Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 6.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $18.8bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Online recruitment sites keep pace with digital hiring by generating revenue across multiple streams
- Online recruitment platforms generate income through a mix of job-posting fees, targeted advertising and subscription services. Employers commonly pay a fee to list openings, often based on job visibility or listing duration. For example, ZipRecruiter uses a pay-per-post model where pricing scales with the number of active job listings. These fees form the core of revenue, especially for sites that handle large hiring volumes across sectors.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Competition will continue to ramp up as LinkedIn maintains the lead
- Internal competition will continue to intensify as online recruitment sites find new ways to differentiate themselves. Automation is transforming online recruiting by making hiring more efficient and letting recruiters concentrate on priorities like talent assessment and employer branding. Chatbots and video interview tools now handle initial candidate screening and engagement. Still, price competition will remain rampant as more sites enter the fray, forcing existing sites to price competitively.
Biggest companies in the Online Recruitment Sites in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 | Profit ($m)
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Linkedin Corp | 7,134.0 | 4,012.3 | 56.2 | |
Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd. | 3,008.2 | 472.8 | 15.7 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Professional and business services, Health care and social assistance and Retail trade. Professional and business services is the largest segment of the Online Recruitment Sites in the US.
Trends and Insights
Professional and business services provide massive job numbers, with high paying professional roles across the economy
- This segment consists of job openings within the following sectors: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (IBISWorld sector 54), Management of Companies and Enterprises (55) and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56). These sectors support a wide range of business needs, from technical consulting and business management to essential support operations like waste management and office administration.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Online recruitment sites primarily charge employers to list job openings, though they may also earn revenue via ad placement on job listings. Companies also design and maintain databases of resumes and candidate profiles for use by employers and other recruitment agencies. Companies in this industry are based entirely online; therefore, traditional recruiting agencies and staffing companies are not included.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States include Posting online job openings on behalf of employers, Aggregating job postings from various sources into a single, searchable database, Maintaining a database of resumes or candidate profiles and Maintaining a professional networking platform primarily for employee-placement purposes.Companies
Companies covered in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States include Linkedin Corp and Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd.Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States include pay-for-performance (pfp), html5 and smartphone.Industry Code
NAICS 561312 - Online Recruitment Sites in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
The internet's role as the primary medium for communicating and accessing information has driven the rise of online recruitment. This shift has led both job seekers and emplo...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Individuals with advanced degrees have experienced an increase in employment. These positions also tend to be more lucrative because individuals have more education relative ...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
California hosts the most online recruitment sites in the country, primarily due to its highly knowledgeable labor pool. This concentration of skilled professionals attracts ...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
The online recruitment industry shows high market share concentration, making it tough for new sites to compete with established leaders. Top players maintain a stronghold, m...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Microsoft, LinkedIn’s parent company, recently announced its multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI. Benefits from the artificial intelligence research platform ...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Linkedin Corp's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Linkedin Corp, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
The state of the economy and the unemployment rate play are fundamental in shaping workforce trends. A drop in unemployment usually signifies an increase in job placements, r...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
LinkedIn has achieved double-digit profit despite intensifying price-based competition. Its financial success shapes industry trends and pushes other platforms to pursue high...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
- Industry Tax Structure (2018-2023)
- Income Statement (2018-2023)
- Balance Sheet (2018-2023)
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States in 2025?
The market size of the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States is $18.8bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States in 2025?
There are 1,946 businesses in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 4.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States?
The Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States?
The Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 6.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States?
The biggest companies operating in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States are Linkedin Corp and Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd.
What does the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States include?
Posting online job openings on behalf of employers and Aggregating job postings from various sources into a single, searchable database are part of the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States?
The company holding the most market share in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States is Linkedin Corp.
How competitive is the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Online Recruitment Sites industry in the United States.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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