Guide
What Is Your Desired Salary? (How to Answer the Form Field)
When a job application asks for desired salary, give a range. If forced to a single number, give the top of your range.
The format
- Range allowed: "$120K-$150K", bottom slightly above your walk-away.
- Single number forced: Give the top of your researched range.
- "Negotiable" field: Acceptable but provides no anchor. Give a number if you can.
- Optional field: Skip if you'd rather defer the conversation.
How to research
- Glassdoor, broad data, slightly noisy.
- Levels.fyi, best for tech roles. Real submitted offers.
- Pave, accurate compensation data, increasingly available.
- Your network, ask 1-2 people in similar roles.
Pull data for:
- The specific role and level
- Your location (or the role's location)
- The company size / stage
What to write
Bad:
- "Negotiable" (no anchor; lazy)
- Wildly low number (anchors them down)
- Wildly high number without research (filters you out)
Good:
- A range with bottom slightly above your walk-away
- A single number at the top of your researched range, if forced
What if your range is wrong
If the role pays $80-100K and you ask for $150K, you'll get filtered out. If the role pays $150K and you ask for $80K, they'll happily anchor you there.
Research before you write.
Why companies ask early
- Filter out candidates whose ranges are way off.
- Establish an anchor for negotiation.
- Compliance in some states (CO, CA, etc. require salary ranges from employers).
The right time to negotiate
After the offer, not on the application. Use the application field to stay in the running; use the offer call to negotiate the actual number.
What if you don't know the market
Default to "Negotiable" or skip the field. Don't guess wildly. The cost of a wrong number is higher than the cost of an open field.
The bigger pattern
The desired salary field is a small step. The big leverage is having multiple offers. With one offer, you negotiate solo; with two, you have real options.
Sorce auto-applies to 5M+ jobs, free swipes every day. More offers, more leverage, more options on what to write in the salary field.
For more: how to negotiate salary, how to bargain salary, how to fill out a job application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I leave the salary field blank?
If allowed, yes, defer until later in the process. If required, give a range with your bottom slightly above your walk-away.
What if I lowball?
Hard to undo. Companies anchor on what you ask for. Always research first.
What if I overshoot?
Less risk than lowballing. They might counter or skip you for the role; if you've researched, you'll know if your number is realistic.
How do I research salary?
Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Pave, your network. Pull data for the role, level, and location. Adjust for company size and stage.
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