LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professionals worldwide, with over 922 million members and 61 million actively searching for jobs each week. But if you’re looking to tap into this massive talent pool, you might be wondering: how much will it cost you? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might hope, but I’ve got you covered.
In this guide, I’ll break down all the costs associated with posting jobs on LinkedIn in 2025, from free options to premium solutions. You’ll find real numbers, practical advice, and step-by-step instructions to make the most of your recruitment budget.
Table of contents
LinkedIn Job Posting Options: Free vs. Paid
Before diving into specific costs, let’s understand the basic options available:
Free Job Posts
Yes, LinkedIn does offer a free option for posting jobs:
- You can have one free job post active at a time
- The post will be visible in search results and to your connections
- You get access to basic applicant management tools
- The post appears organically (not promoted)
Promoted Job Posts
This is LinkedIn’s paid option that gives your job listing significantly more visibility:
- Appears at the top of search results with a “Promoted” tag
- Shows up in targeted job recommendations
- Sends mobile notifications to qualified candidates
- Gets placed in the LinkedIn feed of relevant professionals
- Included in email recommendations to potential candidates
According to LinkedIn’s own data, promoted job posts receive 3x more qualified applicants than free posts. But how much does this extra visibility cost? Let’s dig in.
LinkedIn Job Posting Costs in 2025
LinkedIn uses a flexible pricing model for job posts that follows a pay-per-click structure. This means costs vary based on several factors, including:
- Job location
- Job title
- Competition level (how many similar jobs are posted)
- Supply and demand for that role
- Country’s economic factors
Daily vs. total budget options
When posting a job on LinkedIn, you can choose between two budget approaches:
1. Daily budget:
- Set a fixed amount to spend each day
- Job remains active until you close it or reach 30 days
- Example: $10 daily budget for 30 days = maximum $300 total cost (see LinkedIn’s pricing page)
2. Total budget:
- Set a fixed total amount for the entire campaign
- Once budget is depleted, promotion stops
- Example: $300 total budget will promote your job until the full amount is spent (LinkedIn pricing)
Average cost per applicant
Based on recent data, here’s what you can expect to pay per applicant in the United States:
- Average cost per applicant: $2.83 (Lobstr.io)
- Range: $1.46 to $4.45 depending on profession (Lobstr.io)
Here’s a breakdown of costs by profession in the US:
| Profession | Cost Per Applicant |
|---|
| Nurse | $1.45 |
| Software Engineer | $2.71 |
| Customer Service Representative | $2.24 |
| Financial Analyst | $2.98 |
| Project Manager | $3.12 |
| Salesperson | $3.56 |
| Truck Driver | $4.45 |
International cost differences
One fascinating aspect of LinkedIn job posting costs is how dramatically they vary by country. For the same remote software engineering role, costs per applicant range from:
- United States: $2.71
- Canada: $1.98
- United Kingdom: $1.52
- Germany: $1.45
- France: $1.31
- Japan: $1.28
- Brazil: $0.83
- South Korea: $0.76
- India: $0.07 (Lobstr.io)
That’s a 40x difference between posting in the US versus India! This pricing disparity is primarily driven by economic factors and local salary levels—higher-wage countries generally have higher per-applicant costs on LinkedIn.
How to Post a Job on LinkedIn (Step-by-Step)
Let’s walk through the exact process of posting a job on LinkedIn:
Step 1: Access the job posting tool
- Go to your LinkedIn company page
- Click the ”+ Create” button in the top right corner
- Select “Post a free job”
Step 2: Fill in the basic job details
- Enter the job title (be specific but use common industry terms)
- Select workplace type (remote, on-site, or hybrid)
- Enter job location
- Choose job type (full-time, part-time, contract, etc.)
Step 3: Create the job description
LinkedIn offers two ways to create your job description:
- Write it manually
- Use LinkedIn’s AI writing tool (click “Write with AI”) to generate a full description in about a minute
Step 4: Add screening questions
- Choose from LinkedIn’s pre-made questions or create your own
- Set “must-have” qualifications to help filter candidates
Step 5: Set your budget (for promoted posts)
- Choose between daily budget or total budget
- Review LinkedIn’s suggested budget based on your job title and location
- Adjust as needed based on your hiring timeline and budget
Step 6: Review and post
- Preview how your job will appear to candidates
- Add payment details (for promoted posts)
- Click “Post job” to publish
Understanding LinkedIn’s Job Post Pricing Algorithm
LinkedIn determines the cost of job post promotion through an algorithmic auction system similar to how other digital advertising platforms work. Here’s how it functions:
- Higher competition for similar roles = higher cost per click
- Supply and demand dynamics of the talent market affect pricing
- The more specialized or in-demand the role, the more it typically costs
- Location significantly impacts pricing (metropolitan areas usually cost more)
This auction-based system means costs can fluctuate based on market conditions, but it also allows you to control your spending through budget caps.
How Billing Works for LinkedIn Job Posts
When you promote a job post on LinkedIn, here’s how the billing process works:
- Charges accrue daily based on the number of views/clicks your post receives
- You’re only billed for views from potential candidates (not from LinkedIn employees or the person who posted the job)
- Your card is charged at one of three points:
- Within 48 hours of closing the job
- 30 days from posting if the job is still active
- When you reach a $500 balance (for US accounts)
How Many Applicants Should You Expect?
Research suggests that on average, you’ll need about 57 applicants to make 1 hire on LinkedIn (Lobstr.io). This means:
- At the average US cost of $2.83 per applicant
- The typical cost per hire would be approximately $161.31
Of course, these numbers vary significantly by industry, seniority level, and location. Highly specialized roles may require fewer applicants but cost more per applicant.
Maximizing Your ROI on LinkedIn Job Posts
To get the best return on your LinkedIn job posting investment, try these strategies:
1. Optimize Your Job Title and Description
- Use industry-standard job titles that candidates actually search for
- Include relevant keywords throughout your description
- Clearly state must-have qualifications vs. nice-to-haves
- Highlight company benefits and culture
2. Use Screening Questions Strategically
- Add 3-5 targeted questions to pre-qualify candidates
- Set “must-have” qualifications for automatic filtering
- This reduces the number of unqualified applicants you pay for
3. Target the Right Geographic Area
- For remote roles, consider targeting lower-cost regions if possible
- For local roles, set a specific radius to avoid irrelevant applicants
4. Set the Right Budget
- Start with LinkedIn’s recommended budget
- Monitor performance for 5-7 days
- Adjust up or down based on application quality and volume
5. Time Your Job Posting Strategically
- Tuesday through Thursday typically sees higher engagement
- Avoid posting right before major holidays
- Keep jobs open for at least 5 days to gather sufficient applicants
LinkedIn Recruiter: When to Upgrade
For companies doing high-volume hiring or searching for very specialized talent, LinkedIn offers more robust recruiting tools beyond simple job posts.
LinkedIn Recruiter Options and Costs:
Recruiter Lite:
- $170/month for a single license ($1,680/year)
- $270/month per license for licenses 2-5 ($2,670/year)
- Good for individual recruiters or small teams
Recruiter Corporate:
- Approximately $10,800-$12,960 per seat annually
- Enterprise-level solution for dedicated recruiting teams
LinkedIn Premium Hiring:
- $119.95/month or $1,199.40/year
- A middle-ground option with some premium features
These options provide additional features like:
- Advanced search filters
- InMail messages to contact candidates directly
- Candidate relationship management tools
- Analytics and reporting
- Saved search alerts
Alternative Strategy: Direct Outreach via Sales Navigator
If job posting costs seem high, consider this alternative approach used by many savvy recruiters:
- Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($50-80/month)
- Filter potential candidates based on your criteria
- Extract professional emails (up to 3,000 valid emails per month with some plans)
- Send personalized outreach emails
This approach can bring your candidate acquisition cost down to approximately $0.02 per email sent versus $2.83 per applicant through job posts
Job Post Budget Planning Template
Here’s a simple template to help you plan your LinkedIn job posting budget:
- Identify your hiring goal:
- Number of positions to fill: ______
- Target time to fill: ______ days/weeks
- Estimate applicants needed:
- Industry average applicants per hire: ______ (use 57 if unsure)
- Total applicants needed = Positions × Avg. applicants per hire
- Calculate your budget:
- Expected cost per applicant: $______ (use relevant industry/location data)
- Total budget = Total applicants needed × Cost per applicant
- Determine your daily budget:
- Daily budget = Total budget ÷ Target days to fill
- Minimum recommended: $10/day
FAQs About LinkedIn Job Posting Costs
Q: How much does it cost to post a single job on LinkedIn?
A: You can post one job for free. For promoted posts, costs vary based on factors like location and competition, but typically range from $10 to $500+ for a 30-day posting
Q: Is there a flat fee option for posting jobs on LinkedIn?
A: LinkedIn primarily uses a pay-per-click model rather than flat fees for individual posts. However, enterprise contract options are available for companies hiring at scale.
Q: What’s the minimum daily budget for a LinkedIn job post?
A: The minimum daily budget is $10 for promoted job posts
Q: Do I pay for all job views?
A: No, you only pay for views from potential candidates. Views from LinkedIn employees or the job poster aren’t charged
Q: Can I change my budget after posting a job?
A: Yes, you can adjust your budget at any time as long as the total amount hasn’t been spent.
Q: Is it worth paying to promote a job on LinkedIn?
A: For most positions, yes. Promoted posts receive 3x more qualified applicants and appear in front of passive candidates who might not actively search for jobs.
To maximize your LinkedIn recruiting efforts, check out these tools:
- Jobspage.co - Create a free careers page to complement your LinkedIn job posts
- HeroHunt.ai - AI-powered talent sourcing to find candidates on LinkedIn
- Crystal - Personality insights to improve your candidate communications
- Grammarly - Ensures your job descriptions are error-free and professional
- Text.io - Helps write inclusive job descriptions that attract diverse candidates
Conclusion: Is LinkedIn Worth the Cost for Job Posts?
LinkedIn job posting costs vary widely based on industry, location, and competition, but for most businesses, the platform offers good value despite the relatively high cost per applicant ($2.83 average in the US).
The key advantages that justify LinkedIn’s premium pricing include:
- Access to 922+ million professionals
- High-quality, pre-qualified candidates
- Passive candidate reach (people not actively job hunting)
- Built-in applicant tracking tools
- Professional context vs. general job boards
For best results:
- Use free posts for less urgent or specialized roles
- Reserve promoted posts for critical positions
- Consider LinkedIn Recruiter options for high-volume hiring
- Try alternative tactics like Sales Navigator for specialized talent
By understanding how LinkedIn’s pricing works and strategically allocating your budget, you can make this platform work effectively for your hiring needs without breaking the bank.
Looking for a smarter way to source and engage talent? FidForward Talent helps you automate candidate sourcing, scoring, and outreach—so you can focus on building relationships with the best candidates.
