Career Advancement
63% of Job Seekers Would Take a Pay Cut to Get Hired Faster. Here’s How to Avoid It
A new survey finds most job seekers would accept less pay to end a long search. Here's what the hiring data shows…
Getting a raiseTiming, scripts and what to say
Career adviceOffers, interviews, benefits
AdvancementPromotions and new roles
Work lifeBosses, co-workers, culture
Featured guides
Our newest, most-read guides on pay and careers.
Know your number before you ask
Successful raise requests start with data. Our salary guide shows how to look up your job's pay range in the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage tables, then turn it into a target.
- Find your occupation's median and top-10% pay
- Adjust for your metro area
- Use it in your raise or offer conversation
Latest from JobPayRaise
New guides, data and news.
Career Advice
Home Office & Job-Hunt Gear Deals (October 28): MacBook Air 13.6″ M5 32GB/512GB $1,549, JBL Tour One M3 Aviator Headphones $199.95, Soundcore P42i ANC Earbuds $59.99
Home office and job-hunt tech deals for October 28, 2026: MacBook Air 13.6" M5 32GB/512GB $1,549; JBL Tour One M3 Aviator Headphones…
Career Advice
Home Office & Job-Hunt Gear Deals (October 28): Energizer 3-in-1 Qi2 Charging Station $20, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15.3″ $649.99, VONUV 10,000mAh Magnetic Power Bank $16.80
Home office and job-hunt tech deals for October 28, 2026: Energizer 3-in-1 Qi2 Charging Station $20; Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15.3" $649.99;…
Getting a Raise
Paid Less Than a Coworker for the Same Job? What the Equal Pay Act Covers
The Equal Pay Act requires equal pay for men and women doing substantially equal work. What counts as equal work and as…
Getting a Raise
Year-End Bonuses in 2026: Only 15% of Workers Get One. Here’s How to Negotiate Yours
BLS data shows just 15% of private-industry workers have access to a year-end bonus. Learn why bonus checks shrink at 22% withholding…
Career Advice
Home Office & Job-Hunt Gear Deals (October 28): MSI PRO MP273 27″ 144Hz Monitor $90, The North Face Recon 30L Backpack $62.43
Home office and job-hunt tech deals for October 28, 2026: MSI PRO MP273 27" 144Hz Monitor $90; The North Face Recon 30L…
Career Advice
Home Office & Job-Hunt Gear Deals (October 28): Talix 140W 20,000mAh Power Bank $38.99, Acer Aspire Go 15 (Ryzen 7, 16GB) $499.99, Nautica Herringbone Tweed Sport Coat $98
Home office and job-hunt tech deals for October 28, 2026: Talix 140W 20,000mAh Power Bank $38.99; Acer Aspire Go 15 (Ryzen 7,…
Quick facts that help in a pay talk
Raise budgets are set earlyMany companies plan next year's salary budgets in the fall, so ask before budgets close. See our 2027 raise forecast.
Ranges are often public nowSeveral states require salary ranges in job posts. See which ones.
Offers are usually negotiableA polite, data-backed counter rarely costs you the offer. How to counter.
Getting a raise
Getting a Raise
Inflation Hit 3.7% in September 2026: The Raise You Need Just to Break Even
The September 2026 CPI: prices up 3.7% over 12 months, gasoline up 34.2%, shelter up 3.2%. What that means for the size…
Getting a Raise
Your Real Pay Is Bigger Than Your Paycheck: Employer Compensation Costs, June 2026
BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for June 2026: $46.89 an hour in private industry, split into wages and benefits, full-time vs.…
Getting a Raise
Union Members Earn $1,404 a Week vs. $1,174: What the 2025 Union Data Shows
The 2025 BLS union membership report: a 10.0% membership rate, public vs. private sector rates, the most unionized jobs, and the union…
Career advancement
Career Advancement
How Many Jobs Will You Have? BLS Data on Job-Hopping Over a Career
BLS longitudinal data on late baby boomers: 12.9 jobs from ages 18 to 58, how job duration changes with age, earnings growth,…
Career Advancement
Job Openings 7.1 Million, Quits 3.1 Million: What the August 2026 JOLTS Means for Job Hoppers
The August 2026 JOLTS report: job openings, hires, quits and layoffs, and what a low quit rate means if you are thinking…
Career Advancement
Median Job Tenure Rose to 4.1 Years in 2026: How Long Workers Stay, by Age and Industry
BLS Employee Tenure in 2026: median tenure of 4.1 years, by age, gender, education, industry and occupation, and what it means for…