Here's a fun stat: 95% of job seekers say salary range is the most important thing they want to see in a job posting. Makes sense, right? Why waste time applying for a job that pays half what you're currently making?

And here's another fun stat: Only 12% of job postings in the US actually include salary information.

Let that sink in. The thing job seekers care about most—the literal reason people work—is missing from 88% of job postings. It's like posting a house for sale and refusing to list the price. "Interested? Apply and find out!"

This isn't just annoying—it's actively wasting everyone's time and perpetuating pay inequity. So why do employers keep doing it?

The Excuses Employers Give for Hiding Salaries

Every company that refuses to post salary ranges has a reason. Let's go through them and explain why they're all garbage:

Excuse #1: "We Want to Assess Candidates Before Discussing Salary"

Translation: "We want to lowball you after you've invested hours in our interview process and fallen in love with the job."

Research shows that delaying salary conversations until late in the process disproportionately disadvantages women and minorities, who are less likely to negotiate aggressively. Employers know this. That's why they do it.

Reality check: Candidates who know the salary upfront are more likely to apply if it's a good fit and skip if it's not. Posting salary doesn't reduce applicant quality—it increases it by filtering out mismatches early.

Excuse #2: "Salary Is Negotiable Based on Experience"

Cool. Post a range. That's what ranges are for.

"$80K-$120K depending on experience" gives candidates enough information to decide if it's worth applying. Posting "competitive salary" or "salary commensurate with experience" tells candidates nothing.

Reality check: Employers who post salary ranges see 30% more applications from qualified candidates because people know it's worth their time to apply.

Excuse #3: "We Don't Want Current Employees to See What We're Offering New Hires"

Ah yes, the "let's perpetuate pay inequity by keeping everything secret" approach.

If you're paying new hires significantly more than existing employees doing the same job, that's a retention problem you've created. Hiding salary ranges doesn't fix it—it just delays the inevitable resentment when employees find out.

Reality check: Pay transparency forces companies to address internal pay equity issues instead of hoping employees don't compare notes. That's a feature, not a bug.

Excuse #4: "It Hurts Our Negotiating Position"

Let me translate: "We want the option to underpay candidates who don't negotiate well."

Salary transparency removes negotiating power from employers, which is exactly why it's good for candidates. Companies that rely on information asymmetry to keep labor costs down aren't "savvy negotiators"—they're exploiting workers.

Reality check: Companies with transparent pay structures report higher employee satisfaction and lower turnover because employees trust they're being paid fairly.

Excuse #5: "Competitors Will See What We Pay"

So? Your competitors already know your general pay ranges because employees talk, recruiters share data, and sites like Glassdoor exist.

Posting salary in job descriptions doesn't give competitors information they don't already have. It just helps candidates make informed decisions.

Reality check: Companies that post salary ranges attract more applicants and fill roles faster, which means your competitors posting salaries are beating you to top talent.

The Real Reason Employers Don't Post Salaries

Let's cut the bullshit: Employers don't post salaries because ambiguity gives them negotiating power.

If candidates don't know the range, employers can:

• Lowball candidates who don't negotiate
• Pay different amounts for the same role based on negotiation skills (which perpetuates gender and racial pay gaps)
• Avoid internal pay equity conversations
• String candidates along through lengthy interview processes before revealing the salary is way below market

It's not strategy—it's exploitation of information asymmetry.

States That Have Made Salary Transparency Mandatory (And Why It's Working)

The good news? Several states have passed laws requiring salary ranges in job postings:

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, Washington - All require employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings.

And it's working: Companies in these states report more diverse applicant pools, faster hiring, and better candidate quality because candidates self-select based on realistic expectations.

The catch: Some companies are posting absurdly wide ranges like "$50K-$200K" to technically comply while providing zero useful information. Congrats on malicious compliance, guys.

What Job Seekers Can Do About This

Since most employers still refuse to post salaries, here's your playbook:

Ask upfront in your first conversation - Don't wait until the final interview to discuss compensation. If a recruiter reaches out, ask about salary range in your first response.

Walk away if they refuse to share - If a company won't tell you the salary range after you ask directly, that's a red flag about transparency and respect for your time.

Use salary research tools - Glassdoor, Payscale, and Levels.fyi have crowdsourced salary data for many companies and roles. Do your research before interviewing.

Negotiate based on data, not feelings - If you get to the offer stage and the salary is below market, show receipts. "Comparable roles at similar companies pay $X-$Y. Here's the data."

Advocate for transparency - If you're in a state without salary transparency laws, push for them. Contact your representatives. Public pressure works.

Companies Getting Salary Transparency Right

Not all employers are playing games. Some companies now post detailed salary info and explain how they arrived at it:

Buffer - Publishes every employee's salary publicly and explains their compensation formula. Radical transparency.

GitLab - Posts salary ranges for every role and documents their compensation philosophy. Anyone can calculate what they'd earn.

Basecamp - Posts salary bands publicly and doesn't negotiate—everyone in the same role gets paid the same. Removes pay inequity entirely.

Whole Foods - Employees can look up anyone's salary internally. Full internal transparency.

These companies aren't struggling to hire. They're attracting top talent because candidates trust they'll be paid fairly.

The Bottom Line

95% of job seekers want salary in job postings. Only 12% of postings include it. This gap exists because employers benefit from information asymmetry, not because there are legitimate business reasons to hide compensation.

Salary transparency:

• Saves everyone time by filtering out mismatched candidates early
• Attracts more qualified applicants
• Reduces pay inequity
• Builds trust between employers and employees

Companies that refuse to post salaries are either underpaying, perpetuating inequity, or playing negotiation games. None of those are good reasons.

To employers still hiding salaries: The states with mandatory transparency laws are increasing every year. You can either adapt now or be forced to adapt later. Your choice.

To job seekers: Ask about salary upfront. Walk away from companies that won't tell you. And support salary transparency laws in your state.

Paying people to work isn't a state secret. It's basic information candidates need to make informed decisions. Treating it like classified intel is disrespectful, inefficient, and increasingly illegal.

Post. The. Damn. Salary.

Key Takeaways:

• 95% of job seekers want salary in postings; only 12% of postings include it
• Employers hide salaries to maintain negotiating power and avoid pay equity conversations
• Multiple states now require salary transparency by law
• Companies with transparent pay attract better candidates and retain employees longer
• Job seekers should ask about salary upfront and walk away from companies that refuse to share