Salary Negotiation for New Grads: Scripts & Steps

Negotiate only after you receive a written offer. This is the only moment you have real leverage. Before the offer letter arrives, you have nothing to negotiate—the company has not committed, and neither have you.

Never negotiate during the interview process. Discussing salary before an offer exists signals that you are willing to leave if the number is wrong, which weakens your position and may cost you the offer itself. Salary talk belongs to the negotiation phase, not the evaluation phase.

The clock starts when the offer lands. Most companies give you 3–7 days to respond. Use that window to research, decide whether to counter, and send your reply. After you accept in writing or verbally agree, negotiation is over.

You should negotiate if:

• The offer is materially below market for your role, location, and experience
• The company has flexibility (e.g., they said "we might be able to move on [X]")
• You have competing offers or signals from other companies
• You are leaving behind unvested equity or signing bonuses from a previous job

You probably should not negotiate if: this is your first offer and you have no data about market rate, the company has already said this is non-negotiable, or you are genuinely thrilled with the number.

Before you counter, you must know what your role actually pays. This site does not provide salary figures—you must research them yourself using the tools below.

Open each of these sources in a new tab and enter your job title, location, and years of experience. Collect at least 3–5 data points from each source. Look for:

• Role-specific data: "Software engineer," not just "engineer." "Marketing coordinator," not "marketing."
• Your geography: Salary varies wildly by city and region. New York and San Francisco are 50%+ higher than midwest markets.
• Your level: Entry-level, junior, mid-level, and senior have different bands. As a new grad, you are entry-level or junior.
• Total compensation, not just base: Bonus, stock, and 401(k) match matter. Note them separately.

Cross-reference your findings. If levels.fyi says [$80k], Glassdoor says [$75–85k], and BLS says [$72k], your true range is probably [$75–85k]. Use the outliers to sanity-check, but weight the sources equally.

Most new grads will counter by email. Here is the difference between a vague, passive ask and a specific, professional one.

Sometimes the hiring manager calls to discuss the offer. You might need to negotiate on the phone. Here's what that looks like.

If the company says "base is locked," move to other levers. Many companies are more flexible on these than on salary itself.

Signing Bonus

A one-time bonus paid on your first day or in your first paycheck. Easier to move than base. Range: [$2–10k] for entry-level. Ask: "If we can't adjust base, can you add a signing bonus of [$X]?"

Start Date

The date you begin work. Pushing it back buys you time to finish school, complete an internship, or wrap up a current job. Most companies have flexibility here. Mention it early if you need it.

Relocation Support

If you are moving for the job, ask for a one-time lump sum (cheaper for the company than shipping services). Typical range: [$2–5k]. Or negotiate payment of moving expenses as you incur them.

Remote / Hybrid Flexibility

If the job is in an expensive city, ask for 2–3 remote days per week. Or ask to work fully remote for the first month to settle in. This is often free for the company but valuable to you.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Entry-level roles often come with 15 days. If you are starting mid-year, ask for prorated PTO or an extra week. Some companies can't flex this, but it never hurts to ask.

Professional Development Budget

Ask for an annual budget ([$500–2k]) to spend on courses, conferences, or certifications. Framed as an investment in your growth, this is often a yes. Budget: [$500–1,500] per year for entry-level.

Equity / Stock Options

If it's a startup or public company, equity may be listed in the offer. If it is not, ask whether there is any option pool you could join. Equity vests over years (typically 4), so it is long-term wealth, not immediate cash.

"Final offer" usually means they want you to stop countering. It does not mean the number is immovable—it means they want closure.

How to respond:

• Thank them for the clarity. "I appreciate you being direct."
• Buy one more day of thinking time. "Can I let you know by [tomorrow / Friday]?"
• Ask one more specific question. "Can we revisit [one specific item—signing bonus, start date, PTO] if I commit today?" Often they will bend on one thing to close the deal.
• If they hold firm, decide: Is this a role you want at this price? If yes, accept. If no, politely decline and keep looking.

When to accept the offer as-is: You have done your research, you know it is at or near market, you genuinely want the job, and you have no competing offers. Perfect is the enemy of done. Accept.

Important: This page does not provide salary numbers, market ranges, or industry benchmarks. Salary data moves quickly and varies by geography, industry, company size, and individual qualifications. Any number we gave you could be stale or misleading.

Instead, you must use the sources in the next section to research real, current market rates for your specific role and location. That research is your foundation. Use it. Don't guess.