Recruiting · Cost

Cost Per Hire Benchmarks

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Key numbers
Cost Per Hire at a Glance
$4,700
SHRM average CPH (all roles, all sizes)
This number is heavily compressed by high-volume hourly hiring. For professional and knowledge roles, the real figure is 3–6× higher.
$28,000+
Senior / manager-level median
Executive search fees, extended timelines, recruiter hours, and assessment costs drive this number dramatically higher than entry-level benchmarks.
1–3×
Annual salary: true replacement cost
SHRM's full replacement cost model (recruiting + onboarding + productivity ramp) places total cost at 50–200% of annual salary.
Benchmark Table
Cost Per Hire by Role Level

Includes internal recruiter time, job boards, ATS costs, agency/search fees (where applicable), assessments, and background checks. USD. Source: SHRM, LinkedIn, Bersin 2024.

Role LevelP25P50 MedianP75With Agency Fee
Hourly / Entry-Level$800$1,800$3,500$4,500
Individual Contributor (Mid)$3,000$6,500$12,000$18,000
Senior IC / Specialist$8,000$16,000$28,000$45,000
Manager / Team Lead$10,000$20,000$35,000$55,000
Director / Senior Manager$18,000$35,000$60,000$90,000
VP / Executive$40,000$80,000$150,000$200,000+
C-Suite$80,000$160,000$300,000$400,000+
Cost Per Hire by Industry (Mid-Level IC baseline)

Mid-level individual contributor benchmark across industries. Tech and finance skew high due to recruiter compensation and search complexity.

IndustryP25MedianP75
Technology$6,000$14,000$28,000
Financial Services$5,500$12,000$24,000
Healthcare$4,000$9,000$18,000
Retail$1,000$2,200$4,500
Manufacturing$2,500$5,500$10,000
Professional Services$4,500$10,000$20,000
Government / Public$1,500$3,500$7,000
Nonprofit$2,000$4,500$9,000
Hospitality$600$1,400$3,000
Sources: SHRM Talent Acquisition Benchmarks 2024, LinkedIn Talent Solutions 2024, Bersin by Deloitte Talent Acquisition Factbook 2024, ERE Media CPH Survey 2023–2024.