Salary Negotiation Range Calculator
Build an opening, target and walk-away salary range from market data, experience and offer strength.
What does the undefined do?
It builds an opening, target and walk-away salary range from market data, your experience and your leverage.
- Inputs: current salary, market low, median and high, years of experience and how strong your position is.
- Output: three figures: the opening ask, the target and the walk-away floor.
- Method: market median adjusted for experience for the target, with the opening above it and the market low as the floor.
Quick answer
On a market median of 75,000 with five years of relevant experience and strong leverage, the target is about 82,500 and a sensible opening is about 89,100, with a walk-away around 65,000.
What This Calculator Really Does
A good negotiation starts before the conversation, with a range you have decided in advance. This tool builds that range from market data, then adjusts for your experience and how strong your position is. The target sits above the market median, rising with relevant experience up to the market high, because experience is the clearest justification a manager can defend to their own finance team. The opening ask sits above the target, with the gap set by your leverage: a strong position, such as a competing offer or a scarce skill, supports a higher opening, while a weak position warrants a more modest one. The walk-away is the market low, below which you would rather decline. Anchor at the opening, justify each figure with results, and negotiate the whole package, not just base salary.
The formula it uses
Target = min(market high, market median x (1 + 0.02 x years)). Opening = target x (1 + 0.08 x leverage factor), where the leverage factor is 1 for strong, 0.5 for moderate and 0 for weak. Walk-away = market low.
Worked example with real numbers
A market median of 75,000 with five years of experience gives a target of about 82,500, just under the 85,000 market high. With strong leverage the opening is about 89,100, and the walk-away is the market low of 65,000.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Naming a number first without a range prepared, which can anchor you low.
- Negotiating only base salary and ignoring bonus, equity, leave, flexibility and development budget.
- Making a threat you will not carry out, which damages trust and your position.
Assumptions and limitations
Market figures are inputs you provide and are assumed accurate for the role and location. The model ignores equity, bonus and benefits, so use it for base salary guidance only.
Disclaimer
This is an educational planning tool, not financial or career advice. Salary outcomes depend on the role, the market and the employer, so use it to prepare rather than as a prediction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is the undefined calculated?
The market median is adjusted upward for years of experience, capped at the market high, to give the target. The opening adds a leverage-based margin, and the walk-away is the market low. The steps panel shows each figure.
What do I need to use the undefined?
Your current salary, the market low, median and high, your years of relevant experience and how strong your position is.
What does the result from the undefined show?
Three figures: the opening ask, the target and the walk-away, plus the market median for reference.
Should I give a number first or ask for their range?
Where possible, ask for their range first so you are not anchored low. If pressed, give a researched range rather than a single figure.
What if they say the budget is fixed?
Ask about the whole package, a review in six months, a signing bonus or a title change. Base salary is often more rigid than the other levers.
Is the undefined really free?
Yes — 100 percent free, no sign-up, and everything runs in your browser.
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