HR pros only earn slightly more than the average recruiting consultant, and half of the average staffing firm CEO/owner
Join the dark side…there’s more money, it would seem, in recruiting firm ownership and sales than in HR. A Bullhorn survey of 1,337 staffing agency employees found that HR professionals at North American organizations had an average salary of $81,000. That’s nearly half that of the average staffing agency partner, owner or CEO, who earns around $154,000. Sales departments got the next best salaries, while recruiters earnt $74,000 on average.
And don’t think a staffing firm has to be large for it to be a lucrative venture: CEOs, owners and partners of firms smaller than ten staff members earnt $149,000 on average last year. Meanwhile, recruiters are best off at small firms, too, earning about $15,000 a year more on average a firms under 25 staff members than those with more than that.
If you’re looking for an area of speciality, make sure you consider retained executive search: leaders of those recruiting firms earnt an average $230,000, well above the other sectors. Executive search also paid more highly for recruiters than other sectors, like temporary or contract recruiting.
As for industries, business services and finance pay the most for company leaders, while recruiters are best off specializing in marketing & media or medical technology. Both types of people should avoid the automotive industry, which pays the least on average: $90,000 for company owners and $59,000 for recruiters.
And don’t think a staffing firm has to be large for it to be a lucrative venture: CEOs, owners and partners of firms smaller than ten staff members earnt $149,000 on average last year. Meanwhile, recruiters are best off at small firms, too, earning about $15,000 a year more on average a firms under 25 staff members than those with more than that.
If you’re looking for an area of speciality, make sure you consider retained executive search: leaders of those recruiting firms earnt an average $230,000, well above the other sectors. Executive search also paid more highly for recruiters than other sectors, like temporary or contract recruiting.
As for industries, business services and finance pay the most for company leaders, while recruiters are best off specializing in marketing & media or medical technology. Both types of people should avoid the automotive industry, which pays the least on average: $90,000 for company owners and $59,000 for recruiters.