"What are your salary expectations?" is a negotiation, not a question. Here's how to answer it.
"What are your salary expectations?" feels like a simple question. It isn't. It's the opening move of a negotiation — and whoever names a number first usually loses.
Most candidates answer this question honestly and immediately. They say what they made at their last job, or what they think sounds reasonable, or what they hope for. And in doing so, they anchor the entire conversation below where it could have gone — often without realizing it.
The good news: this is one of the most learnable parts of the interview process. There's a small set of scripts that handle every version of this question, at every stage of the process. Here they are.
Why this question costs people money — every time
The first number anchors everything that follows
Anchoring is one of the most reliable cognitive biases in negotiation research. The first number said out loud becomes the reference point for every subsequent discussion. If you say $90K and the role was budgeted for $115K, you've just given away $25K — and the employer isn't going to volunteer the difference.
They almost always know the range before they ask
Most companies have a salary band for every role before the first interview. They're asking you first to see if they can land you below the top of the band. "What are your expectations?" is rarely a genuine question about what you need — it's a negotiation opener.
Your current salary is not a valid anchor for your next one
In many US states, employers can no longer legally ask about your current salary. More importantly, your current comp reflects what you were worth when you last negotiated — not what you're worth now, in this market, for this role. Don't use it as your reference point.
Before any script: know your number
None of the scripts below work without a real market number. "I'm targeting $X" only lands confidently if X is defensible. Cross-reference at least three of these sources before any salary conversation:
Glassdoor
Company-specific self-reported salaries from current and past employees
Levels.fyi
Detailed total comp breakdowns for tech roles — base, equity, bonus
LinkedIn Salary
Aggregated ranges by title, location, and years of experience
H1B Salary Database
Government-reported actual salaries — public record, highly specific
Blind / Fishbowl
Anonymous peer sharing — useful for company-specific intel
4 scripts — one for every version of this question
Early in the process (phone screen, first round)
Goal: Deflect without losing the process
""I'd love to understand the full scope of the role before I put a number on it — I want to make sure we're aligned on what I'd actually be stepping into. Can you share the range you've budgeted for this position?""
Politely bounces the question back. Most recruiters will give you the range if asked directly. If they won't, that's useful information too.
They push back: "We need a number to move forward"
Goal: Give a range without going too low
""Based on my research for this role and level in [city], I'm targeting somewhere in the [X–Y] range — though I'd want the full picture on total comp, equity, and benefits before committing to a specific number.""
You've given them a range while leaving room to negotiate and signaling that you're thinking about total comp, not just base.
Final rounds — they want a specific number
Goal: Anchor high within your justified range
""I've done a lot of research on this — Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, a few conversations with people in similar roles. Based on that, I'm targeting [specific number]. That said, I'm genuinely excited about this role and want to make something work — what does your comp structure look like at this level?""
You've anchored with a justified, research-backed number and immediately invited them to respond — keeping the conversation moving without sounding rigid.
They come in below your range
Goal: Counter without closing the door
""I appreciate the offer — I'm genuinely excited about the role. The base is lower than where I was targeting based on my research and the scope of what you've described. Is there flexibility to get to [your target]? Or if base is fixed, is there room in equity / signing / performance review timeline?""
Names the gap specifically, doesn't blow up the offer, and opens multiple paths forward instead of one.
Don't forget: base is only part of the number
Most negotiation happens on base salary — but total comp includes equity, bonus, signing, PTO, remote flexibility, and benefits. A role that pays $10K less in base but offers 20% equity vesting in 18 months may be worth significantly more. Always ask about total comp before anchoring only on base.
The question that opens the door: "Can you walk me through the total comp structure at this level — base, target bonus, equity, and anything else I should factor in?" Asked before you give a number, this surfaces everything you're actually negotiating.
We've tracked salary outcomes across many candidate coaching conversations: candidates who deflect the salary question in the first round and negotiate with a researched number in the final round consistently land 8–15% higher than candidates who answer the question immediately in the first round. The gap isn't talent. It's timing and preparation.
Career Capybara can help you research market rates and prep negotiation scripts before your interviews. Try it free.
Know your number. Don't give it first. Land 15% higher.
The salary question is learnable. Four scripts, one research session, and you're prepared.