What to say when an employer won't share the salary range
Scripts to get the salary range without giving your number first, what the law says in the US and EU, and when to walk away.
6 min read · 5 sources
Short answer
Ask for their range at the level they see you at, not for your expectations: “Assuming mid-level, what range have you budgeted?” If they still dodge, ask to align on pay before more rounds, and only then name a researched range and ask if it fits. First check the law: many US states and the EU (Directive 2023/970) now require employers to share pay.
- 60.7% of job seekers won't apply without salary information (iHire, 2026).
- Many US states and the EU now require employers to share a pay range.
- Ask for their range at your level before giving yours.
- Decide your floor before the call.
You ask about pay and get the answer everyone gets: "It depends on your level." Sometimes that's a stall. Sometimes it's true: some companies hire one role from junior to senior and set the number after the interviews. Either way, you still need a number before you put in four rounds and a take-home.
It matters before you even apply. In iHire's 2026 survey, 60.7% of job seekers said they wouldn't apply to a job without salary information. A Workplace Stack Exchange question about what to do when the employer won't share a range has close to 19,000 views.
Check the law first
Before any script, check whether they already have to tell you.
- United States. As of mid-2026, around 15–16 states and cities require salary ranges in postings or on request, including California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Washington and Washington DC (state-by-state guide). Rules differ by company size and for remote roles, so check your state's labor department.
- European Union. The Pay Transparency Directive (EU) 2023/970 requires pay information in the job ad or before the first interview, and bans questions about your salary history (guide). Countries had until 7 June 2026 to adopt it, and most missed the deadline, so check your country's own law.
If a law applies, asking is easy: "Could you share the pay range for this role? I understand it's required for postings in [state or country]."
Your three options
The second most upvoted answer on the Stack Exchange thread boils it down to three:
- Keep going without a number. Reasonable early on, or when the company is known to pay well.
- Give your own range. Not a good first move: you give away leverage and get nothing back.
- Ask for a range check before investing more time. Only works if you're really willing to walk away.
The top answer adds a fair warning: some companies that don't post ranges pay above market. Walking away from every one of them by reflex means missing good jobs. Start with a script that gets their number, and keep option three as the backstop.
What to say
"Makes sense that it depends on level. Assuming you see me at mid-level, what range have you budgeted for that?"
"Before we schedule more rounds, I want to make sure we're aligned on pay so neither of us spends time for nothing. What's the range for this role?"
"I'm targeting roles in the X to Y range, based on market data for this level. Is that within your budget?"
Give a researched range, never your current salary. In the EU, under the Directive, employers can't ask for your salary history at all.
Where your own number comes from
Use posted ranges for similar roles at companies that publish them, salary sites, and people you know in the field. Answers on the thread note that sites like Glassdoor are more accurate for large, US-based companies with standard titles, and much less so elsewhere.
When to walk away
Decide your floor before the call, not during it. Walk away when the range they finally share is below it, or when they still won't give any number after two clear asks and the process needs many rounds or a take-home.
What to do today
- Look up whether your state or country requires pay ranges.
- Write down your floor and your target for the roles you apply to.
- Keep the three scripts somewhere you'll see them before your next recruiter call.
- Note which companies shared a range and which didn't. After ten, you'll see a pattern.
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Questions people ask
- Should I give my salary expectations first?
- Try not to. Ask for their range at the level they see you at. If they insist, give a researched range for the role and level, never your current salary.
- Do employers have to tell you the salary range?
- In many places, yes. Around 15–16 US states and cities require it in postings or on request, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive requires pay information in the ad or before the first interview, though some EU countries have not adopted it yet.
- What does 'it depends on your level' mean?
- Sometimes it's a stall, and sometimes the company really hires one role across levels. Ask what range applies at the level they currently see you at.
- When should I walk away over salary?
- When the range they share is below the floor you set before the call, or when they won't share any number after two clear asks and the process needs many rounds or a take-home.