How to answer "What are your salary expectations?"
Redirect first — ask what range the role is budgeted for (in many states employers must disclose it). If you have to give a number, give a researched range anchored to the market, with your target near the bottom. And remember: many states bar employers from asking your current salary at all.
This question is a test disguised as small talk. Whoever names a number first sets the anchor — so the goal is to get their range before you give yours.
You usually have more room to deflect than you think, and in much of the country you’re not required to share what you currently make.
You often don’t have to share your current salary
Many states and cities prohibit employers from asking about your salary history — about a dozen-plus states ban the question for private employers, and 20+ states plus many cities restrict it in some form.
Even where it’s allowed, you can decline to share a current number and pivot to the market rate for the role you’re interviewing for.
Redirect to their range
Pay-transparency laws (roughly 15–18 states plus DC) increasingly require employers to disclose the range — so asking for it is reasonable and often legally backed.
If you must give a number, give a researched range
Anchor to market data for the role, and put your target near the bottom of the range you state so there’s room to settle up.
Step by step
Research the market range first
Know the going rate for the role and location before any conversation.
Try to get their range
Ask what the role is budgeted for before you commit to a number.
If pressed, give a researched range
Offer a market-based range with your target at the low end.
Don’t volunteer your current salary
Pivot to the value of the role you’re interviewing for — and in many states, they can’t require it.
“Before I give a number — what range has the team budgeted for this role?”
“Based on market data for this role and my experience, I’m targeting the $X–$Y range.”
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FAQ
Do I have to tell them my current salary?
Often no. Many states and cities bar employers from asking about salary history, and even where it’s allowed you can decline and redirect to the market rate for the role.
Should I give a single number or a range?
A researched range usually works best — put your target near the bottom so there’s room to settle up. A single number can anchor you low if you guess.
What if they insist I give a number first?
Give a market-based range rather than a single figure, framed as "based on market data for this role." You can still ask them to confirm it fits their budget.
- SHRM — State salary history bans and pay transparency laws
- Jackson Lewis — Navigating 2026 pay transparency laws
This guide is general information and a starting point, not legal advice.