In short: To negotiate salary, research the market range, try to get the employer’s number first, and wait until you have an offer. Then thank them, ask for time and make one specific counter backed by evidence. Consider bonus, equity, vacation and start date too. Research suggests employers rarely withdraw offers because a candidate asks politely.
Asking is uncomfortable, and that discomfort is expensive. According to Pew Research Center’s 2023 survey of more than 5,000 employed adults, about 60% didn’t ask for higher pay when offered their current job. In Resume Genius’s 2025 survey of 1,000 US workers, 55% accepted the first offer. Of those who did negotiate, 78% reported a better offer. Self-reported survey results like these are likely to flatter the outcome, but better evidence points the same way.
What the best evidence shows
An NBER working paper by Zoë Cullen, Bobak Pakzad-Hurson and Ricardo Perez-Truglia followed about 3,858 tech job seekers. A simple message encouraging negotiation raised the share who countered offers from 54% to 61%. Those who countered gained an average of about 12.45%, or roughly $27,000 a year. Few people took up discounted coaching, and the researchers concluded that a shortage of skill wasn’t the main obstacle. People simply needed the nudge to ask.
These were highly paid tech workers in a particular market, so don’t expect the same percentage in every job. The direction matters more: asking tends to pay, and you don’t need a polished technique for it to work.
The fear of losing the offer also seems overstated. UCLA’s review of the research cites a 2024 paper by Hart, Bear and Ren which found that managers withdraw offers after counteroffers far less often than candidates believe.
Why bother over a small sum? Future raises are often calculated on your base pay. By our own arithmetic, an extra $5,000 a year, growing at 3% annually, adds up to about $238,000 over 30 years before tax and without investment returns, if you were to hold that gap throughout your career. Job changes will alter the path, yet a higher starting point usually helps.
Before you get an offer
Find the range. Use salary data sites, public pay ranges in job ads, recruiter conversations and friends in similar roles. Pay transparency laws in several US states and other countries now require ranges in many job postings. Try to find the going rate for this role, at this level, in this location.
Work out your numbers. Know three figures: your target, a realistic stretch and the lowest amount you would accept. Compare total packages. A smaller salary with a generous retirement match or cheaper health insurance can beat a bigger one.
Line up alternatives. Another offer, or a job you’re willing to stay in, is your strongest source of leverage. Negotiators call this your best alternative. It affects how calmly you can talk.
Avoid naming a number early. If asked for your expectations in a first conversation, try: “I’d like to learn more about the role first. What’s the budgeted range?” If pressed, give a researched range that begins at a figure you would be happy with. Some jurisdictions ban employers from asking about your salary history, and you aren’t obliged to volunteer it in most conversations about future pay.
When the offer comes
Follow this sequence:
- Respond with interest, and don’t answer yet. “Thank you, I’m excited about this. Could I have until Thursday to review the details?” A short delay is normal.
- Ask for the full offer in writing. About 40% of offers in the NBER study were made verbally. You need the bonus, equity, benefits and vacation terms to judge the whole package.
- Make one clear counter. Use a specific number and give reasons.
- Then stop talking. Let them respond, even if the pause is awkward.
Here is wording that usually works:
“I’m very keen to join. Based on my research into similar roles and the experience I’d bring in leading the migration project, I was expecting around $92,000. Can you get to that number?”
Specific figures tend to carry more credibility than round ones, and a reason gives the hiring manager something to take to whoever approves the budget. Avoid personal reasons such as your rent. Stick to market data and what you’ll deliver.
If the answer is no
A first no is often about the salary band or budget, and there may be other room.
| Item | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| Signing bonus | A one-off sum, which doesn’t affect the salary band |
| Performance bonus | A higher target or a guaranteed first-year amount |
| Equity | More units, or a clearer vesting schedule |
| Vacation | Additional days |
| Remote work | Agreed days in writing |
| Professional development | A budget for courses or conferences |
| Salary review | A formal review after six months, with a stated target |
| Title | A level that better reflects your experience |
Offer a trade-off where possible: “If the base can’t move, would a $5,000 signing bonus and a salary review at six months be possible?” Ask about everything together instead of raising one thing after another, since a series of demands may start to irritate people.
Once you’ve reached an agreement, get all of it in writing before you resign from your current job.
Things that can backfire
- Bluffing. Don’t claim a competing offer you don’t have. If you are asked for details, or told to take the other job, you’ll have nowhere to go.
- Using an ultimatum. “Match this or I walk” shuts down discussion, so reserve it for when you mean it.
- Negotiating after you’ve said yes. Once you have accepted, your leverage is largely gone, and reopening terms looks bad.
- Going too low. The first number you give often anchors the talk, so make sure the bottom of your range is acceptable.
- Treating it as a fight. You’ll be working with these people. Aim for a friendly and collaborative tone.
When it’s harder
Fixed public-sector pay scales, union contracts and entry-level roles with standard offers may leave little room. You can still ask which step or grade you’ve been placed on, since experience may justify a higher one, and about benefits.
In a weak job market or when you badly need the job, you may decide to accept the first fair offer. That’s a legitimate decision. Just make it knowingly. Negotiation doesn’t end at hiring, either, and our guide on how to ask for a raise covers the next round. If you’re moving into a new field, how to change careers explains why you may accept a temporary dip. For the longer picture, see our guide to career development.
Frequently asked questions
Can an employer withdraw an offer if I negotiate?
They can in many places, as most US employment is at will, but it appears to be uncommon when the request is polite and reasonable. If an employer rescinds an offer over a courteous question, that tells you something about the workplace. Keep your current job until the offer is signed, and all conditions have been met.
How much more should I ask for?
Base it on market data, not a formula. Many candidates ask for 5% to 15% above the offer, which is a rule of thumb and not a research finding. If the offer is already at the top of the range, a smaller ask or a benefit makes more sense. A number you can justify is far stronger than a large one you can’t.
Should I negotiate by email or by phone?
Either can work. Email gives you time to choose your words and helps if you become nervous, while a call makes it easier to read reactions and solve problems together. Many people find a call best for discussion and email for confirming details. Use the format your contact has been using.
