How much should I be making?
A practical way to estimate your market value using role scope, location, level, company stage, and compensation mix.
Your market value is not one number. It is a range shaped by role scope, level, location, company stage, and how much of the package is salary versus bonus or equity.
The mistake candidates make is asking, "What should this title pay?" The better question is, "What should this scope pay for someone with my proof?"
Start with scope, not title
Titles vary wildly. A "Marketing Manager" at one company may own campaigns. At another, the same title may own pipeline, lifecycle, analytics, and budget.
List the scope:
- team size
- budget ownership
- revenue or cost responsibility
- systems owned
- decision authority
- cross-functional complexity
- reporting level
More scope usually means a higher range, even when the title is the same.
Identify your level
Level is not only years of experience. It is the type of problems you can own.
- Entry: executes defined tasks.
- Mid-level: owns projects and improves processes.
- Senior: owns ambiguous problems and mentors others.
- Lead/Manager: owns systems, people, budgets, or strategy.
- Director+: owns outcomes across teams or functions.
Negotiate from demonstrated level, not self-perception.
Adjust for company stage
Compensation mix changes by company type.
Large public companies often offer stronger base salary, benefits, and predictable bonus. Startups may offer lower cash and more equity. Agencies may have tighter bands but faster title growth. Nonprofits and government roles may trade cash for stability.
Compare against the type of company you are actually joining.
Build a compensation range
Use three numbers:
- Walk-away number: below this, the role does not work.
- Fair number: you would accept without resentment.
- Strong number: ambitious but defensible based on market and proof.
Your counter should usually target the strong number while giving room to land at fair.
Look beyond base salary
Total compensation may include:
- base salary
- annual bonus
- commission
- equity
- sign-on bonus
- relocation
- health benefits
- retirement match
- paid time off
- learning budget
- remote flexibility
A lower base with meaningful equity may be rational. A higher base with poor benefits may be less attractive than it looks.
Tie compensation to value
The strongest negotiation argument is not "I want more." It is "the scope and my proof support this range."
Example:
Given that this role owns lifecycle strategy, activation, and expansion reporting — and given my prior work improving trial-to-paid conversion by 30% — I was expecting the base to be closer to $X.
That is harder to dismiss than a generic request.
Final rule
If you cannot explain the number, do not use the number. A defensible range beats a random anchor.
Next step: run your resume through Resumr's free ATS checker and fix the gaps before your next application.
Next step
Know what to fix before the next application goes out.
A free scan turns this guide into a prioritized repair list: missing keywords, weak bullets, formatting risks, and role-fit gaps.
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