Offers and pay · 6 min read
How do I find out what a job should pay?
Start with official pay data for the occupation and area, check the range in similar posts, then adjust for level and sector. Write down a range.
The short answer
Start with official pay data for the occupation and location: in the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and CareerOneStop; in the UK, the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Then look at the pay ranges in 10 to 20 similar job posts near you, since many now list one. Adjust for seniority, sector and company size, and write down a range with a minimum you'd accept, a target and a stretch number.
On this page 4 sections
Three sources, one range
| Source | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Official data (BLS, CareerOneStop, ONS) | Typical pay by occupation and area | Lags a year or two; broad job groups |
| Posted ranges in similar ads | What employers offer now | Wide ranges; senior and junior mixed |
| People in the role | What's negotiable, bonuses, progression | One person's experience |
Turn it into three numbers
- Minimum: the lowest you'd accept given your costs and options.
- Target: around the middle of what similar roles pay for your level.
- Stretch: the top of the range you could justify with evidence.
Look beyond base pay
Bonus, pension or retirement contributions, holiday, flexible hours, training budget and commute all change what an offer is worth. Note them for each role you compare.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, shows which of a post's must-haves your CV already shows and rewrites it for that job, checking every change against the CV you gave it.
Questions people ask
- Are salary websites accurate?
- They're useful for a rough range but rely on self-reported data and small samples for some roles. Cross-check them with official data and real posts.
- Do job posts have to show salary?
- In some places. Several US states and cities require pay ranges in postings, and the EU's pay transparency directive requires employers to give pay information to candidates before interview, with countries bringing it into law from 2026.
- How do I adjust for location?
- Use data for your city or region rather than national figures, or compare the same role's posted ranges in your area.
- What about a role that's new or unusual?
- Find the nearest established occupation and adjust. Ask people doing similar work, or a recruiter in the field.
- Should I tell people my current salary?
- You don't have to, and some places ban employers from asking. Talk about the range you're looking for instead.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: pay by occupation · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Salary information by occupation and location · CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor
- Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings · Office for National Statistics
- Directive (EU) 2023/970 on pay transparency · Official Journal of the European Union
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.