can make more than $250,000 a year.

Along with their salary, all recruiters are offered a benefits package including health insurance, paid vacations, and sick time or paid disability.

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