Are you being paid pretty? Whereas it’s not socially acceptable to ask folks outright how a lot they earn, there are methods to seek out out somebody’s wage.
There are few issues in life extra taboo than speaking about how a lot cash you earn – or looking for out how a lot another person earns – which may make it tough when negotiating a wage for a brand new job or asking for more cash along with your present employer.
And if you happen to simply need to be sure to are being paid pretty – it definitely helps to know what colleagues at your degree and above are taking residence of their weekly or month-to-month paychecks. In any case, you don’t need to be the lowest-paid individual in your workplace when you have extra expertise and carry out at a better degree than a few of your co-workers. And, let’s be sincere. Pay inequity remains to be a problem in 2024. Ladies traditionally make lower than males in so many job fields – even when performing related work with the identical quantity of expertise.
There are, in fact, loads of different causes you may need to discover out somebody’s wage that don’t have something to do with dwelling on the nosy aspect of the street. Irrespective of your motives, listed here are a few of the locations the place yow will discover wage data for tens of millions of jobs, together with these which are categorized as distant and will let you earn a living from home.

1. OpenPayrolls
OpenPayrolls payments itself as the most important nationwide wage database, with greater than 100 million public wage data by identify, employer, and job title. Whereas most individuals who work for public establishments – similar to state universities and public Ok-12 faculties – perceive their salaries are a matter of public document, some are stunned to seek out out simply how lengthy these data hold round on-line.
If you’re interviewing for a job at a selected state-funded company, it might assist to understand how a lot folks earn within the function you might be searching for. In any case, if a wage vary for a job is listed between $60,000 and $90,000, understanding if somebody truly makes the excessive finish of the size might assist you to resolve if it’s price pursuing.
2. Glassdoor.com
Whether or not you might be beginning a job search in earnest or you might be curious to know what you possibly can earn working for a selected firm in a particular function, Glassdoor.com provides a wealth of real-world data from present and former workers from hundreds of companies in america and past. Along with annual and hourly fee data, Glassdoor additionally contains firm critiques, so that you’ll have a greater concept of issues similar to firm tradition and the standard of advantages, together with all the things from medical health insurance and sick days to retirement plans, extra time pay, trip advantages, and different perks, from individuals who truly labored there.
3. Certainly Wage Search
At Certainly.com, the corporate provides the Certainly Wage Search, which is predicated on an index of pay data pulled from greater than 50 million job postings, in keeping with the job itemizing agency. Whereas many job descriptions don’t include wage data, Certainly explains that “there are sufficient to supply statistically vital median salaries for tens of millions of key phrase, job title, and site mixtures.”
In line with Certainly, the wage search index is robotically up to date with new wage knowledge each 24 hours, so the outcomes are up-to-date.
4. Clear California
From the top soccer coach on the College of California to a hearth chief in Lengthy Seaside, Clear California breaks down the bottom wage, plus extra time, different pay, and advantages of some 35 million state staff in California. The group’s mission is to offer a complete database of public pay data (from public employers) to assist present authorities transparency “whereas empowering a community of well-informed citizen activists to carry authorities accountable.” California can also be one of many states that now has pay transparency legal guidelines.
5. PayScale
Those that go browsing and full a PayScale wage survey will obtain studies demonstrating how their wage compares to others with related schooling, work expertise, and abilities. How can that be helpful? Perhaps you might be contemplating transferring and need to see how relocating to a special space (with a special price of dwelling) will impression your earnings. You may as well do profession analysis on quite a lot of jobs (by state or sector) and search for in-depth wage knowledge right here.
6. Candid (previously GuideStar)
If you’re inquisitive about how a lot CEOs and different C-suite degree leaders make at nonprofits in america, Candid possible has the solutions. Previously often known as GuideStar, Candid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing wage knowledge and different insights that was shaped in 2019 when GuideStar and Basis Middle merged. The corporate makes use of knowledge about worker wages pulled from IRS 990 varieties. Whereas most data is free to evaluation, Candid does require guests to sign up earlier than having access to sure knowledge. The agency additionally produces an annual Nonprofit Compensation Report that gives particulars on govt pay at nonprofits across the nation.

7. Job Postings
If your personal firm is hiring, one option to see how a lot they’re keen to pay new staff is to take a look at the roles which are posted on the agency’s web site. If no pay particulars are included – solely a couple of dozen states have pay transparency legal guidelines on the books to date – you may as well seek for the place on employment web sites similar to Certainly, Glassdoor, and Monster. Don’t overlook you may as well sleuth round on LinkedIn to see if the job is listed there.
8. Your Human Assets Division
The individuals who work in human sources could possibly supply extra perception right into a job’s pay vary than you may assume. Generally, they’ll solely disclose sure data if it’s requested. So, if your organization has an open place you’d wish to know extra about, begin with a name or go to to your HR division. You may also learn the way a lot it’s doable to earn in your present place and the way a lot different roles a step or two above your present function earn.
9. States With Pay Transparency Legal guidelines
Practically a dozen states now have pay transparency legal guidelines on the books in an effort to create a extra degree taking part in area, free from discrimination, for staff attempting to ensure they’re being compensated pretty. The next states have legal guidelines requiring employers to present entry to wage data: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Minnesota just lately handed a pay transparency regulation that takes impact on Jan. 1, 2025. Different states, counties, and cities within the U.S., together with New York Metropolis, both have or are additionally contemplating pay transparency legal guidelines in 2024.
How you can Discover Out Somebody’s Wage Wrapup
Information is energy in the case of how a lot we all know concerning the common salaries and compensation packages of affiliates, present workers, and people in related jobs at different corporations. In any case, once you stroll right into a wage negotiation with a potential employer, you need to have the ability to supply a strong wage expectation if requested. You additionally want to know the pay scale of your present place to know when you have any wiggle room in your approach up the company ladder.