What to Say When a Recruiter Asks Your Salary Expectations

A practical approach to the pay question: when to answer, how to turn it back, and the wording that keeps you in the running without underselling.

By Sofia Bauer · Oct 15, 2026 · 14 min read

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When a recruiter asks your salary expectations, the safest answer is a researched range rather than a single number, delivered after you ask what they have budgeted. Robert Half notes that a single figure forces a yes-or-no response and risks citing a salary too low, while a range gives the employer room to land somewhere you are satisfied with (Robert Half, undated).

How you handle the question varies by stage, by employer and by state — some states and cities restrict what recruiters may ask about your pay history. This guide covers when to answer, what to say out loud and in writing, and what to do if the number comes back lower than you need.

When to do it, and when to wait

The pay conversation has a right moment, and it is earlier than most people expect. The New York State Department of Labor says candidates should discuss salary either when an employer makes an official job offer or, in an era of information transparency, as early as the first interview (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Use these triggers:

The recruiter asks you directly on the screening call. This is the most common trigger. Answer it — dodging twice reads as evasive. Ask for their budgeted range first, then give yours.
The job posting has no range and you are about to invest hours in interviews. Raise it yourself before round two. The New York State Department of Labor suggests asking the hiring manager: "Can you tell me the salary range for this position?" (New York State Department of Labor, undated).
An application form has a required "salary expectations" field. Put a researched range, not a single number, and not "negotiable" if the field will reject text.
You receive a verbal offer. This is where real negotiation happens, because the employer has now chosen you. Ask for the full package in writing before you respond to anything.
The role's scope changes mid-process — more direct reports, more travel, a second territory. A changed job justifies a reset of the number you quoted earlier.

Not yet: if you genuinely do not understand the responsibilities, do not name a figure. Indeed's suggested deflection is to say you would like to ask a few more questions about the role's responsibilities first, because that helps you give a more accurate salary range (Indeed Career Guide, undated). Buy one round of clarification, not three — after that, the recruiter needs a number to keep you in the process.

Step by step

Check whether salary history questions are restricted where you are applying. Indeed notes that many states and local jurisdictions have laws prohibiting employers from asking about salary history to prevent pay discrimination, and advises checking before an interview whether your state or location bans the question (Indeed Career Guide, undated). As of May 2024, twenty-two U.S. states and twenty-three municipalities had adopted some form of salary history ban (Wikipedia, May 2024). The rule that applies may depend on where the job is based rather than where you live, so check both. Lead time: 20-30 minutes on your state labor department's website.
Build your market range from more than one source. Use the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for the occupation and metro area, then compare against posted ranges for the same title in the same city and any published salary guides for your field. Pay varies by state, metro area, employer size, industry and whether the role is remote or onsite — do not use a national figure for a specific city. Lead time: 1-2 hours.
Write down why your number is your number. The New York State Department of Labor advises against arbitrary numbers: know why you are asking for a specific salary and be able to defend it (New York State Department of Labor, undated). List the two or three requirements in the posting you already do well, with an example each. Lead time: 45 minutes.
Set a narrow range with your target near the bottom. Indeed says offering a range rather than a single figure shows preparedness and flexibility, and recommends keeping the range narrow with your desired salary near the lower end (Indeed Career Guide, undated) — because employers tend to hear the low end as your real answer. Also set a walk-away number you keep to yourself. Lead time: 15 minutes.
Decide what else you would trade for. The New York State Department of Labor lists nonsalary items that are often easier to negotiate than base pay: commissions and bonuses, work schedule or telecommuting, paid time off, insurance, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, equity and wellness programs (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Rank your top three before anyone asks. Lead time: 20 minutes.
Rehearse the turn-back line out loud. Say your range and your justification three or four times, into a phone recording or to a friend, until you can deliver it without a rising tone at the end. Lead time: 15 minutes, the day before the screen.
Deliver it on the call, then stop talking. Give the range, give one sentence of justification, and let the silence sit. Filling it is how people negotiate against themselves.
Ask for the offer in writing and take time to consider. The New York State Department of Labor advises never accepting an offer immediately and instead asking for a reasonable amount of time — 24 or 48 hours is the example given, factoring in holidays and weekends — and getting the offer in writing before committing, whether it is initial or final, so there are no questions about what is included in the package (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Lead time: ask on the call, expect the written offer within a few business days.

What to say

Phone screen: turning the question back

Spoken, when the recruiter asks first
"I'm happy to talk about pay. Could you share the range you've budgeted for this role?" (Robert Half, undated) "That'll help me tell you quickly whether we're in the same neighborhood, and I'd rather find that out now than after three rounds."

If they will not share a number, the New York State Department of Labor offers a similar turn-back: "Thank you for asking. Would you mind telling me the salary range for this position or similar positions within your organization?" (New York State Department of Labor, undated).

Spoken: buying one round of clarification

When you genuinely need more detail
"Before I answer, I'd like to ask a few more questions about the role's responsibilities. That can help me give you a more accurate salary range" (Indeed Career Guide, undated). "Specifically — is [responsibility] owned by this role or shared, and how many [direct reports / accounts / projects] would I be carrying?"

Spoken: giving your range

The answer itself
"Based on the role and current pay in this market, I'm targeting [$XX] to [$XX]. That range also reflects my experience with [relevant requirement]" (Robert Half, undated). "At [employer or previous role], I [specific result tied to that requirement]. Does that sit inside what you've budgeted?"

Spoken: when their range is below yours

Responding to a low number
"Thank you for sharing that. Based on my research and what we've discussed, I was expecting [$XX] to [$XX]. Is there flexibility in the range or elsewhere in the offer?" (Robert Half, undated) "If base is fixed, I'd want to talk about [bonus structure / remote days / additional PTO] before I decide."

Email: answering a written request for expectations

Subject: [Role title] — salary expectations
Hi [recruiter first name],
Thanks for the call on [day]. To answer your question directly: based on the responsibilities we discussed and current pay for [job title] roles in [city or metro], I'm targeting [$XX] to [$XX] base.
That reflects [number] years doing [core requirement from the posting] — most recently [one-line specific example]. I'm flexible on the overall shape of the package; [bonus eligibility / remote schedule / PTO] matter to me as well as base.
Could you confirm the range budgeted for this role so we can check we're aligned before [next interview stage]?
Best, [Your name]

Email: asking for time after a verbal offer

Subject: [Role title] offer — thank you
Hi [hiring manager first name],
Thank you for the offer — I'm genuinely pleased. Could you send the full details in writing, including base, [bonus or commission structure], start date, PTO and benefits? I'd like [24 / 48] hours with the written offer before I confirm, which would put my answer with you by [day, date].
Best, [Your name]

One channel rule: have these conversations by phone, video or email. The New York State Department of Labor says not to negotiate over text message, because it is "viewed as disrespectful and irresponsible and shows a disregard for the process" (New York State Department of Labor, undated).

Mistakes to avoid

Mistake	Why it backfires
Naming one single number early	Robert Half states that giving a single number right away forces a yes-or-no response and risks citing a salary too low (Robert Half, undated). You cannot unsay it, and if it lands under their budget they will simply agree.
Picking a figure you cannot explain	The New York State Department of Labor advises against arbitrary numbers — know why you're asking for a specific salary and be able to defend it (New York State Department of Labor, undated). A recruiter who asks "how did you get to that?" and hears "it's just what I need" has learned the number is soft.
Setting a range 30 or 40 thousand wide	Indeed recommends keeping the range narrow with your desired salary near the lower end (Indeed Career Guide, undated). A wide range reads as uncertainty, and the employer will anchor on the bottom.
Volunteering your current salary	Indeed notes many states and local jurisdictions prohibit employers from asking about salary history to prevent pay discrimination (Indeed Career Guide, undated), and as of May 2024 twenty-two states and twenty-three municipalities had adopted some form of ban (Wikipedia, May 2024). If a protection exists where you are applying, offering the number anyway hands back the advantage the law was written to give you.
Negotiating by text message	The New York State Department of Labor says not to negotiate over text because it is viewed as disrespectful and irresponsible and shows a disregard for the process (New York State Department of Labor, undated). It also leaves you without a clean written record.
Accepting on the spot	The New York State Department of Labor advises never accepting an offer immediately and asking for a reasonable amount of time, such as 24 or 48 hours (New York State Department of Labor, undated), and getting it in writing before committing (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Verbal offers leave the details — bonus triggers, start date, benefits start — undefined.

The honest downside. Naming a range does carry risk. Quote high for the market and some employers will screen you out without a conversation; quote low and you may be paid below the band for years, because future raises are usually a percentage of a base you set on one phone call. There is no wording that removes that trade-off. What reduces it is doing the market research first and keeping a private walk-away number, so that whichever way the conversation goes, you are making a decision rather than reacting.

If the answer is no

"No" usually means one of three things: the base is capped, the level is wrong for the budget, or they have another candidate. Work through it on a timeline.

Same call, within two minutes. Ask whether the constraint is the range or the role: "Is there flexibility in the range or elsewhere in the offer?" (Robert Half, undated). Then ask what the top of the band is and what someone has to do to sit at it.

Same call or same day. Move to the rest of the package. The New York State Department of Labor lists commissions and bonuses, work schedule or telecommuting, paid time off, insurance, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, equity and wellness programs as items often easier to negotiate than base pay (New York State Department of Labor, undated). These are not consolation prizes for everyone: Robert Half cites its 2027 Salary Guide survey finding that 64% of workers said work-life balance and remote-work benefits could motivate them to move to another employer even if starting salary stayed the same, and 63% said the same about bonuses and profit-sharing (Robert Half, undated).

Within 24-48 hours. If you are weighing a final number, use the time the New York State Department of Labor recommends — 24 or 48 hours, factoring in holidays and weekends (New York State Department of Labor, undated) — and make sure the written offer is in front of you before you decide (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Robert Half similarly advises thanking the hiring manager, asking for a day or two if needed, and requesting a formal written offer before accepting (Robert Half, undated).

Within the first week of starting, if you accept below target. Ask in writing what specific results would move you up the band, and get the review date on the calendar.

At six months. The New York State Department of Labor describes asking after six months as acceptable if you can show specific results (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Bring written evidence — delivered projects, numbers you own, scope you absorbed.

At twelve months. The New York State Department of Labor describes the annual review after one year in a position as the most appropriate time to ask for a raise (New York State Department of Labor, undated). Prepare the same way you prepared for the offer conversation: market data, a defensible number, and a reason.

If you decline the offer. Reply within a day, say thank you, and say the gap was on compensation rather than interest. Recruiters re-approach candidates when budgets reset, and a clean decline keeps that door open.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I ask for?

Build the number rather than guessing it. Check the occupation in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and its wage data for your metro area, compare posted ranges for the same title in the same city, and factor in industry, employer size and whether the role is remote. Then set a narrow range with your target near the bottom, because Indeed recommends keeping the range narrow with your desired salary near the lower end (Indeed Career Guide, undated). Whatever you land on, the New York State Department of Labor's rule applies: know why you're asking and be able to defend it (New York State Department of Labor, undated).

When is the right time to bring up salary?

The New York State Department of Labor says candidates should discuss salary either when an employer makes an official job offer or, in an era of information transparency, as early as the first interview (New York State Department of Labor, undated). In practice, recruiters raise it on the screening call. If they do not and the posting has no range, ask before you commit to a second round: "Can you tell me the salary range for this position?" (New York State Department of Labor, undated).

Can a recruiter legally ask what I earn now?

It depends where the job is. Indeed notes that many states and local jurisdictions prohibit employers from asking about salary history to prevent pay discrimination, and advises checking before an interview whether your state or location bans the question (Indeed Career Guide, undated). As of May 2024, twenty-two U.S. states and twenty-three municipalities had adopted some form of salary history ban (Wikipedia, May 2024). Check your state labor department for the current rule — and note that the applicable rule may follow where the job is based, not where you live.

What if I refuse to give a number at all?

You can defer once. Indeed's suggested wording is to ask a few more questions about the role's responsibilities first, so you can give a more accurate salary range (Indeed Career Guide, undated). Deferring repeatedly usually stalls the process, because the recruiter needs to know whether you fit the band before scheduling anyone's time. Ask for their budgeted range, and if they share one, respond with yours.

How do I follow up if I hear nothing after naming my range?

Email the recruiter after three to five business days, repeat your range in one line, and ask directly whether it sits inside the budgeted band. Keep it to email or a call — the New York State Department of Labor says not to negotiate over text message because it is viewed as disrespectful and irresponsible and shows a disregard for the process (New York State Department of Labor, undated). If you get a verbal offer in that conversation, ask for it in writing before you commit (New York State Department of Labor, undated).

Sources

New York State Department of Labor — Salary Negotiation Guide
Indeed Career Guide — Interview Question: "What Are Your Salary Expectations?" (With 15 Samples)