Stop relying on “levels.fyi” alone. Here’s how to combine data, human conversations, and a little bit of courage.
You’ve shipped features nobody thought possible. You’ve debugged at 2 AM, mentored juniors, and probably rewritten the same API three times. Yet when a recruiter asks, “What are your salary expectations?” – your mind goes blank.
I’ve been there. The temptation is to blurt out what you made at your last job plus 10%. But that’s how talented developers leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table.
The good news? Salary research for tech roles is easier than debugging a race condition. You just need a system. Let’s build yours.
Why “Just Look at Levels.fyi” Isn’t Enough
Yes, levels.fyi is amazing. So is Blind, TeamBlind, and all those anonymous salary threads. But they come with three problems:
- Selection bias – People with huge salaries post more often
- Missing location nuance – A Staff Engineer at a FAANG in Seattle is not the same as a Staff Engineer at a midsize remote-first company
- No negotiation context – You see the number, not the story behind it (signing bonus? equity refresh? counter-offer?)
So let’s treat those sites as one data source, not the data source.
Step 1: Build Your “Dev Profile” – Honestly
Before you look at any external numbers, write down your tech stack proficiency and impact metrics:
- Languages/frameworks (React, Python, Go, Rust, etc.) – be honest about years of professional use
- System design experience (have you scaled a database? architected microservices?)
- Business impact (e.g., “reduced API latency by 40%” or “saved $50k/year in cloud costs”)
- Leadership (code reviews, mentoring, on-call rotation lead)
Why does this matter?
Because a React dev who only builds UI components is different from one who also sets up CI/CD pipelines and optimises bundle sizes. Your profile defines which salary band you fall into.
Step 2: Use Tech-Specific Salary Tools – Smartly
Now hit the usual suspects: levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Payscale, and LinkedIn Salary. But don’t just take the median. Filter by:
- Company size (startup <50, mid-size, enterprise)
- Years of experience (YOE) – and be strict here
- Location (or remote policy)
Then, look for outliers.
If you see a senior frontend role paying $180k in a low-cost area, question it. Maybe it’s a contract role with no benefits. Maybe it’s a hyper-growth fintech.
To cross-check quickly without drowning in tabs, you can use a consolidated salary research tool. For example, usasalarytools.com aggregates data by state and job family – including tech roles – so you can spot regional trends without opening ten different websites.
The goal: a believable low-to-high range that you can defend with public data.
Step 3: The Remote Work Wrinkle (We All Hate It)
Remote has blurred everything. Some companies pay “national bands” (same salary for everyone in the US). Others pay based on your home address. How do you know what’s fair?
Do this:
Find three remote job postings for your exact title and seniority level (use We Work Remotely, Remotive, or LinkedIn remote filter). Note their salary ranges.
If one company pays $120k and another $160k for similar requirements, the lower one is either a budget startup or a geographic adjuster.
Then search for the same title but with a specific city (e.g., “Senior Software Engineer, Chicago”). Compare.
The difference between remote and on-site tells you exactly how much location flexibility is worth.
Step 4: Talk to Other Devs (Yes, It’s Awkward – Do It Anyway)
Data is dry. Humans are messy but real. You need to talk to at least one person who works (or worked) at your target company.
Send a DM on LinkedIn or Twitter (X) that sounds like this:
“Hey [Name], I see you’re a backend engineer at [Company]. I’m interviewing there soon and would love 5 mins of your time – not asking for your exact number, but any insight on how they structure levels or equity for someone with ~4 YOE? Totally understand if not.”
You’ll be shocked how many devs respond.
Most of us remember being underpaid and want to help.
They’ll tell you things no salary tool can:
- “The bonus is almost never paid out”
- “They’re desperate for Go devs – you have leverage”
Step 5: Build Your Negotiation Range – The 3-Number Rule for Devs
After collecting data, you’ll have a range that probably spans $30k (yes, tech ranges are wide). Now refine into three numbers:
- Walk-away minimum – the base salary below which you’d rather keep interviewing
- Target number – the fair, researched number that would make you excited to accept
- Stretch number – target + 10–15% (or an extra $20k if you’re in big tech)
Your stretch number is what you ask for first.
Your target is where you hope to land.
Your walk-away protects you from signing an offer you’ll resent six months later.
Real-World Dev Example: From $115k to $142k
“Priya” was a full-stack developer with 3 YOE (React + Node). She got an offer for $115k from a Series B startup.
Her initial thought:
“That’s $10k more than my last job – great!”
But she spent one evening doing proper research.
- Levels.fyi showed median for her YOE and city at $128k
- The job asked for “experience with AWS Lambda” – a skill she had but hadn’t emphasised
She replied:
“Based on market data for full-stack devs with AWS experience and my track record, I was hoping for a range of $140k–$150k. Can we explore that?”
The recruiter came back at:
- $135k base
- $7k signing bonus
Total first-year comp: $142k
That’s a $27k difference for one email.
No aggressive tactics – just data and a calm ask.
What About Equity? (The Great Unknown)
Many devs obsess over base salary and ignore equity.
That’s a mistake — but also, equity can be worthless if the company never liquidates.
When evaluating equity, ask:
- What’s the strike price vs. the current 409A valuation?
- How many shares outstanding? (to calculate your % ownership)
- What’s the liquidity preference? (preferred stock often gets paid first)
- Is there a secondary market for shares?
If the recruiter can’t answer these clearly, treat the equity as a lottery ticket — nice to have, but not part of your walk-away math.
The “What’s Your Current Salary?” Trap – Especially for Devs
Recruiters still ask this. Even in tech.
Your answer should be:
“I’m focused on the value I’ll bring to this role, not my past compensation. Based on my research and the responsibilities here, I believe a fair range is $X–$Y.”
If they push (“we need to know for our system”), repeat the same line.
You are never, ever obligated to disclose previous pay.
Past underpayment is not a valid reason to underpay you again.
One Last Thing: Don’t Neglect Benefits
A lower base might still be a better total package if it includes:
- 401(k) match (typical 4–6% = thousands of dollars)
- Health, dental, vision
- Home office stipend, learning budget, conference travel
- Unlimited PTO (which often means “no PTO” – ask the real usage)
Use a simple spreadsheet: add up the cash value of benefits, then compare total comp.
Sometimes the “lowball” offer is actually better.
Putting It All Together – For Your Next Interview
Here’s your 60-minute action plan before any salary conversation:
- 15 min – Self-audit: YOE, tech stack, impact metrics
- 20 min – Check 3 salary tools (levels.fyi, one general tool like usasalarytools.com, and LinkedIn)
- 10 min – Find 3 remote job postings for your role
- 10 min – Send 1 DM to a current/former employee
- 5 min – Write down your 3 numbers (walk-away, target, stretch)
That’s it.
One hour of research.
Then you walk into any negotiation with the quiet confidence of someone who knows their worth — not because a blog told you, but because you did the work.
Now go get what you deserve. 💻🚀
Enjoyed this? For more straightforward salary research – especially state-by-state and role-specific data – you can explore tools like *usasalarytools.com*. It’s not flashy, but it helps you cut through the noise when you just need a reliable number.
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