How to Use SalaryMapHQ
Everything you need to know about finding salary data, understanding compensation benchmarks, and using our tools to negotiate your best offer.
Quick Start
Filter by City
Each job page shows salary data by metro area. Select your city to see local pay benchmarks with COL adjustments.
Compare & Negotiate
Use the Compare tool to benchmark multiple roles or cities, then negotiate with data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is salary data collected?
SalaryMapHQ combines three primary sources: (1) Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), which surveys over 1.1 million US employers annually; (2) Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application (LCA) disclosures, which are employer-certified wage filings submitted for skilled worker visa applications; and (3) publicly available salary range disclosures required by state pay transparency laws such as Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. Data is cross-validated and updated following the annual BLS release cycle.
What is the difference between median and average salary?
The median salary is the midpoint — exactly half of workers earn above it and half earn below it. The average (mean) salary is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers. For salary research, the median is almost always more useful because it is not distorted by extreme outliers. For example, if a handful of executives earn $5M each, the average salary for that role looks artificially inflated while the median accurately reflects what a typical worker earns. When you see '$120,000 median salary', that means a typical person in that role earns around $120,000.
What is total compensation?
Total compensation (TC) includes everything of financial value you receive from your employer, not just your base salary. This typically includes: base salary, annual performance bonuses, signing bonuses, equity (stock options or RSUs — valued at grant, not vesting), health insurance premium contributions by the employer, retirement contributions (e.g., 401k match), and other benefits like tuition reimbursement or commuter benefits. In tech roles especially, total compensation can be 30–100% higher than base salary due to significant equity components. SalaryMapHQ primarily shows base salary data from BLS sources; actual total compensation will vary by employer.
How does location affect salary?
Location affects salary through two mechanisms. First, employers in high cost-of-living markets like San Francisco or New York tend to pay higher nominal salaries to attract talent — a software engineer might earn $130,000 in Austin vs. $187,000 in San Francisco. Second, after adjusting for cost of living, the purchasing power gap narrows significantly. SalaryMapHQ provides both the nominal salary for each city and a cost-of-living adjusted equivalent so you can compare real purchasing power across markets. Location multipliers on job pages show how each city's pay compares to the national median for that role.
What is a cost of living adjustment?
A cost of living (COL) adjustment converts salaries to a common purchasing power basis so you can make apples-to-apples comparisons across cities. SalaryMapHQ uses BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) regional data and published cost of living indices to calculate what a salary in one city is equivalent to in another. For example, a $150,000 salary in San Francisco might have the same purchasing power as $105,000 in Dallas. The COL-adjusted salary on each city page shows the national median equivalent, helping you evaluate whether a higher nominal salary in an expensive city is actually a better deal.
How can I use this to negotiate salary?
Salary data is most powerful when you use it to anchor your negotiation. Here's how: (1) Find your job title on SalaryMapHQ and filter by your city. Note the P25, P50 (median), and P75 figures. (2) Assess your experience level — P25 suits early-career, P50 is mid-career, P75+ is for senior/specialized roles. (3) In your negotiation, cite specific sources: 'Based on BLS data, the median salary for this role in this metro area is $X.' (4) Ask for a number at P75 if you have relevant experience — employers expect to negotiate down from your ask. (5) Remember to negotiate total compensation, not just base — signing bonuses and equity are often more flexible than salary bands.
What is the 10th vs 90th percentile salary?
Percentile figures tell you where a salary falls relative to all workers in that role. The 10th percentile (P10) means 10% of workers earn less than that figure — typically entry-level or workers in very low-cost rural areas. The 90th percentile (P90) means 90% of workers earn less — typically the most senior, specialized, or highest-cost-of-living workers. The full distribution (P10, P25, P50, P75, P90) gives you a complete picture of the salary range for a role. If an employer offers you a P30 salary and claims it is 'competitive,' you now have the data to evaluate that claim objectively.
How often is data updated?
The primary BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data is updated annually, typically released each May for the prior year. SalaryMapHQ refreshes our database following each BLS release cycle. DOL H-1B LCA disclosures are filed quarterly, and we incorporate those updates on a rolling basis to capture recent changes in employer-reported wages for tech and professional roles. Note that there is typically a 12–18 month lag between when wages are surveyed and when BLS publishes the data, so figures reflect conditions from roughly the prior year.
Why do salaries vary so much for the same job title?
Salary variation for the same job title is driven by several overlapping factors: (1) Geography — cost of labor markets differs enormously across US cities; (2) Industry — the same 'Software Engineer' title at a hedge fund pays very differently than at a nonprofit; (3) Company size — larger companies with more revenue per employee typically pay more; (4) Experience and seniority — a 'Software Engineer' with 2 years of experience vs. 15 years can have very different market rates even under the same title; (5) Specialization — niche technical skills command premiums; (6) Negotiation — studies show workers who negotiate their first offer earn significantly more over their careers; (7) Education and credentials — certain roles with professional licenses or advanced degrees command a premium.
What is a salary range?
A salary range is the spread between the minimum and maximum compensation an employer is willing to pay for a role, or the spread of market pay observed across workers in that role. Companies typically have internal pay bands that define the range for each job level. On SalaryMapHQ, the salary range shown (e.g., '$95,000 – $165,000') typically represents the P10 to P90 range from BLS data — the middle 80% of workers in that role and location. Ranges posted in job listings may be narrower and reflect a specific company's internal band for that level. When a posted range is very wide (e.g., $80k–$200k), it often means the employer is hiring across multiple levels or has significant flexibility.
Still have questions? Explore the data yourself.