What Are Your Salary Expectations? How to Answer + Scripts

Why do employers ask about salary expectations?

Recruiters ask early for a practical reason. They have a budget for the role, and they want to know if your number fits inside it before anyone spends hours on interviews.

That means this question is a filter, not a trap. Your goal is to give an answer that is realistic, backed by research, and leaves room to negotiate once they want you.

How do you research your salary expectations?

Do this before your first phone screen, not during it.

1. Start with the posted pay range. Many postings now list one, and in a growing number of states it’s required (more on that below). If a range is posted, that’s the employer’s own budget.
2. Check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Search your job title in the Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov and open the Pay tab. For example, BLS lists the median pay for medical assistants at $45,690 a year, or $21.97 an hour, in May 2025, with the lowest 10 percent under $36,050 and the highest 10 percent over $59,310.
3. Compare five to ten local postings. Search the same title in your city or region and note the ranges. Local pay can differ a lot from the national median.
4. Adjust for you. Move up for years of experience, licenses or certifications, bilingual skills, or hard-to-staff shifts. Move down if you’re new to the field.
5. Convert hourly and yearly pay. If one posting lists $24 an hour and another lists $50,000 a year, convert them so you’re comparing the same thing. Our salary converter does the math for any hourly or annual figure.
6. Check take-home pay. A higher salary in a state with higher taxes may not leave you with more. Run each number through the paycheck calculator to see what lands in your account.

Finish with three numbers written down:

Which states require pay ranges in job postings?

Pay transparency laws make your research easier. As of October 2026, the states below plus Washington, D.C., require employers to include a pay range in most job postings.

A few details matter:

• Size limits vary. New York’s law covers employers with four or more employees, Massachusetts covers 25 or more, Minnesota covers 30 or more in the state, and Hawaii covers 50 or more.
• Remote jobs can count. California, Colorado and Washington apply their rules to remote jobs that could be filled by someone living in the state.
• Some cities have their own rules. New York City has required salary ranges in job ads since November 2022.
• Some states require disclosure on request. In Rhode Island, for example, employers must give an applicant the wage range for the job if the applicant asks.

Laws change, and coverage depends on employer size and job location. Check your state labor department’s website for the current rules where you live.

Can an employer ask about your current salary?

In many places, no. Salary history bans stop employers from asking what you earned before or using it to set your offer. California, New York State, Washington, Hawaii, Virginia and the District of Columbia all have them.

Two points hold in most of these places:

• Employers can still ask about your salary expectations for the new job.
• You can choose to share your pay history voluntarily if it helps you.

If you think an employer broke one of these rules, your state labor department or an employment attorney can tell you what applies to your situation.

How do you answer salary expectations on a phone screen?

This is where the question comes up most. Try to learn their range first.

“Before I share a number, could you tell me the range budgeted for this role? I want to make sure we’re aligned.”

If the posting already lists a range, use it:

“The posting lists $52,000 to $60,000, and that range works for me. With four years of experience and my CMA certification, I’d expect to land in the upper half.”

If they ask you to go first, give your researched range:

“Based on my research for this role in the Columbus area and my five years in medical billing, I’m looking for $58,000 to $64,000. I’m flexible depending on the full benefits package.”

If they ask what you make now, steer back to the new role:

“I’d rather focus on what’s fair for this position. Based on the responsibilities, I’m targeting $58,000 to $64,000.”

For more on recruiter calls, see our phone interview tips.

What should you put for desired salary on an application?

The desired salary field on an application is a screening tool. Handle it based on what the form allows.

• Text field: Enter a researched range, like “$58,000 to $64,000,” or “Negotiable.”
• Number-only field: Enter the figure you’d genuinely accept, usually your target. Don’t enter $0, $1 or 999999. Automated screening can filter those out, and a human reviewer may read them as careless.
• Hourly jobs: Answer in hourly terms if the posting does, such as “$22 to $24 per hour.”
• Range already posted: Pick a number inside it. Going far above the posted range can knock you out before anyone reads your resume.

Whatever you enter, be ready to say the same thing in the interview.

How do you answer when the hiring manager asks later?

By a second or final interview, you know more about the job. You can adjust your range if the role turned out bigger or smaller than the posting suggested.

“After learning that this role also covers vendor contracts, I’d put my range at $62,000 to $68,000. That reflects the extra scope, and I’m confident it’s in line with the market for this work.”

Keep the focus on value. Pair the number with one reason you’ll be worth it, the same way you would when answering why should we hire you.

How do you negotiate after a job offer?

An offer is the best time to negotiate because they’ve already chosen you. Thank them first, then ask.

“Thank you, I’m excited about this offer and about joining the team. Based on my research and the certifications I bring, I was hoping for a base salary closer to $64,000. Is there flexibility there?”

If they can’t move on base pay, ask about other parts of the package:

“I understand the salary band is fixed. Would it be possible to add a sign-on bonus, an extra week of PTO, or a salary review at six months?”

By email, keep it short:

Subject: Offer for Office Manager position

Hi Dana,

Thank you for the offer. I’m excited about the role and the team. Based on my six years of office management experience and the market rate for similar roles in Tampa, I’d like to ask whether a base salary of $64,000 is possible. I’m confident we can find a number that works for both of us.

Best, Jordan Lee 813-555-0142

Before you accept, compare take-home pay and benefits, not just the headline number. A slightly lower salary with cheaper health insurance can leave you with more each month.

How do you give a good salary range?

• Put your target at or near the bottom. Employers often aim for the low end, so make sure the low end is a number you’d be happy with.
• Keep it reasonably narrow. “$58,000 to $64,000” sounds researched. “$40,000 to $80,000” sounds like a guess.
• Use round numbers. Thousands for salaried roles, quarters or whole dollars for hourly ones.
• Mention the full package. Saying you’re flexible depending on benefits gives both sides room.
• Stay consistent. Give the same range on the application, the phone screen and the interview unless the job changes.

What salary mistakes should you avoid?

Practice saying your range out loud until it sounds calm and natural. Then test yourself with the phone interview quiz, and plan a few questions to ask at the end of the interview so you finish strong.