How to Negotiate Your Salary: Know Your Number Before You Ask

Most people leave $5,000 to $15,000 on the table by not negotiating their salary. Over a 30-year career, that single missed negotiation compounds into hundreds of thousands of dollars because every future raise and job offer builds on your current salary. Negotiating is not greedy — it is essential.

Before you negotiate, you need to know your market rate. Use sites like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to research what people with your title, experience, and location actually earn. Get at least 3 to 5 data points. This gives you a range — aim for the 60th to 75th percentile if your performance is strong.

Understanding your true hourly rate puts your salary in perspective. A $60,000 salary sounds different when you realize it is $28.85 per hour. And if you commute an hour each way, your effective hourly rate drops to $25.64 because you are spending 10 hours per day on work but only getting paid for 8. Remote work at the same salary is effectively a raise.

The best times to negotiate are when you receive a new job offer (you have the most leverage before you accept), during annual performance reviews (especially if you can document your accomplishments), after completing a major project or taking on more responsibility, and when you receive a competing offer.

When negotiating, use specific numbers — not ranges. Saying "I am looking for $72,000" is stronger than "I am looking for $65,000 to $75,000" because the employer will anchor to the bottom of your range. Lead with your value: "Based on my contributions to the team and market data for this role in our area, I believe $72,000 reflects my value." Then stop talking and let them respond.

Do not forget about benefits. If the employer cannot move on salary, negotiate for remote work days, additional PTO, a signing bonus, stock options, professional development budget, or a faster review cycle. These can add thousands in value without costing the company as much as a salary increase.

Use our free salary converter to see what your salary works out to per hour, per day, and per month — and what a raise really means in take-home pay.