What to Put for “Desired Salary” on a Job Application

If the posting lists a pay range, enter a number or range inside it, toward the middle if you meet the requirements. If there’s no range, research typical pay for that role and city and enter a range whose bottom is a number you’d genuinely accept. Write “negotiable” only if the field takes text, and never enter 0 or a placeholder like 999999.

Why do applications ask for desired salary?

Mostly to check whether you fit the budget. A recruiter with a role budgeted at $55,000 to $62,000 wants to know early if you’re expecting $85,000. Some employers use the answer to filter. Others just use it to prepare for the offer conversation.

Either way, the number you type matters. Too high and you can get screened out. Too low and you’ve anchored the conversation below what they were willing to pay.

What should you put if the job posting lists a pay range?

Stay inside it. If the posting says $52,000 to $60,000, entering $58,000 or “$55,000 to $60,000” says you’ve read the posting and your expectations are realistic.

Where inside the range? If you meet every requirement or have a strong internship in the field, aim for the middle to upper half. If you’re stretching for the role, the middle is safer than the bottom. The bottom of a posted range is usually reserved for candidates who need the most ramp-up.

Pay ranges in postings are becoming more common as more states and cities pass pay transparency laws, so you’ll have this information more often than you used to.

What should you put if there’s no pay range?

Do 15 minutes of research first:

• Start with averages for your major. NACE’s Winter 2026 Salary Survey projects average starting salaries for the Class of 2026 of $81,535 for computer sciences grads, $81,198 for engineering, $74,184 for math and sciences, and $68,873 for business.
• Adjust for the specific role and city. A marketing coordinator in a big coastal city and one in a small Midwest town are paid very differently. Look up the job title plus the city on salary sites, and check the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for occupation-level pay.
• Ask your career center. Many schools publish what last year’s grads actually earned, by major. That’s some of the most relevant data you can get.

Then enter a range about $5,000 to $8,000 wide. Make the bottom a number you’d actually accept, because employers tend to read the bottom of your range as your real answer.

Can you leave desired salary blank or write “negotiable”?

Sometimes. It depends on the form:

• If the field is optional, leaving it blank is fine.
• If the field takes text, “Open to discussing based on the full compensation package” or “Negotiable” works.
• If it’s required and numbers-only, you have to enter a number. Use your researched range or a midpoint.

Don’t enter 0, 1, or 999999 to get around a required field. A 0 can read like you didn’t take the question seriously, and a giant placeholder number could knock you out of a filter.

What about hourly internships?

Same logic, just in hourly terms. Check the posting first, then look up what interns in that field and city typically earn. If you’re not sure whether an offer is fair, here’s what you should actually earn at an internship.

Does your desired salary lock you in?

No. It’s not a contract. But it does anchor the conversation. If you write $55,000 and they offer $55,000, it’s harder to argue for $62,000 later.

You’ll get a real chance to talk money at the offer stage, when you know the full package (benefits, bonus, PTO, remote options). Here’s how to negotiate your first job offer when you get there.

What should you never do?

• Don’t lowball yourself to look easy to hire. It rarely helps you get the job, and it can cost you thousands a year.
• Don’t give a number you’d be unhappy with. If they meet it exactly, you’ve said yes in advance.
• Don’t share your current or past pay unless you choose to. Many states and cities restrict employers from asking about salary history. Desired salary is about what you want next, not what you made before.

How does the WayUp app fit in?

The new WayUp app sends an alert when companies you follow post new internships and entry-level roles, and it pulls from your WayUp profile when you apply. Getting there early gives you time to read the posting (pay range included) before you answer this question.

FAQ

Should I put a range or a single number for desired salary? A range is usually better because it gives the employer room. Keep it about $5,000 to $8,000 wide, and make the bottom number one you’d actually accept.

Is it OK to put “negotiable” for desired salary? Yes, if the field accepts text. If it only takes numbers, enter your researched range or midpoint.

What’s a reasonable desired salary for a new grad? It depends on your major, role, and city. NACE projects Class of 2026 averages from about $69,000 for business majors to about $81,500 for computer sciences majors. Adjust for your location and the specific job.

Can putting a desired salary too high get me rejected? It can if the employer filters by budget. That’s why matching the posted range, or researching first, matters.

Be one of the first applicants. Download the WayUp app on iOS or Android and turn on alerts for the companies you want to work for.