Desired Salary on a Job Application: What to Type in the Box

For the desired salary on a job application, type a short range based on research, such as "$90,000 to $100,000." If the box takes only digits, enter one real number. Never type 0 or 999999.

That is the short answer. But the best entry depends on the field type, the posted range and your state. This guide gives you the exact words for each case.

Quick answers by situation

#What should you put for desired salary on a job application?

Recruiters use this field to check fit with the budget. So a blank or vague answer does not protect you much. It just moves the question to the phone screen.

Number, range or "negotiable"?

Each format sends a different signal. Here is how they compare when the box takes free text.

Why a range works better than "negotiable"

A range shows you did the math. Also, the employer tends to anchor on the low end, so set that low end at a number you would accept.

"Negotiable" alone tells the recruiter nothing. If you want to stay open, add a range next to it.

#What if the field is required and only takes numbers?

Many forms force a number before you can submit. Older advice says to type "000" or "999" to get past it. But a recruiter may read that as careless, and you lose a chance to anchor high.

How to pick the one number

Start with the posted range, if there is one. Then pick a figure in its top half that you would gladly accept. With no posted range, use the middle of your research range.

Drop the dollar sign and commas if the form rejects them. Most numeric boxes want plain digits, such as 95000.

Hourly or yearly?

Match the unit the form asks for. If the job pays by the hour, type an hourly rate, such as 26. If the form does not say, look at how the posting lists pay and use the same unit.

#How do you research the right salary number?

Good research turns a guess into a number you can defend. So spend 15 minutes on it before you apply.

1. Read the postingLook for a pay range in the ad. Many states now require one.
2. Check BLS dataOpen the BLS wage data for your job title and state or metro area.
3. Compare 3 postingsFind similar roles near you and note their ranges.
4. Place yourselfMove toward the top if you have more years, rare skills or a hard-to-fill role.
5. Set your rangePick a range about $10,000 wide that starts near your real target.

Use BLS wage data as your base

The Bureau of Labor Statistics runs the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program², which publishes wages by job and area. Its data is free and updated each year.

Here is one example. The BLS puts the median pay for project management specialists at $102,320¹ in May 2025. The lowest 10% earned less than $61,580, and the top 10% earned more than $167,970.

That spread is wide. So your years, industry and city decide where you land, not just your title.

Back your number with your resume

Your target must match what your resume shows. If you aim for the top of the range, your bullets need results to back it. Browse our business and management resume examples for ideas, then study our project manager resume example, which leads with budgets, timelines and team size.

#Do pay transparency laws change your answer?

A posted range is the best data you can get. It comes from the employer, and the law asks them to post it in good faith.

What the laws require

Here is what each state's official source says. Rules change, so check your state's labor department before you rely on one.

Colorado and California

Colorado's labor department says a posted range must run from the lowest to the highest pay the employer "actually believes it might pay"³. It also bars open-ended ranges such as "$30,000 and up."

California's Labor Code section 432.3⁴ requires employers with 15 or more employees to include the pay scale in any job posting. The law defines pay scale as a good faith estimate of the range.

Washington, New York and Illinois

Washington's labor department says covered postings must list a wage scale or salary range, plus benefits and other pay⁵. New York's law took effect in September 2023 and covers employers with 4 or more employees⁶.

Illinois joined on January 1, 2025. Its labor department says employers with 15 or more employees must include pay scale and benefits⁷ in job postings.

#Can employers ask for your salary history instead?

Desired salary and salary history are two different questions. One asks what you want. The other asks what you made.

What California's law says

California's law says an employer "shall not" seek an applicant's salary history. But it keeps the door open for the other question.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit an employer from asking an applicant about the applicant's salary expectation

California Labor Code section 432.3(j)

So if a form asks for your current salary, you can answer with your target instead. That keeps your old pay from capping your new one.

If you plan a big jump, our guide on a good salary increase when changing jobs shows how to size your ask.

#What should you say if they push back on your number?

Push back on the form usually comes later, on the phone screen. So plan your answer before the call.

What to say if they push back

• Restate the range: "My target is $95,000 to $105,000."
• Give one reason: "I based it on the posted range and BLS data."
• Ask about the package: "What do the bonus and benefits look like?"
• Ask for time: "Let me think it over and get back to you tomorrow."

Our salary expectations answer guide covers the spoken version in more depth. You can also practice salary questions in an AI mock interview before the real call.

#How do you make the rest of your application count?

The desired salary on a job application is one field. Other fields matter too, so fill them with the same care.

Use your legal name on the job application form, and answer the reason for leaving on a job application field honestly. Our guide to the earliest start date on a job application covers the field that often sits next to pay.

If the form has a cover letter box, use it to explain your range. Our business cover letter examples show how to tie results to the role without sounding pushy.

Before you hit submit

#Frequently asked questions

#Sources

We opened and read each page below. The small numbers in the text point here. Pages that carry no publication date show n.d.

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2025

   Median pay for project management specialists was $102,320 in May 2025, with the lowest 10 percent under $61,580 and the top 10 percent over $167,970

   bls.gov (opens in a new tab)

2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsn.d.

   The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program publishes wage estimates by occupation and area

   bls.gov (opens in a new tab)

3. Colorado Department of Labor and Employment2023

   Colorado job postings must show the pay rate or range, bonuses and benefits, and ranges cannot be open-ended

   cdle.colorado.gov (opens in a new tab)

4. California Labor Code via Public.Lawn.d.

   California employers with 15 or more employees must post a pay scale and may ask about salary expectations but not salary history

   california.public.law (opens in a new tab)

5. Washington State Department of Labor and Industriesn.d.

   Washington employers with 15 or more employees must post a wage scale or salary range plus benefits

   content.govdelivery.com (opens in a new tab)

6. New York State Department of Labor2023

   New York employers with 4 or more employees must include a good faith salary or salary range in job postings

   dol.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)

7. Illinois Department of Labor2025

   Illinois employers with 15 or more employees must include pay scale and benefits in job postings from January 1, 2025

   labor.illinois.gov (opens in a new tab)