Pay and progression · 6 min read
Which job ads have to show the salary?
Which US states, EU rules and UK practices require salary ranges in job ads in 2026, what employers must disclose, and how to use ranges in your job search.
The short answer
There is no national US law requiring salaries in job ads, but a growing number of states and cities require a pay range in the posting itself, including California, Colorado, Washington, New York, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii and Washington DC, with others such as Delaware due to follow. In the EU, the Pay Transparency Directive requires employers to give candidates pay information before interview and bans asking about pay history; countries were due to bring it into law by 7 June 2026, but most were late. The UK has no requirement, though many employers publish ranges voluntarily. Where a law applies, it often covers remote roles that could be filled in that state.
Key takeaways
- More than a dozen US states plus DC require a pay range in job postings in 2026.
- Many laws apply to remote jobs that could be done from the state.
- The EU directive requires pay information before interview and bans pay-history questions.
- The UK has no legal requirement; a missing range is still worth asking about early.
On this pageUS states with posting requirements
US states with posting requirements
| Place | In effect since | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 2021 | All employers with at least one Colorado employee, including remote roles |
| California | 2023 | Employers with 15 or more employees |
| Washington | 2023 | Employers with 15 or more employees |
| New York State | 2023 | Employers with 4 or more employees |
| Hawaii, Maryland, Washington DC | 2024 | Varies by size |
| Illinois, Minnesota, Vermont, New Jersey | 2025 | Thresholds from 5 to 30 employees |
| Massachusetts | October 2025 | Employers with 25 or more employees |
| Delaware | Due 2027 | Check the final rules before it takes effect |
Several cities, such as New York City, Jersey City and Cleveland, have their own rules, and more states are adding laws each year. Check the current law for the state you're applying in, because thresholds and details differ.
The EU directive
- Employers must tell candidates the starting pay or range, based on objective, gender-neutral criteria, before the interview, for example in the job advert.
- Employers may not ask about candidates' pay history.
- Employees gain the right to ask for average pay levels for people doing the same or equal work, by sex.
- Member states had until 7 June 2026 to transpose it; only a handful did so on time, and several have announced later dates.
How to use pay ranges in your search
- Collect ranges from five to ten similar postings to see the real market.
- Expect most offers to land in the lower to middle part of a range, with the top reserved for exceptional fits.
- Ask the recruiter early: "Where in the range do most people at my level start?"
- Use ranges from transparent states as benchmarks even for jobs elsewhere.
Where there's no range
Ask in the first conversation: "Before we go further, could you share the salary range for the role?" It's a normal question, and saves both of you time if the budget doesn't fit. If they won't say, use ranges for similar roles at other employers to set your own expectations.
Questions people ask
- Are employers in the UK required to show salaries?
- No. The UK has no law requiring salary ranges in job adverts, and employers can ask about your current pay. Gender pay gap reporting applies to employers with 250 or more staff, but that's about overall pay gaps, not individual roles. Many public sector and some private employers publish ranges anyway.
- Do pay ranges have to be accurate?
- Most laws require a good-faith range: what the employer genuinely expects to pay. Very wide ranges, such as $50,000 to $250,000, have drawn complaints, and some laws and regulators have pushed back on them. If a range looks meaningless, ask the recruiter where most hires land.
- Does pay transparency apply to remote jobs?
- Often. Colorado, Washington and New York, among others, have applied their rules to remote roles that could be performed by someone in the state. That's why many national employers now show ranges on every US posting.
- What can I do if a job ad breaks the law?
- In most states, you can report it to the state labour department. Some states, such as Washington, allow candidates to bring claims for damages. Before reporting, it's often quicker to ask the recruiter for the range, which many will share.
- Do pay transparency laws apply to internal promotions?
- Some do. Several US laws require employers to share the pay range with current employees applying for internal roles or promotions, or to announce promotion opportunities internally. Check the rules for your state, and ask HR for the range for any internal role you're considering.
- Can I ask colleagues what they earn?
- In the US, the National Labor Relations Act protects most private-sector employees who discuss pay with colleagues. In the UK, contract clauses can't stop you discussing pay to find out whether there's discrimination. The EU directive strengthens this right further. Sharing is a personal choice, but it's usually protected.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Equal Pay for Equal Work Act · Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
- Pay transparency · New York State Department of Labor
- Directive (EU) 2023/970 on pay transparency · EUR-Lex, 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.