Salary range
A salary range gives a lower and upper pay figure associated with a role, hiring budget or level of work.
Read the figures together with the currency, pay period, hours and location. A range may cover several experience levels or locations, and the employer may not be considering every applicant at its upper end. Ask what determines the offer within the range and whether the advertised figures refer to base pay or a wider compensation package.
Some jurisdictions regulate pay information in job adverts. California's Labor Commissioner describes a pay scale for its transparency rules as a good-faith estimate of the salary or hourly range the employer reasonably expects to pay upon hire. Requirements elsewhere differ. Wherever you apply, distinguish an employer's stated range from a job board's estimate. If the range is broad, discuss the budget for your particular level before investing time in multiple interviews.
Example
An advert lists €50,000 to €70,000. The candidate asks whether this is annual base pay, which office it applies to and how experience affects the offer.
What to check
- Confirm currency, period and contracted hours.
- Separate base pay from variable compensation.
- Ask what determines placement within the range.