How to Answer “What Are Your Salary Expectations?” Without Underselling Yourself

"What are your salary expectations?" makes people freeze because it feels like a trap: say too high and you might get screened out before anyone sees your actual qualifications; say too low and you've likely capped your offer even if you're hired. The good news is that this question has a genuinely correct way to handle it, and it isn't "just say you're flexible."

Why "I'm flexible" is usually the wrong answer

Declining to give a number feels safe, but it typically has one of two effects: the recruiter presses again anyway (you haven't actually avoided the question, just delayed it), or they move on without the information they need and default to the lower end of their range, since you've given them no reason not to. A specific, well-researched number is a stronger position than vagueness in almost every case — it signals you've done your homework and you know your value.

Step 1: Research an actual number before you're asked

Do this before applying, not when the question lands in an interview. Useful sources, cross- checked against each other rather than trusted individually:

• Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Blind for role- and company-specific self-reported data, where available.
• Government labor statistics for a role's broader market range by location.
• Your actual network — a direct message to someone in a similar role is often more accurate than any aggregator, and most people are more willing to share a range privately than publicly.

Land on a realistic range, not a single number, and anchor it to your actual experience level and the company's likely size/stage (a Series A startup and a public company for the same title often have meaningfully different ranges).

Step 2: Give a range, not a single figure

A range gives you room to negotiate while still being genuinely informative to the other side. The standard, effective format:

"Based on my research and experience, I'm targeting a base salary in the range of $X to $Y, though I'm open to discussing the full compensation package including equity and benefits."

Two details make this work: set the bottom of your range at a number you'd genuinely accept (never state a floor you're not comfortable with, since it can anchor the eventual offer), and mention the broader package so you're not boxing the conversation into base salary alone when equity, bonus, or benefits might matter more for a given role.

Step 3: Handle it when asked early, before an offer

Recruiter screens often ask this in the first 10 minutes, well before you have enough information about the role's real scope to be precise. It's reasonable to give your researched range while also asking a clarifying question back:

"My range based on similar roles is $X to $Y. Can you share the budgeted range for this position, so I can make sure we're aligned before we both spend more time on this?"

Turning it into a two-way exchange, rather than a one-sided disclosure, is a completely normal and professional move — most experienced recruiters expect and respect it.

What if there's a required field on an application form?

Some online applications require a number in a form field, not a conversation. Where a range isn't accepted, use the midpoint of your researched range rather than the bottom of it, and don't round down "to be safe" — that instinct is exactly what leads to underselling. If the field allows text, "$X–$Y based on market research for this role" works even in a form field on most platforms.

Prepare this once, reuse it everywhere

Like every other repetitive application question, the expensive part isn't finding the right words in the moment — it's re-deriving your range and reasoning from scratch for every single application. Research your range once per role type, write down the reasoning behind it, and reuse it with minor adjustments per company size and location. That's the same principle behind managing every other recurring question in a high-volume search: store the reusable core once instead of starting over. If you're already keeping a story bank for behavioral questions, Story Bank is a natural place to keep this kind of reusable context too — free tier, no card required.