Side-by-side distribution
People Operations
$125,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 40.7%
- Live roles
- 167
Recruiter
$114,660
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 35.1%
- Live roles
- 3,568
Highest-paying jobs
Payroll & People Ops Coordinator
People ops / recruiting Evaluator
Sr. Manager, People Operations
Manager, People Operations
Senior Manager, People Operations
People Operations Manager
People Operations Manager
People Operations Manager
People Ops Manager
Manager, People Operations
Highest-paying jobs
Early Talent Recruiter
Vice President Talent Acquisition
Head of Talent Acquisition
Head of Talent Acquisition
Executive Director, Global Talent Acquisition | San Diego HQ
Senior Recruitment Consultant
Senior Director/Director, Talent Acquisition & Culture - Engineering
Executive Talent Business Partner
Director - Talent Acquisition
Director, Talent Acquisition
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Highwire
|
$112,500 | 5 |
| VI Via | $80,000 | 3 |
|
Rogo
|
$165,000 | 2 |
| HU Hudl | $117,673 | 2 |
Casechek
|
$107,500 | 2 |
|
Weekday AI
|
$208,000 | 1 |
| MS Muon Space | $203,500 | 1 |
| SA Skild AI | $200,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Anduril Industries
|
$167,000 | 57 |
House Buyers of America
|
$93,600 | 43 |
| RI Reed in Partnership | $43,299 | 34 |
Aya Healthcare
|
$70,000 | 15 |
Blue Origin
|
$148,333 | 12 |
Legora AB
|
$177,500 | 11 |
SpaceX
|
$105,000 | 11 |
| VL Vaco LLC | $72,500 | 10 |
People Operations salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $155,000 | 4 |
| New York | $142,500 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | $130,000 | 3 |
| London | $99,153 | 5 |
Recruiter salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $168,935 | 160 |
| New York | $150,000 | 222 |
| Seattle | $148,333 | 50 |
| Boston | $129,250 | 48 |
| Austin | $126,000 | 17 |
| Los Angeles | $125,000 | 36 |
| Denver | $114,660 | 28 |
| Chicago | $105,000 | 45 |
| Singapore | $104,000 | 3 |
| Atlanta | $102,675 | 14 |
People Operations vs Recruiter: which pays more?
The median for People Operations is $125,000 per year (typically $101,993–$157,500), versus $114,660 for Recruiter ($75,000–$155,000). That puts People Operations about 9% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so People Operations and Recruiter are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.