Technical Recruiter

💰 $90K–$145K salary range

Median: $109K  ·  Based on 1,205 public job postings  ·  Updated October 16, 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: $109K median ($90K–$145K typical range)
• New York: $140K median, $115K–$170K range (+29% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $155K median, $125K–$188K range (+43% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $115K median, $98K–$125K range (+6% vs. national)
• Denver: $93K median, $85K–$143K range (-14% vs. national)
• Chicago: $115K median, $94K–$167K range (+6% vs. national)
• Dallas: $93K median, $93K–$99K range (-14% vs. national)
• Washington DC: $83K median, $79K–$92K range (-23% vs. national)
• Austin: $103K median, $97K–$123K range (-6% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Notion: $248K median
• Anthropic: $235K median
• OpenAI: $213K median
• Figma: $198K median
• Decagon: $181K median
• Peregrine Technologies: $178K median

New York

• Jane Street: $175K median
• Profound: $165K median
• Legora (formerly Leya): $161K median
• Wehrtyou: $160K median
• Fluidstack: $157K median
• Forus: $150K median

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

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 73% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 71% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 61% of postings
• Parental leave: 42% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 12% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 4% of postings

Typical experience required: 4–6 years.

People salaries by seniority

• Technical Sourcer: $86K
• Technical Recruiter: $109K
• Recruiting Manager: $131K
• Senior Technical Recruiter: $155K
• Talent Lead: $158K
• Strategic Projects Lead: $175K
• Head of Talent Acquisition: $182K
• VP People / Head of HR: $212K

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.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $150K for Technical Recruiter roles, ranging $127K–$180K, across 147 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Technical Recruiter salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $109K, with a typical range of $90K–$145K, based on 1,205 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

What is the Technical Recruiter salary in New York?
New York Technical Recruiters at AI-native startups earn a median of $140K, with a typical range of $115K–$170K (25th–75th percentile). That's 29% above the $109K US national median. 10% below San Francisco's $155K. Based on 169 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 $155K, with a typical range of $125K–$188K (25th–75th percentile). That's 43% above the $109K US national median. Based on 153 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 1,205 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 October 16, 2026.

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