Salary Calculator
See salary ranges for your role, city, and experience level — then get coached on how to negotiate to the top of the band.
Your role and market
Software Engineer · San Francisco · Senior (5–8 yrs)
25th %ile
$229K
base salary
Median
$266K
base salary
75th %ile
$311K
base salary
Senior total comp (base + equity + bonus): $333K–$451K
Data in USD. San Francisco and the broader Bay Area remain the highest-paying tech market globally. FAANG and AI lab density drives salaries 40–50% above national median.
Most candidates get the 25th percentile. The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is $82K — and most of it is recoverable with the right negotiation conversation.
How to use salary data in your negotiation
Don't anchor to the median
The median is where most candidates land after negotiation — not where to start. Use the 75th percentile as your opening ask. You can always come down; you can never go back up.
Salary data is leverage, not the argument
Saying 'the median salary is $X' doesn't persuade anyone. Salary data is context for you — it tells you when an offer is low. The actual leverage comes from competing offers, your specific skills, and the cost to the company of not hiring you.
Total comp is what matters, not base alone
A $15K lower base paired with a $60K signing bonus and larger RSU grant is worth more in year 1. Always calculate total comp before evaluating an offer.
Use Zari to run the conversation
Knowing the numbers is the research phase. The coaching phase is knowing what to say, in what order, with what tone — and how to handle each recruiter response. Zari coaches the conversation, not just the data.