Career · Pay & Offers
Salary Research & Negotiation
Find your real pay range from trusted sources, compare offers by total value, and negotiate with scripts built on your own numbers. Free, no sign-up, no made-up figures.
- Real Sources
- Median & Percentiles
- Hourly ↔ Yearly
- Offer Comparison
- Negotiation Scripts
- 16 Currencies
Salary Research & Negotiation
Collect real pay data, see your range, compare offers and get negotiation scripts
Where to find real pay data
Open a few sources, then add what you find below. Use at least 3 different sources — no single site is the full picture.
- LinkedIn JobsMany job posts now show a pay range. Search the same role and location and note the ranges.
- GlassdoorSalaries reported by employees, by company and location.
- Indeed SalariesPay from job posts and user reports.
- Levels.fyiTotal pay (base, bonus, stock) for tech and some other roles.
- PayscalePay ranges by experience and skills.
- Government statisticsOfficial wage data, e.g. the US Bureau of Labor Statistics or the UK Office for National Statistics.
- Recruiters & your networkAsk a recruiter who hires for this role, or someone a step ahead of you. Note their range as a data point.
Add a data point
Your researched range · USD per year
Add data points in USD to see your range. Nothing here is estimated by us — it's worked out from the pay data you collect.
Practise the money question
It's in the Interview Questions Generator (Tricky questions).
Track offers
Log each application and offer in the Job Tracker.
Saved automatically
Your data points and offers stay in your browser, and sync to your account if you sign in.
What's New in Salary Research (2026 Upgrade)
No made-up numbers
Removed the old built-in estimates. Your range comes from real data you collect.
Where to look
Direct searches on LinkedIn Jobs, salary sites and official statistics.
Your real range
Median, 25th and 75th percentiles from your data points.
Any pay period
Hourly, daily, weekly and monthly pay converted to yearly.
Offer comparison
Up to 3 offers by total value, including bonus, equity and sign-on.
6 negotiation scripts
Expectations, counter-offer email and call, beyond base, accept, decline.
16 currencies
Kept separate — never silently converted.
Your working pattern
Set hours and weeks for accurate conversions.
Autosave
Data points and offers stay — and sync when you sign in.
Salary Research at a Glance
- Different sources to check
- 3+
- Data points for a reliable range
- 5+
- Percentile = your median
- 50th
- A common counter-offer target
- 75th
- Hours in a 40-hour, 52-week year
- 2,080
- Offers side by side
- 3
- Negotiation scripts
- 6
- Made-up salary figures
- 0
Source and data-point counts are guidelines, not statistics.
How to Research Your Salary
- 01
Research
Enter the job title and location, open the sources, and add each pay figure you find — with its period (year, month, hour…) and currency.
- 02
See your range
The tool converts everything to yearly pay and shows the median, percentiles and a suggested range to give when asked.
- 03
Compare & negotiate
Add your offers to compare total value, then copy a negotiation script with your own numbers filled in.
Where to Find Real Salary Data
Job posts with pay ranges
The most current data for your exact role and location. Many LinkedIn job posts now show a range.
Salary websites
Glassdoor, Indeed, Levels.fyi and Payscale collect pay from employees and job posts. Check the sample size and date.
Official statistics
Government wage data (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, UK Office for National Statistics) — broad but reliable.
Recruiters
They see real offers every week. Ask what range they're seeing for the role.
Your network
People in the role, or a step ahead, can tell you what's realistic.
Your own offers
Offers you've had are real data points too.
How to Read Your Salary Range
25th percentile
A quarter of your data points are below this. Often where newer people in the role sit.
Median (50th)
The middle of your data — less affected by one very high or low figure than an average.
75th percentile
Three quarters are below this. A reasonable target if your experience matches the role well.
Hourly, Monthly and Yearly Pay Conversions
| To get yearly pay from… | Multiply by | Example (40 h, 52 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | hours per week × weeks per year | 25 × 2,080 = 52,000 |
| Daily | days per week × weeks per year | 200 × 260 = 52,000 |
| Weekly | weeks per year | 1,000 × 52 = 52,000 |
| Monthly | 12 | 4,333 × 12 ≈ 52,000 |
If you're paid for fewer weeks (for example unpaid leave), change the working pattern in the tool.
Salary Negotiation: A Simple Script
Counter-offer email
Hi [Name], Thank you for the offer for the [Job title] role — I'm excited about joining [Company]. Before I accept, I'd like to discuss the base salary. Based on my research for similar roles and [the value you bring], I was hoping for [your target]. If we can get closer to that number, I'm ready to move forward. Happy to talk it through on a call. Best, [Your name]
The tool fills in your offer, your target and your reasons — and adds five more scripts for other moments in the process.
Salary Research & Negotiation Best Practices
Research before the first call
The salary question often comes early. Have your range ready.
Compare like with like
Same role level, similar location and company size. A senior figure doesn't help a junior search.
Think total value
Bonus, equity, pension, leave and flexibility can matter as much as base pay.
Give a range, not one number
Anchor with a researched range and say you're flexible on the full package.
Get excited first, then negotiate
Thank them and say you want to make it work before you ask for more.
Explain why
Tie your ask to your research and to specific value you bring.
Ask once, then listen
State your number and pause. Let them respond.
Get it in writing
Ask for the final offer in writing before you resign anywhere.
6 Salary Mistakes to Avoid
Trusting one salary website
Use three or more different sources.
Naming a number with no research
Build your range first.
Comparing only base salary
Compare total value per year.
Apologising for negotiating
Be polite, positive and factual.
Mixing currencies or pay periods
Convert to one period; keep currencies separate.
Accepting verbally and moving on
Get the final terms in writing.
Who Is This For?
Job seekers
Know your range before the salary question.
People with offers
Compare offers and negotiate.
Graduates
Understand entry-level pay.
Career changers
See what a new field really pays.
Employees
Prepare for a pay-rise conversation.
Freelancers
Turn day rates into yearly figures.
Hiring managers
Sense-check a range before posting.
Official Pay Data & Guides
Pro Tips
Note the date
Pay data ages quickly — note when you found each figure.
Match the level
A “senior” range doesn't help a junior search, and vice versa.
Practise the question
Rehearse your salary answer out loud in the Interview Questions Generator.
Track every offer
Log offers in your Job Tracker so you can compare them later.
This tool gives general information, not financial or legal advice. Read our FAQ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this tool tell me what a job pays?
Not from its own database — we don't have reliable pay data for every role and city, and we won't show made-up averages. Instead it links you to real sources, and works out your range from the data points you collect.
Where can I find real salary data?
Job posts that show a pay range (many on LinkedIn do), salary sites such as Glassdoor, Indeed, Levels.fyi and Payscale, official statistics like the US Bureau of Labor Statistics or the UK Office for National Statistics, recruiters, and people already in the role.
How many data points do I need?
Aim for at least five from three or more different sources. One site, or one job post, is never the full picture.
What are the median and percentiles?
The median is the middle of your data. The 25th percentile is where the lower quarter ends and the 75th where the top quarter begins. Most negotiations happen between the median and the 75th percentile.
How do I answer “What are your salary expectations?”
Give a researched range — for example your median to 75th percentile — and say you're flexible depending on the full package. Or ask for their budgeted range first. The tool writes the script for you.
Should I negotiate my salary offer?
Often it's reasonable to ask, politely and with evidence. The worst common outcome is a no. Ask once, explain why, and be ready to accept or ask for other parts of the package.
How much should I counter-offer?
Base it on your research rather than a fixed percentage. If your experience matches the role, the upper end of your researched range (around the 75th percentile) is a reasonable target.
How do I convert hourly pay to a yearly salary?
Hourly rate × hours per week × paid weeks per year. At 40 hours and 52 weeks, $25 an hour is $52,000 a year. You can change the working pattern in the tool.
How do I compare two job offers?
Compare total value, not just base salary: base, bonus, yearly equity, sign-on bonus and benefits like pension matching — plus leave and remote work. The offers tab adds these up.
Does it convert between currencies?
No — exchange rates change daily, so we keep each currency separate rather than show a figure that might be wrong.
What if the salary is fixed?
Ask about other parts of the package: a sign-on bonus, extra leave, more remote days, a learning budget, a better title or a pay review after six months.
Is my data private?
Your data points and offers are saved in your browser, and to your account only if you sign in. Nothing you enter here is shared or published.
Know Your Worth — With Evidence
Scroll up, collect real pay data, see your range, compare offers and negotiate with confidence. Free.