How to answer "expected salary" on a job application

Why forms ask

Employers ask for expected salary early to screen out applications that are far outside the budget for the role. That's useful to you too: there's no point in five rounds of interviews for a job that can't pay what you need. The goal is a number that keeps you in the running without leaving money on the table.

First, check the posting

Many postings now include a pay range. Several US states and cities, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, require many employers to publish one, and plenty of UK employers include a salary or band too. If the range is there, your job is mostly done: aim for where you sit in it, and don't answer below the bottom of the range for a role you're qualified for.

Research a fair number

If there's no range, build one from a few sources rather than one:

• Other postings for the same title and seniority in the same city or country, especially ones with published ranges.
• Salary sites and surveys for your field. Treat each as a rough guide; they vary.
• Government data: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by occupation, and the UK's Office for National Statistics publishes earnings data.
• People in the role. A friend or former colleague a year or two ahead of you is often the most accurate source there is.

What to type in the box

If the field accepts text, give a range whose bottom is a number you'd be genuinely happy with: "$95,000 to $110,000 base, depending on the full package" or "£55,000 to £62,000". Keep the range reasonably narrow; one that's too wide reads as uncertainty.

If it only accepts a number, enter the figure you'd be happy to accept, not your dream number and not your current pay. You can say more in a free-text box or the cover letter if there is one.

If it's optional, you can leave it blank, but on forms that screen by salary a blank can count against you. A researched number is usually the better choice.

Base pay versus the whole package

Be clear whether you're giving base salary or total compensation. In the US, bonus, equity and health insurance can change the real value of an offer a lot; in the UK, pension contributions, bonus and holiday allowance matter. If you write "base", you keep room to discuss the rest later.

Current salary is a different question

Expected salary is about this job; current salary is about your last one, and it's not the same question. Some US states and cities ban employers from asking for pay history. Where it isn't banned and you'd rather not share, you can answer with your expectation instead: "I'm looking for roles in the $X to $Y range."

Example answers

A few ways to fill in the box, depending on what the form allows:

• Free text, US: "$95,000 to $105,000 base, open to discussing the full package."
• Free text, UK: "£48,000 to £54,000, depending on pension and benefits."
• Number only: the bottom of your researched range, rounded to a clean figure.
• Hourly or contract roles: give an hourly or day rate, and say whether it's inclusive of any agency fee.

When a recruiter asks on the phone

The same question often comes up again on the first call. Give the same range you wrote on the form, and turn it into a question: "I put $95,000 to $105,000 on the application. Is that in line with the budget for this role?" If they say it's above the budget, you've learned something important early, and you can decide whether the rest of the role makes up for it.

Changing your mind later

What you type on the form isn't a contract. If the role turns out bigger than the posting suggested, it's fair to say so and adjust: "Having learned more about the scope, I'd be looking for something nearer $X." Keep a note of what you entered on each application, so you're consistent when the recruiter brings it up.