Technical Recruiter

💰 $93K–$153K salary range

Median: $117K  ·  Based on 827 public job postings  ·  Updated August 30, 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: $117K median ($93K–$153K typical range)
• New York: $133K median, $105K–$170K range (+14% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $150K median, $121K–$181K range (+29% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $108K median, $95K–$119K range (-7% vs. national)
• Chicago: $119K median, $98K–$162K range (+2% vs. national)
• Boston: $119K median, $98K–$154K range (+2% vs. national)
• Seattle: $131K median, $115K–$152K range (+12% vs. national)
• Austin: $126K median, $92K–$155K range (+8% vs. national)
• Denver: $93K median, $84K–$100K range (-20% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Anthropic: $268K median
• OpenAI: $220K median
• Figma: $198K median
• Notion: $193K median
• Paraform: $193K median
• Serval: $163K median

New York

• Jane Street: $188K median
• Legora (formerly Leya): $178K median
• Clay: $155K median
• Forus: $150K median
• Curriculum and Implementation Specialist, Science: $150K median
• Rogo: $150K median

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

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 69% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 63% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 55% of postings
• Parental leave: 28% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 14% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 5% of postings

Typical experience required: 4–5 years.

People salaries by seniority

• Technical Sourcer: $107K
• Technical Recruiter: $117K
• Recruiting Manager: $130K
• Senior Technical Recruiter: $151K
• Talent Lead: $168K
• Head of Talent Acquisition: $190K
• VP People / Head of HR: $205K

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 135 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 $117K, with a typical range of $93K–$153K, based on 827 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 $133K, with a typical range of $105K–$170K (25th–75th percentile). That's 14% above the $117K US national median. 12% below San Francisco's $150K. Based on 147 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 $121K–$181K (25th–75th percentile). That's 29% above the $117K US national median. Based on 142 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 827 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 August 30, 2026.

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