What salary increase should I request when negotiating a job offer?

It is completely reasonable to feel unsure about how much to counter on a job offer. Many people worry about asking for too much or seeming ungrateful, so you are not alone in wanting a clear, practical range before you reply.

There is no single federal rule that says you must request a fixed percentage. In practice, career centers and industry guidance commonly treat a counter of about 10% to 20% above the initial base salary as a standard starting point when your research supports it. A useful way to refine that is to compare the offer to the market for the role and location. If the offer sits near the low end of a realistic range for similar work, aiming roughly 10% to 20% higher can be a coherent first counter. If the offer already looks close to the middle of the market, a more modest increase of about 5% to 7% is often framed as reasonable. Across those scenarios, many advisors suggest not opening far beyond about 10% to 20% above the first number, because a much larger ask can be harder to justify without strong market data or a clear competing offer.

Before you send a number, ground your ask in evidence rather than a round percentage alone. Public wage data from sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics can help you benchmark the role by occupation and metro area. Then state your target as a short range rather than one rigid figure, keep the base of that range at what you actually want, and leave the top of the range no more than about 20% above that target. Many people also ask for 24 to 48 hours to review the full package. One professional counter—and at most a second round if the employer moves—is usually enough. Remember that total compensation matters: if base pay has little room, you can still discuss signing bonus, performance bonus, paid time off, remote or hybrid flexibility, or a start-date review of salary, depending on what the employer can actually approve.

What is reasonable still depends on the job, the local market, the employer’s pay band, and how much leverage you have. Express continued interest in the role, explain your counter with market or skill-based reasons, and stay open to trade-offs. If you cannot verify current pay bands with confidence, treat any percentage as a guide, not a guarantee, and confirm the latest official or employer-specific information before you finalize your reply.