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Section 2 · Salary Intelligence
Salary Explorer: know your number before you negotiate
Entry, mid, senior salaries by role. Remote rates. Demand signals. Negotiation leverage.
Hiring
Freelance
Consulting
Why it works
People who research salary before negotiation earn 7-15% more than those who don't.
Connects to
Hiring
Freelance
Consulting
When to use it
Before every interview, raise conversation, or freelance quote.
When NOT to use it
Don't quote a number first — let the employer/client anchor when possible.
How to use it
- Pull data from 3 sources: Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Payscale.
- Adjust for location (or 'remote' band) and years of experience.
- Set your floor (walk-away), target (asking), and ceiling (stretch).
- Never accept the first offer — always counter once with data.
Examples
US Digital Marketer
Entry $50-65k · Mid $75-110k · Senior $120-180k · Director $180-260k · CMO $250k-1M+.
Freelance SEO
$75-200/hr or $2-15k/mo retainer depending on niche and proof.