Salary Benchmarking vs Industry Average Calculator
Compare your compensation against industry benchmarks. See your percentile position and total compensation gap.
Where do salary benchmark data come from?
Primary sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), industry surveys (Radford, Mercer, Willis Towers Watson), job boards (Glassdoor, Payscale), company-reported data, LinkedIn Salary. Each source has different methodologies, sample sizes, and currency - use multiple for accuracy.
How do I compare my salary to industry average?
Find matching job title and level in reliable surveys. Consider location (cost of labor adjustment), company size, industry, years of experience, and education. Compare total compensation (base + bonus + equity), not just base salary. Look at percentiles, not just averages.
What is a good salary percentile to target?
Depends on goals: 50th percentile is market median, 75th is above market, 90th is top tier. Target 50-75th based on performance, tenure, and skills. Companies often target 50-60th for base to balance cost and retention. Total comp may include higher percentiles in bonus/equity.
How does location affect salary benchmarking?
Location adjustments can be significant: SF/NYC may be 30-50% higher than national average, smaller cities 10-20% below. Use cost-of-labor indices or geographic differentials. Remote work is disrupting this - some companies pay by location, others use national average.
Should I compare base salary or total compensation?
Compare both, but total comp is more complete. Include: base salary, annual bonus (% of base), equity/stock (annual vesting value), benefits (health, 401k match), perquisites. A role with $100k base + 15% bonus + $20k equity = $135k total - different from $100k base view.