Talking about salary is awkward. Asking coworkers what they make is even more awkward. But not knowing your market value costs you real money — potentially tens of thousands of dollars over your career.
Why You Are Probably Underpaid
According to Glassdoor salary research, 73% of employers expect candidates to negotiate, but only 39% of workers actually do. The people who negotiate earn 7-10% more on average. Over a 30-year career, that compounds to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Where to Find Salary Data
No single source is perfect. Cross-reference multiple:
- Glassdoor/Levels.fyi — Best for tech roles. Self-reported but large sample sizes.
- LinkedIn Salary — Good for non-tech roles.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — Government data. Reliable but often 1-2 years behind.
- Recruiter conversations — The most current data.
The AI Salary Benchmarker aggregates data points and adjusts for your specific factors: location, experience, company size, and industry.
Factors That Affect Your Number
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Location (SF vs. Austin vs. remote) | 30-50% difference |
| Company size (startup vs. enterprise) | 15-25% difference |
| Industry (finance vs. nonprofit) | 20-40% difference |
| Years of experience | 5-10% per year (diminishing after 10) |
| Specialized skills | 10-30% premium |
How to Use Benchmarks in Negotiation
- Research before the interview process starts
- When asked about salary expectations, give a range based on your research
- Anchor high — the first number mentioned sets the negotiation range
- Cite your sources: "Based on Glassdoor data and conversations with recruiters, the market range for this role in [city] is $X-$Y"
- Negotiate total compensation, not just base salary
Related Tools
As compensation experts note, salary negotiation is a skill, not a personality trait. Anyone can learn it, and the ROI is enormous.
Find out what you should be earning.
Try the Salary Benchmarker →