I don’t know if anyone has told you this today, but your company is lucky to have you. You bring a unique set of skills to the work you do, you’re invested in the success of your employer, and - let’s face it - you spend a good deal of your time within their four walls. So of course you should be compensated. And fairly, at that.
But when you’re relaying all of this to your boss it can be useful to have some solid evidence to back up your demands. That’s where salary surveys come in. Salary surveys look at actual compensation in an industry and attempt to provide an average pay range for particular types of job. Numerous variables play into this calculation, so consider your geographic location, urban vs. rural setting, and organization size – but these surveys can give you the data you need to ensure that what you give to the company you work for is repaid accurately.
Oh, and bosses: your employees are lucky to have you, too. Especially if you use sources like these when creating new positions or when adjusting existing position salaries to the going rate.
The best place to start with any compensation research isn’t technically a salary survey at all. It’s the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This federal office keeps all sorts of statistics on the U.S. workplace and makes it all available for free online. This is a good place for anyone to start because it covers most job types and provides a good baseline from which to begin.
The BLS Compensation Calculator is an interactive tool that provides hourly wages for a particular type of job, in a particular place, with a particular level of experience. Follow the site’s step-by-step directions by first selecting a location (entire U.S., state, or metro area), then selecting a job title, and then selecting a work level (use the “Get Help Choosing a Work Level” button for help with this part). Then click “Get Data.” The site will open a pop-up window with a report on your occupation.
The BLS is good – there’s no doubt about it. But they cover a lot of industries. If you can find a salary survey on your industry specifically, you’re likely to get more detailed data. One tip: Even if you’re looking for info on a specific job title, look for salary surveys on the broader industry, because these surveys will more than likely cover numerous job titles within that industry. So a network specialist might look for an I.T. survey, or a business librarian might look for a library survey.
Trade journals are the best source for salary surveys. Search for these with the Hill Library’s Special Issues Index. You’ll have the best luck searching by broad industry heading, or try searching on the word “salaries” and then scroll through the results. Some examples of salary surveys found here:
In addition to the Special Issues Index, you might try the
JobStar Salary Guide, which provides links to salary surveys online across numerous industry headings.
If you’re having a hard time finding coverage of a very specific job with these sources, you can always search for an actual job opening at a site like
CareerBuilder or
Monster or
Indeed and make some inferences from there.
Good luck with your salary research! If you’re below the average, I’m sure your boss would like to know. If you’re above, well, as your boss already knows: you’re worth it.
Great resource for marketing and creative salary surveys.