Technical Recruiter

💰 $90K–$150K salary range

Median: $115K  ·  Based on 743 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026

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Sourcing and securing top-tier engineers, researchers, and data scientists for AI model development and deployment is paramount for high-growth companies. This critical function falls to the Technical Recruiter, who identifies, engages, and guides highly specialized candidates through a rigorous hiring process. Based on 145 recent job postings, the salary range for this role typically spans $95,000 to $170,000, with a median compensation of $120,000. Professionals who command top-tier compensation demonstrate a deep understanding of machine learning algorithms, proficiency in discussing NLP or computer vision architectures, and familiarity with popular AI/ML frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow. These specific technical insights enable effective candidate qualification and stronger relationships with hiring managers, directly impacting the speed and quality of critical talent acquisition.

📊 Salary breakdown

Technical Recruiter salary by location

• All locations: $115K median ($90K–$150K typical range)
• New York: $135K median, $102K–$163K range (+17% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $150K median, $133K–$184K range (+30% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $115K median, $100K–$143K range (+0% vs. national)
• Boston: $116K median, $95K–$164K range (+1% vs. national)
• Chicago: $106K median, $84K–$131K range (-8% vs. national)
• Seattle: $111K median, $82K–$133K range (-3% vs. national)
• Remote: $120K median, $78K–$135K range (+4% vs. national)
• Denver: $88K median, $80K–$94K range (-24% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Anthropic: $251K median
• OpenAI: $234K median
• Figma: $205K median
• Fractional AI: $170K median
• Serval: $163K median
• Notion: $153K median

New York

• Harvey: $185K median
• Jane Street: $175K median
• Clay: $165K median
• Fluidstack: $160K median
• Ramp: $150K median
• Wehrtyou: $135K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 70% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 58% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 49% of postings
• Parental leave: 21% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 14% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 3% of postings

Typical experience required: 4–6 years.

People salaries by seniority

• Technical Sourcer: $93K
• Technical Recruiter: $115K
• Recruiting Manager: $130K
• Senior Technical Recruiter: $149K
• Talent Lead: $164K
• Head of Talent Acquisition: $174K
• VP People / Head of HR: $201K

What does a Technical Recruiter do?

Technical Recruiters are HR, recruiting, and people operations professionals who hire and grow teams. This benchmark reflects Mid-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average Technical Recruiter salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $115K, with a typical range of $90K–$150K, based on 743 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does Technical Recruiter pay compare in San Francisco vs. remote?
San Francisco roles pay a median of $150K, while fully-remote roles pay $120K.

What is the Technical Recruiter salary in New York?
New York Technical Recruiters at AI-native startups earn a median of $135K, with a typical range of $102K–$163K (25th–75th percentile). That's 17% above the $115K US national median. 10% below San Francisco's $150K. Based on 148 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the Technical Recruiter salary in San Francisco?
San Francisco Technical Recruiters at AI-native startups earn a median of $150K, with a typical range of $133K–$184K (25th–75th percentile). That's 30% above the $115K US national median. Based on 114 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 743 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed July 1, 2026.

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