When mixing, your ears can easily deceive you. After listening to the same track for hours, my sound starts to sound the best to me. That's why I always keep a reference track nearby for comparison.

I often think the same applies to salary. The more familiar I become with my work, the less clear I am about whether the money I'm receiving is appropriate. This is why it's important to check the market reference before sitting down at the negotiation table.

The first place to look is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) OEWS data. This is a statistic that surveys and publishes wages by occupation and region every year. It's public data, making it a good benchmark.

On July 23 of this year, the BLS released wage data for the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area as of May 2025. The average hourly wage across all occupations was $32.83, while the national average was $33.54. I was surprised by how small the difference was.

However, when you break it down by occupation, the story changes. For the computer and math occupations, the average hourly wage in this area was $44.89, while the national average was $57.73. Management positions also earn significantly more, with $58.07 locally and $69.84 nationally.

Conversely, the education and library occupations had a local average of $37.52, which was higher than the national average of $32.47. This means that you can't determine your position based on the overall average alone.

So the second tool I use is the Salary Finder from CareerOneStop. This is a site operated by the Department of Labor, and it pulls data from the same OEWS. By entering the job title and region, it shows the bottom 10%, median, and top 10% wages.

The important thing here is to look at the distribution, not just the average. If you've gained experience but are still hovering around the median, you have a point to make. For newcomers, starting in the lower range is natural.

However, you need to be aware of the update lag. According to CareerOneStop's guidelines, updates occur once a year, so there may be times when the numbers are a year behind the latest BLS release. Make sure to check the year when comparing the two sources.

It's also important to clarify what the numbers include. The OEWS wages include base pay and incentives like commissions and performance bonuses. However, overtime pay, bonuses unrelated to performance, and shift differentials are excluded.

So, if you're in a job with a lot of overtime, the actual money you take home could be higher than the statistics suggest. Conversely, if you work for a company that offers large year-end bonuses, it makes sense to compare only the base salary.

The third reference is the job postings themselves. In Illinois, the Equal Pay Act was amended to require employers with 15 or more employees to include salary ranges and benefits information in job postings starting January 1, 2025. This is a significant change for negotiators.

The law applies to any position that involves work in Illinois, or positions that report to a supervisor or office located in Illinois. The count of 15 employees includes both full-time and part-time workers, both inside and outside the state. It's also allowed to link to a public webpage with salary information instead of writing it directly in the posting.

So nowadays, I gather about ten similar job postings and organize the ranges into a table. If I can see where the lower and upper limits cluster, it strengthens my voice during negotiations.

The fourth reference is the postings within my own company. With the same law amendment, employers must inform current employees of promotion opportunities within 14 days after posting externally. If a similar position opens up internally, that salary range becomes my reference.

One common question that comes up in job interviews is, "What is your current salary?" In Illinois, since September 29, 2019, it has been prohibited for employers to ask applicants about their past salaries.

It's also not allowed to contact previous employers to find out salary history. However, it's acceptable for applicants to state their desired salary. Companies can also provide salary information for the position in question.

Knowing this regulation changes the dynamics of the conversation. Instead of being tied to past numbers, I can present my expectations based on market data.

This is the order I follow before negotiations. First, I check the average for my occupation using the BLS regional data. Next, I confirm the median and top 10% ranges using the Salary Finder.

Then, I gather the salary ranges from similar postings and look for overlapping areas. Finally, I decide where my experience and achievements fit within that range. The key is to prepare a range rather than a single number.

If it's a remote position, there's one more factor to consider. Depending on whether the salary is based on the location of the company headquarters or my own residence, the range can vary significantly. This is especially true in fields like computer occupations, where there can be a large difference between local and national averages.

Statistics don't tell the whole story. Depending on the size of the company, the industry, and the specific skills I possess, salaries for the same title can vary widely. However, it's much more solid than just guessing a number.

Honestly, I think the requirement for salary transparency came a bit late. When information is only available to one side, negotiations always take place on an uneven playing field. While there are concerns that the burden has increased for employers, I believe that keeping salary records for five years per posting is manageable.

The legal provisions can vary in interpretation. If you're unsure whether your situation applies, check the FAQ on the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) website first. It's safe to consult a labor law expert if needed.

A good mix ultimately comes from comparison. If I only trust my ears, I might miss out on excessive bass. Similarly, once I set a reference for my salary, the balance starts to become clear.

If it were me, I would spend just one day organizing data before my next negotiation. Three lines of numbers and ten job postings would be enough. I'd love for you to share what references you use during negotiations in the comments.