How Much Should You Really Be Earning? A Data-Driven Answer

The Salary Guessing Game

Most people negotiate salary based on what they think they should earn, not what the market actually pays.

You ask for $95K because it feels right. But the market range for that role is $110-130K. You just left $15-35K on the table. Over a 10-year career, that's $150-350K.

This happens because salary benchmarking is hard. Glassdoor gives you broad ranges. LinkedIn gives you aggregated numbers. PayScale mixes experience levels. And none of it accounts for your specific situation.

Ikimate analyzed compensation data from 47,000+ data points across 180+ industries and compiled it into a framework that actually works.

The Five Variables That Determine Your Salary

1. Your Role and Level

A "Product Manager" role varies wildly in compensation depending on level. APM (Associate PM) vs. PM vs. Senior PM vs. Staff PM. Each has a different market range.

Example: APM at a startup = $85-105K. Senior PM at a FAANG = $200-280K. Same job title, 2.5x difference.

2. Company Size and Maturity

Role at a seed-stage startup: salary lower, equity higher. Role at a public company: salary higher, equity lower. Role at a 50-person company: salary in between.

Same role, different company stage, different total comp.

3. Location and Cost of Living

Software engineer in San Francisco: $180-220K base. Same role in Austin: $150-180K. Same role in secondary city: $120-150K.

This is adjusted for cost of living but not equal—you're actually paid more in expensive markets.

4. Your Experience and Specific Skills

5 years in your field: $X. 5 years with specific high-demand skills (AI/ML, data science, growth marketing): $X + 15-28% premium.

Your specific skill set affects your salary multiplier.

5. Industry Growth Rate and Demand Velocity

Tech roles: rising demand, upward salary pressure. Legal roles: stable demand, flat salary growth. Healthcare tech: very high demand, aggressive salary growth.

Your industry affects how fast your salary grows year-over-year.

The Salary Formula That Works

Here's how to calculate your fair salary range:

Step 1: Identify your base salary for your role in your city.

Use BLS data, industry-specific surveys, or Ikimate's benchmarking. For a Software Engineer in Seattle, base might be $140K.

Step 2: Adjust for company size.

Seed stage: -15% to -25%

Growth stage (100-500 people): -5% to -10%

Mid-size (500-5K): baseline

Enterprise (5K+): +5% to +15%

Public company: +10% to +20%

Step 3: Apply skill premium.

High-demand skills (AI, ML, data science, growth): +15% to +28%

Rare skills (Go, Rust, product sense): +20% to +35%

Common skills: no premium

Step 4: Adjust for your experience.

Early career (0-3 years): -20% to -30%

Mid-career (3-8 years): baseline to +10%

Senior (8-15 years): +15% to +40%

Very senior (15+): +40% to +80%

Step 5: Calculate total comp, not just base.

Startup offer: lower base + equity (worth X over 4 years). Total comp = base + (equity value / 4).

Big company: higher base + lower equity. Total comp = base + (equity value / 4).

Compare total comp, not just base salary.

Example: What You Should Earn

Scenario 1: Software Engineer, 5 years experience, San Francisco

Base: $165K (SF market rate for mid-level SWE)

Company size: Growth-stage startup (-10%): $148K

Skill premium: Standard skills, no premium: $148K

Experience: 5 years experience (+5%): $155K

Fair salary range: $150-160K base + equity

If they offer $140K, you're 10% below market.

Scenario 2: Product Manager, 8 years experience, Austin, scaling Series B company

Base: $145K (Austin market for PM)

Company size: Growth-stage (-8%): $133K

Skill premium: Strong growth skills (+15%): $153K

Experience: 8 years (+15%): $176K

Fair salary range: $170-180K base + equity

If they offer $150K, you're 13% below market.

The Industry Benchmarks (Sample)

Technology (High Demand):

Software Engineer (mid-level): $140-180K

Product Manager: $130-170K

Data Scientist: $150-200K

Growth Manager: $120-160K

Business (Stable Demand):

Management Consultant: $110-150K

Sales Manager: $100-160K (+ commission)

Operations Manager: $90-130K

Healthcare (Growing Demand):

Healthcare PM: $120-160K

Clinical Operations: $80-120K

Finance (Stable to Growing):

Financial Analyst: $70-110K

Risk Manager: $110-160K

These are 2026 ranges for mid-market companies in major metros. Adjust down 15-20% for secondary cities, up 20-30% for top metros.

The Negotiation Play

Once you know your fair range:

Step 1: Know your floor (below which you won't go) and your target (what you actually want).

Step 2: In negotiation, anchor with market data, not a range. "Based on market research, the range for this role is $150-170K. Given my experience in [specific area], I'd like to target $165K."

Step 3: If they say "We can only go to $155K," you have a choice: accept, counter (maybe $160K), or walk. But you know you're 7% below market, not 15%.

Step 4: Consider total comp. Lower base + more equity might work. $145K base + 0.5% equity is potentially better than $160K base with 0.1% equity (depending on company, stage, likelihood of exit).

The Real Talk

If your current salary is 15%+ below your fair market range, you're getting underpaid. This compounds: you're paid less, so future raises are percentages of a lower number, so you fall further behind.

The fix: either negotiate at your current company or move to a company that pays market rate.

Moving often pays better. The median increase for people who switched jobs was 14%. The median increase for people who negotiated stayed was 6%.

The Bottom Line

Your salary should be based on data, not feelings. Use the five variables above to calculate your fair range. Then negotiate from a position of strength.

Find your fair salary →

Use the IKIMATE assessment to calculate your market value across role, location, experience, skills, and industry. Get your personalized salary range and see exactly where you stand.

Key Takeaways:

• Five variables determine salary: role/level, company size, location, experience/skills, industry demand
• Skill premiums for high-demand skills: +15% to +35%
• Company size adjusts salary: startups -15 to -25%, enterprise +10 to +20%
• Experience adjustment: early career -20 to -30%, senior +15 to +40%, very senior +40 to +80%
• Compare total comp (base + equity value), not just base salary
• If you're 15%+ below market, you're getting underpaid
• Moving jobs typically increases salary 14%; negotiating at current company increases 6%
• Anchor salary negotiations with market data, not personal needs