California employers must now disclose salary ranges on job listings, per a new law that went into effect with the new year.
There’s just one catch: many companies seem determined to post as broad a salary range as possible. CNBC did a quick breakdown of job postings from some of the state’s biggest tech companies, and found ranges of more than $100,000 in some cases.
For example, an Apple program manager working on augmented reality could earn anywhere between $121,000 and $230,000 per year. Nor do the postings mention bonuses, stock options, and other benefits designed to lure specialized talent—which is an issue when you consider how equity makes up a sizable portion of higher-level employees’ overall compensation package.
“Especially for tech employees, ultimately people want to know how much they’re getting in total compensation,” Zuhayeer Musa, co-founder of Levels.fyi, told CNBC. “Sometimes stock compensation can be more than 50 percent of your actual total comp.”
California isn’t the first state to require salary ranges in job postings; for example, New York instituted a similar requirement in November 2022. In New York, many companies are taking the same approach as those in California, and listing the broadest possible salary range for new jobs—for example, a post for a software development engineer might range from $158,100 to $213,800 per year.
Although a broad range isn’t always the most useful data-point for job seekers, it can nonetheless help your job hunt—you’ll know if the minimum pay matches your personal requirements, at least. Posted salary ranges, even large ones, could also streamline the conversation between job candidates and hiring managers about compensation.
For example, you could describe how your current certifications and skill-sets should put you near the top of the salary range (especially if those skills are particularly valuable). If the employer is unwilling to negotiate beyond the lower part of the salary range, you can use that opportunity to talk about non-salary benefits such as a flexible schedule and/or training. For in-demand roles, you’ll also see what various companies are willing to offer for a position with similar requirements. Any transparency is handy—even if it’s less than you might like.
