Research
How to Research Your Market Salary
Walking into an interview without knowing your market value is like negotiating blindfolded. SalaryTruth tracks 53 roles across 25 cities using BLS data. Here is exactly how to research your salary before your next job conversation.
Step 1: Find Your Occupation
Search for your job title on SalaryTruth. Each role is mapped to a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code — the federal system that ensures you're comparing equivalent jobs, not just similar titles. A "Product Manager" at one company and a "Program Manager" at another may or may not be the same SOC code.
Step 2: Look at the Full Percentile Range
Don't stop at the median. SalaryTruth shows five BLS percentile points:
- p10: Entry-level, part-time, or low-cost areas
- p25: Junior roles or below-market employers
- p50 (median): Typical mid-career pay — the most useful benchmark
- p75: Experienced professionals or premium employers
- p90: Senior experts, high-cost metros, or top-paying companies
The gap between p25 and p75 is your realistic negotiation range. If the gap is wide, there's significant room to negotiate based on experience and skills.
Step 3: Adjust for Location
Compare salaries at the metro area level, not nationally. A role with a $100,000 national median might pay $130,000 in New York and $80,000 in Nashville. Then apply the cost of living index to understand purchasing power. The $80,000 in Nashville (COL ~90) often buys more than $130,000 in New York (COL ~187).
Step 4: Assess Your Position in the Range
Honestly evaluate where you fall in the wage distribution:
- 0-2 years experience: Target p25-p50
- 3-7 years, strong skills: Target p50-p75
- 8+ years, specialized expertise: Target p75+
- Career changer: Target p25-p50 regardless of total years
Step 5: Factor in Total Compensation
BLS data covers wages only — not equity, signing bonuses, or benefits. For tech roles where equity is 20-50% of total comp, the BLS number understates true compensation. For government or nonprofit roles with exceptional benefits, the BLS number may overstate the cash gap.
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey is the most reliable public salary data source. It covers 1.1 million establishments and 867 occupations with no self-reporting bias. Self-reported sources like Glassdoor and PayScale can be useful supplements but tend to skew higher due to selection bias (higher earners are more likely to report).
Always compare locally. A software developer's median salary varies from $85,000 in low-cost metros to $160,000+ in San Francisco. National medians are useful starting points, but your actual market rate is determined by your specific metro area. SalaryTruth shows salary data by city for exactly this reason.
Your target percentile depends on your experience and qualifications. Entry-level workers should expect p25-p50. Mid-career professionals with 5-10 years of relevant experience should target p50-p75. Senior experts, specialized skills, or high-demand roles justify targeting p75-p90. If you're changing careers, expect to start closer to p25 regardless of total years of experience.