The best answer to "What are your salary expectations?" is a researched range, delivered calmly, with a signal that you care about the whole package and not just base pay. If the employer has not shared a range yet, it is fair to ask for theirs first. Below you will find the research steps, word-for-word scripts for each situation, and the mistakes that cost candidates money.
TL;DR
- Research first: use official wage data for your job title, location and experience, then set a realistic range and a personal minimum.
- If you can, ask for the employer's range before naming a number. If you must answer, give a range, show interest and stay flexible.
- On a written application, "negotiable" is acceptable when a figure is optional. When a number is required, enter a researched range.
- Look at the whole package: vacation, remote work, learning budgets and bonuses can matter as much as base salary.
- Practice the answer out loud until it sounds natural.
Table of Contents
- Why employers ask, and what they are really checking
- Do the research before anyone asks
- The core answer: a range plus enthusiasm
- When the question comes early
- Asking for the employer's range without sounding evasive
- On a written application or online form
- Answer examples for common situations
- Look beyond base salary
- Five mistakes that cost candidates money
- Our perspective: the answer is a piece of interview prep, not a trick
- Practice the question before it counts
- FAQ
- Sources
Why employers ask, and what they are really checking
The question can feel like a trap, but it usually is not one. Yale's Office of Career Strategy notes that employers may ask early because their budget is limited and they want to avoid wasting anyone's time if your needs and the available pay do not match.
So the recruiter is checking three things:
- Fit with budget. Can they afford you at this level?
- Preparation. Do you know what the market pays for this work?
- Self-awareness. Can you talk about money in a professional, calm way?
The New York State Department of Labor warns that entering a salary conversation without substantial research can make you look uninformed or entitled and can damage your credibility. That is the real risk. The number itself can be adjusted later, but a poor first impression is harder to repair.
Do the research before anyone asks
You cannot answer well with a figure you picked in the car on the way to the interview. Build the answer in advance.
Find the market range
Start with the job title, industry, location, the posting's requirements and your own skills and experience. The U.S. Department of Labor's guide points to Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates covering nearly 800 occupations, published annually nationwide, by state, and by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area. Use the area that matches where the job is based, since pay for the same title can differ a lot between cities.
Then compare the posting itself. Many job ads list a range, and that is the most direct evidence of what this employer intends to pay. If you want to see how the requirements in a posting translate into likely interview questions, our guide on interview prep from a job description walks through it.
Set three numbers
The New York State Department of Labor suggests that your preparation should cover the employer, salary trends, your market worth, a realistic range and your minimum. In practice, write down:
- Your target: what you would be happy to earn given your experience and the market data.
- Your range: a band built around the target, with the low end still comfortable for you.
- Your floor: the figure below which you would decline. Never say this one out loud, but never accept less than it.
Remember that base pay is not take-home pay
The same Department of Labor guide reminds candidates that base salary is not what lands in your bank account: employers may deduct taxes, health insurance and retirement contributions. When you compare offers, compare the full picture, not just the headline number.
The core answer: a range plus enthusiasm
If you are asked directly and cannot deflect, the New York State Department of Labor's advice is to state a researched range, show interest and willingness to negotiate, and never accept less than your minimum. Its sample reads along the lines of: you are very interested in the position, believe you are a strong fit for the job and the company, and are looking to make between $55,000 and $65,000.
The U.S. Department of Labor's February 2026 salary negotiation guide offers a reusable template: "Based on my skills and experience, the range for this position in [location] is $X to $Y." It also recommends setting an acceptable, researched range beforehand.
Here is how that sounds in a full sentence, with placeholder numbers you should replace with your own research:
"I'm excited about this role, and based on my experience and what I've seen for similar positions in this area, I'm looking at $78,000 to $88,000. I'm open to talking about the full package."
How wide should the range be?
Keep it tight enough to be credible. A band that spans $30,000 tells the employer you have not decided what you are worth. A band of about 10 percent around your target is a sensible starting point, and the low end must be a number you could happily accept, because the employer will often anchor on it.
When the question comes early
The awkward version is the first phone screen, when you know little about the job. You have three reasonable moves.
Move 1: Ask for the range
CNBC's guidance quotes experts advising candidates to avoid stating expectations first where possible: a number that is too low can follow you into future pay, while one that is too high may lead the employer to move on. A script from CNBC's August 2024 piece is: "I'm very excited about the role. I just want to make sure that we're looking at the same thing going forward. What is the range for the position?"
If the posting already lists a range, you can go a step further. The same CNBC report suggests asking what qualifications would command the upper end of it. That shows you read the ad and are aiming high.
Move 2: Say you are flexible, then ask
Yale's career office says that if you are pressed, you can either ask what salary the employer has in mind or give a broad, market-based range. A simple version:
"I'm flexible and most interested in the role itself. Can you tell me the range the team has budgeted for it?"
Move 3: Confirm alignment early
Career expert Hannah Haller, quoted by CNBC, considers it acceptable to bring up pay in a screener or early interview, particularly to confirm that a published range matches your expectations. Raising it yourself saves both sides a round of interviews if the gap is too wide.
If you are asked repeatedly and cannot get a range out of the recruiter, give your researched range. A polite refusal to name any figure at all, again and again, tends to stall the process.
Asking for the employer's range without sounding evasive
The New York State Department of Labor offers a script that is polite and direct: ask whether the employer would mind telling you the salary range for this position or similar positions in the organization, and say that your requirements are negotiable and you would like to consider those ranges before giving an exact number.
Tone does most of the work. Keep your voice warm and curious, not defensive. You are not hiding anything; you are making sure you quote a number that fits the actual role.
On a written application or online form
Some applications have a required "expected salary" field. The right answer depends on whether it is mandatory.
If it is optional, you can skip it, or say it is negotiable. The George Washington University career guide says that when a salary request is not specific, you can say your salary is negotiable based on the role and compensation package. CareerOneStop likewise says applicants can give a range or enter "negotiable", leaving room to negotiate.
If a number is required, research comparable roles and give a range. The same university guide gives examples such as "mid-upper $70s based on my level of experience and research" or a figure like $45,000 to $50,000 with a note that you are flexible about the overall compensation package.
If the form accepts only digits and rejects text or ranges, enter the figure at the lower-middle of your researched range, a number you would honestly be glad to accept, and raise the rest in conversation.
Answer examples for common situations
Use these as shapes, not scripts to memorize. Every dollar figure here is a placeholder.
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Recruiter screen, no range posted | "Could you share the range for the role? I want to make sure we're aligned before we go further." |
| Range is posted | "I saw the range in the posting. Based on my experience, I'd be looking at the upper half. What would put a candidate at the top?" |
| You must give a number | "Based on my skills and experience, the range for this position in Denver is $82,000 to $92,000." |
| You want the whole package considered | "I'm targeting $70,000 to $78,000, and I'm glad to talk about benefits, flexibility and growth." |
| Application form, optional | "Negotiable, depending on the role and total compensation." |
| Application form, required | A researched range, or a single figure from the lower-middle of it. |
A useful habit, echoed by career advisers: prepare at least two versions, one that asks for the range and one that gives yours, then pick based on the tone of the conversation and what you have learned about the role.
What about "What is your current salary?"
You were asked about expectations, so steer back to the future: talk about the range you are seeking for this role and the responsibilities it carries. Some states restrict employers from asking about pay history, so check your own state's rules and the labor department's website if the question comes up.
Look beyond base salary
A lower base can still be a good offer, and a high one can disappoint. The U.S. Department of Labor's February 2026 guide tells candidates to evaluate the whole offer and, if salary cannot move, negotiate other things you value, such as vacation, flexible or remote work, tuition or certification support, and travel reimbursement. The guide treats negotiation as a strategic discussion that aims for an outcome working for both parties, not a demand for more base pay.
That is why a good answer includes a line like "I'm open to discussing the full package." It keeps the door open without lowering your target. When an offer does arrive and you want to push on it, our step-by-step guide to negotiating your salary picks up where this article stops.
Five mistakes that cost candidates money
- Naming a number with no research. You either undersell yourself or price yourself out.
- Giving a single hard figure too early. A range leaves room for the conversation to move.
- Apologizing. Phrases like "I know this might be too much" weaken your position before the employer reacts.
- Revealing your floor. State the range you would be happy with, not the number you would reluctantly accept.
- Going quiet after the answer. State your range, then stop talking and let the interviewer respond.
Our perspective: the answer is a piece of interview prep, not a trick
At Workhunt we see salary questions as one more thing the job posting can help you prepare for. The posting tells you the seniority, the scope and often the location, which are exactly the inputs for a defensible range. When you know what the role demands and where your experience matches it, you can name a number without anxiety, because you can explain it.
We also believe candidates should be able to rehearse this out loud. Reading a script is not the same as saying "my range is $X to $Y" to another person and hearing a pause afterward. Practicing the question in a mock interview, by voice or text, is how the sentence becomes natural. And since every employer conversation feeds the next one, we think you should keep your notes on ranges, recruiter answers and follow-ups in one place rather than scattered across email threads.
— CoffeeDrop
Practice the question before it counts
Workhunt lets you paste a job link and get interview prep built from that posting, including mock interviews by voice or text with performance metrics, salary range suggestions drawn from public and job-linked sources, and application tracking from first application to offer. You can start on the free plan, and the Pro plan starts from $15 per month for full interview prep and tracking. Try Workhunt and run through your salary answer before the recruiter calls. For more on preparing, see our interview prep guides, our practical plan for preparing for a job interview, and our article on using AI for salary negotiation.
FAQ
What is the best answer for salary expectations?
A researched range, tied to your skills and the location, with a clear signal that you are interested in the role and open to discussing the full package. If you have not yet heard the employer's range, asking for it first is a reasonable alternative. Never go below the minimum you set in advance.
When should you discuss salary in an interview?
Ideally after you know the role and the employer has shown interest, but you do not have to wait if a recruiter asks early. One expert quoted by CNBC says it is fine to raise it in a screener to confirm that a published range fits what you expect. If the posting lists no range, asking about it in the first call can save everyone time.
How do you answer "expected salary" on an application?
If the field is optional, leave it blank or write "negotiable." If it is required, enter a researched range or, when only one figure is accepted, a number you would be happy to start at. Add a note about flexibility if there is a comments box.
What should you say if the employer will not share a range?
Give your own researched range and frame it around the role: say what you found for similar positions in the area and that you are open to the total package. Then ask whether that fits what they had budgeted. This keeps the conversation moving without leaving you to guess.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor: Salary Negotiations guide (January 2022)
- U.S. Department of Labor: TEAMS Salary Negotiation Participant Guide (February 2026)
- New York State Department of Labor: Salary Negotiation Guide
- Yale Office of Career Strategy: The Behavioral Interview
- CNBC: How to answer "What are your salary expectations?" (January 2022)
- CNBC: When's the right time to bring up salary during a job interview (August 2024)
- George Washington University Trachtenberg School: Compelling Cover Letters (2022)
- CareerOneStop: Job Applications