Looking for Salary / Pay Research Resources?

Here are some solid free or low-cost resources where you can find average salary or current pay rates for various roles across industries:


1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Best for: Accurate, government-backed data across roles and industries
Use: Search by occupation or industry, includes national and regional data
Link: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Bonus tool: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm – Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)


2. Salary.com

Best for: Quick look at median salaries by job title, location, and experience
Use: Type in a job title and zip code
Link: https://www.salary.com
Note: Some features require a login, but core data is free.


3. Payscale

Best for: Crowdsourced salary data; filter by location, experience, education
Use: Create a free account for detailed access
Link: https://www.payscale.com


4. Glassdoor

Best for: Company-specific pay transparency and industry benchmarks
Use: Search by job title or company; requires free account
Link: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries


5. Indeed Salary Explorer

Best for: Up-to-date, aggregated job listing salary data
Use: Search by title and location
Link: https://www.indeed.com/salaries


6. LinkedIn Salary Tool

Best for: Salary info tied to real profiles and roles
Use: Requires LinkedIn account, somewhat limited unless you contribute your own salary data
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/salary/


7. Robert Half Salary Guide

Best for: Hiring and HR-focused data (especially for corporate/office/tech roles)
Use: Free downloadable annual report (email required)
Link: https://www.roberthalf.com/salary-guide

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Wendy Sellers
Wendy Sellers, known as “The HR Lady®,” is a dedicated HR consultant and business partner of all size businesses, a conference speaker, and management trainer who specializes in understanding the unique culture and goals of organizations in order to improve business outcomes.

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