Salary negotiation calculator
Turn an offer into three numbers you can say out loud: the counter you open with, the target you hope to land, and the walk-away below which you say no. Then draft the message.
Your situation
Why it's worth a 10-minute conversation
If you land the target, a $6,000 bump compounds through every future raise. At 3% raises it adds up to $68,783 over 10 years, before any 401(k) match on top.
Versus your current pay the offer is already 12.2% higher; the target would make it 18.4%.
Draft my counter-offer
Get a ready-to-edit email or call script that asks for $121,000, stays gracious, and names your fallback asks if base pay is capped.
Written by an AI model via Vercel AI Gateway from what you enter here. Nothing is stored. Read it before you send it.
Prefer a template? Use this one
Hi [Name], Thank you for the offer for the [role] position. I'm excited about the team and the work, and I'd like to make this happen. Based on the scope of the role and the market range for similar positions, I'd be ready to sign at a base salary of $121,000. Is there flexibility to get there? Happy to talk it through on a call. Best, [Your name]
How the numbers are set
The counter starts from the offer and moves up by 5% (little leverage), 10% (typical) or 15% (strong leverage), then is pulled toward the evidence: never below your best competing offer, and never much beyond the top of the market range, where a recruiter would stop taking it seriously. It is rounded to the nearest $1,000, because precise-sounding numbers are read as researched.
The target is about halfway between the offer and your counter. Most employers meet a reasonable counter partway, which is why you open above what you want.
The walk-away is the higher of the least you said you'd accept and the offer itself. Decide it before the call, not during it.
The full step-by-step, including what to say when they say no, is in our guide on how to negotiate salary. If you already have a job and want a raise instead, try the raise calculator.
Questions people ask
How much should I counter a salary offer?
A counter 5–15% above the offer is the common range. Go toward 10–15% when you have a competing offer, rare skills or the offer is below the market range; stay near 5% when the offer is already at the top of the range or you have little leverage.
Can a counter offer get my job offer rescinded?
It is rare when the counter is polite and grounded in market data. Employers expect negotiation; a SHRM survey found most hiring managers leave room in the first offer. Ultimatums and exaggerated competing offers are what cause offers to be pulled.
Should I negotiate base salary or total compensation?
Base first, because bonuses, raises and 401(k) matches are usually a percentage of it. If base is capped by a pay band, move to a signing bonus, more equity, extra PTO, an earlier review date or a title change.
Is it OK to negotiate by email?
Yes. Email lets you state your number precisely and gives the recruiter something to forward to the hiring manager. Many people email the counter, then take the follow-up call.
What if they say the offer is final?
Ask whether anything besides base is flexible, such as a signing bonus or a guaranteed review in six months. If nothing moves and the offer is above your walk-away number, you can still accept gracefully.