How to Negotiate Salary: A Step-by-Step Guide

Good salary negotiation starts with knowing what your occupation actually pays in your state, then making one specific, evidence-based request. Instead of asking for “more”, you look up the wage range for your job and location, choose a target you can justify with your experience, and put that number to the employer politely and clearly.

Key takeaways

• Research the market range for your occupation and state before you name a number.
• Ask for one specific figure, not a vague “can you do better?”.
• The strongest moment is usually after you have a written offer, before you accept.
• Support the number with experience, credentials and market data — not pressure.
• If base pay is fixed, bonuses, time off, flexibility and review timing may not be.
• Wage benchmarks describe the market, not what any one person is guaranteed to earn.

1. Research your market value before negotiating

Two people with the same job title can be paid very differently depending on where they work. Occupation and geographic location both move wages materially, so a number that sounds generous nationally can be below average in one state and well above it in another. Before you negotiate, find the wage range for your specific occupation in the state where the job is based.

FindMySalary uses May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics figures. The median is the 50th percentile — half of workers in that occupation and area earn more, half earn less. Where reported, you can also see the 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles, which show how wide the pay range really is.

Know what your job pays before you negotiate

Search your occupation and location to see the median wage and the reported wage distribution for that job.

Want help turning that range into a number to request? Read what salary should I ask for, or check whether your current pay lags the market with am I underpaid?

State pages are a useful reference point while you prepare — for example registered nurse salary in Texas, software developer salary in Texas or nurse practitioner salary in Texas.

2. Decide how much salary to ask for

There is no universal percentage that works for everyone, and any rule promising “always ask for X% more” ignores how much the market range varies by occupation and state. A more reliable method is to place yourself inside the reported distribution.

• New to the occupation: expect to sit closer to the lower part of the distribution, near the 10th–25th percentile, and treat the median as a target to grow into.
• Solid, standard experience: the median is a defensible anchor, and asking somewhat above it is normal.
• Strong or specialised profile: licences, certifications, supervisory duties, scarce skills or demanding schedules can justify targeting the upper part of the range.

Then compare that target with the offer in front of you. If the offer already sits above the median for your state, the case for a large increase is weaker — you may get more value from other parts of the package. If the offer is below the typical range, you have clear, factual ground to ask for a specific higher figure.

3. Choose the right time to negotiate

After receiving an offer

This is usually the strongest moment. The employer has chosen you, has invested time in the process, and has a concrete number on the table you can respond to.

During the interview process

Compensation often comes up early. At this stage you are setting expectations rather than negotiating, so a researched range works better than a single hard number. If the question reaches you even earlier, on the application form itself, see what to put for desired salary.

Before accepting

Once you accept, your leverage largely disappears. Ask for the time you need to review the written offer, and raise everything you want changed in one conversation.

In your current job

For a raise, timing tends to follow the employer's cycle: performance reviews, budget planning, a completed project, or a change in your responsibilities. Bring evidence of both your results and the market range for your role — see how to ask for a raise for the full conversation.

4. How to negotiate salary after a job offer

Suppose an employer offers $80,000. The numbers below are illustrative — use your own occupation and state figures.

Thank them and buy time. Express genuine enthusiasm and ask for the offer in writing plus a couple of days to review it.
Research the range. Look up the median and percentiles for the occupation in that state, and note where $80,000 falls in the distribution.
Choose one specific number. If the market data and your experience support it, pick a figure — say $88,000 — and be ready to explain it.
Make the counteroffer. Lead with enthusiasm, state the number, then give two or three concrete reasons.
Confirm in writing. Whatever you agree, ask for the final terms in an updated written offer before you accept.

Example counteroffer

“Thank you — I'm excited about the role and the team. Based on published wage data for this occupation in this state and my six years of experience, I was targeting $88,000. Is there room to move the base salary to that level?”

5. What to say when negotiating salary

Keep it short, warm and specific. Adapt these to your own voice.

Responding to an offer

“Thank you for the offer — I'm really glad to hear it. Could you send the details in writing? I'd like to review the full package and come back to you by Thursday.”

Asking whether salary is negotiable

“I'm enthusiastic about the role. Before I respond, is there flexibility in the base salary, or is this figure fixed?”

Making a counteroffer

“I'd like to accept, and I'd be comfortable moving forward at $88,000. Would that work on your side?”

Explaining why you're asking for more

“My request reflects the published wage range for this occupation in this state, plus the certification I hold and the fact that I've led this exact process at my current employer.”

When the employer says the budget is fixed

“I understand the base is set. In that case, could we look at a signing bonus, an earlier salary review, or additional paid time off to bridge the gap?”

6. How to negotiate salary in an interview

When compensation comes up before an offer, your goal is to stay in the running without anchoring yourself too low. Give a researched range, say what it is based on, and turn the question back so you learn the employer's budget too.

Answering “what are your salary expectations?”

“Based on published wage data for this occupation in this state, the typical range runs from around the 25th to the 75th percentile, and given my experience I'd be looking in the upper half of that. What range has been budgeted for this role?”

If you are pressed for a single figure very early, it is reasonable to say you'd rather understand the full scope of the role first — but avoid deflecting more than once.

7. What if the employer won't increase the salary?

Some employers genuinely cannot move base pay, especially where pay bands or public schedules apply. Other parts of the package may still be open. Not every employer offers these, so ask rather than assume:

• A signing bonus, sometimes easier to approve than ongoing salary.
• A performance bonus with clear, written criteria.
• Additional paid time off.
• Remote or hybrid working, or a schedule that suits you better.
• Professional development, tuition, certification or licence renewal support.
• An earlier salary review — for example at six months instead of twelve.
• Relocation support, equipment, or a clearer promotion path.

Get anything you agree written into the offer. A verbal promise of a review is worth much less than a dated commitment in the letter.

8. Salary negotiation mistakes to avoid

• Negotiating with no market research behind your number.
• Naming an arbitrary figure you can't explain.
• Making demands or ultimatums instead of a professional counteroffer.
• Focusing only on base salary and ignoring total compensation.
• Bluffing about a competing offer you don't have.
• Accepting on the spot before deciding whether to negotiate at all.
• Quoting national figures when state-level data for your occupation exists.
• Using a broad occupation group instead of your specific detailed occupation.

9. Salary negotiation example

The figures below are illustrative, not live wage data or a recommendation.

The offer. Maya receives a written offer of $80,000 for a role in her state, with a standard benefits package.

The research. She looks up her occupation for that state and finds the median sits above the offer, with the 75th percentile noticeably higher. She has five years of experience and a relevant certification, so she targets a little above the median: $88,000.

The counteroffer. She replies by email, thanks the hiring manager, restates her interest, and asks for $88,000 citing the published wage range for the occupation in that state, her experience and her certification.

The response. The employer comes back at $85,000 plus a $2,000 signing bonus, explaining that $88,000 sits outside the band for the level.

The decision. Maya asks for a six-month salary review to be written into the letter, the employer agrees, and she accepts. Total movement: $5,000 on base plus a bonus and an earlier review — from one polite, well-supported email.

10. Frequently asked questions

Should you always negotiate salary?

Not always, but it is worth considering every time. If the offer is below the market range for your occupation and state, there is a clear case. If it is already strong, you may prefer to negotiate scope, timing or benefits — or simply accept. If the final number still doesn't work for you, you can decline the job offer professionally.

How much should I negotiate salary?

Base the size of your request on the gap between the offer and the reported range for your occupation and location, adjusted for your experience. A request you can explain in two sentences is more persuasive than a big number you can't.

Can you negotiate salary after accepting an offer?

It is much harder, and reopening agreed terms can strain the relationship before you start. In most cases you are better off raising pay again at a scheduled review, with results to show.

Can an employer withdraw an offer if you negotiate?

A courteous, evidence-based counteroffer rarely causes a problem, though an employer can generally revisit an offer. Risk goes up with ultimatums, repeated renegotiation or requests far outside the market range.

Should I negotiate salary by email or phone?

Email suits a precise, well-evidenced request and leaves a written record. A call can work better for a nuanced conversation — follow it up in writing either way. If you go the written route, our salary negotiation email templates give you wording you can copy and adapt.

What if the salary offer is already above the market average?

Then a large base increase is a hard sell. Shift the conversation to the parts of the package that carry real value for you: bonus structure, time off, flexibility or the timing of your first review.

Go in with the numbers

Look up the median and wage range for your occupation and state, then choose the figure you'll ask for.

Open the salary calculator

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources. BLS wage figures are market benchmarks for an occupation and area, not a statement of what any individual should earn; actual pay varies with experience, education, industry, location, employer and other factors. This guide is general information, not legal, employment or financial advice.