Salary Research

Undergraduate Students

Salary Research

Students and alumni/ae alike frequently raise questions about what salaries they may expect in certain fields, from certain employers, and in certain geographic areas. They are also unsure of whether they will be expected or allowed to negotiate elements of their compensation package. The Center can help with the following:

Staff Assistance/Workshops.

The Center has print resources that speak to salaries, the negotiation process and evaluating offers. The resources and links below also address these topics and should be reviewed before seeking staff assistance.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) gathers information on offers made to college students and publishes it four time per year. Specific sections are devoted to offers made to undergraduate students. Copies of the results are available for inspection in the Center for Career Services.

Career consultants are available to discuss salary research and the advisability, timing and conduct of negotiations. Appointments can be arranged by calling 443-3616. When classes are in session, students may choose to start such discussions during drop-in hours, 10-15 minute meetings with a consultant available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12- 2:30 PM and 4:00 to 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. During the summer monthes, drop-ins occur from 1 to 3 Monday through Thursday. No appointments are needed, but the time limit may be strictly enforced due to demand.

The Center also schedules workshops on negotiating during the year, and publicizes them in the Calendar of Events.

Self Help Resources - Getting Started. Visit the following to gain data, perspectives and tips.

DISCLAIMER: Providing links to these resources in no way constitutes an endorsement by the Center for Career Services of the accuracy, currency or reliability of these resources or those to which links may be made.

Please report broken links.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
Long a source to consult for rather general information on salaries for specific career fields.

Career Onestop / America's Career InfoNet
Search for state and national wage and salary information using occupational families.

Jobstar
A guide to all kinds of information available online and in print, especially valuable for more recent information and for profession-specific data.

Salary.com
A guide to many issues connected to salaries with specific leads to salaries for specific types of jobs in specific geographic areas. Provides solid ranges that are useful in evaluating and negotiating positions.

Pay Check City
An interesting site featuring a number of calculators, among which is a calculator of take-home pay that can incorporate taxes in specific states.

Relocation Salary Calculator
Offered through Homefair.com, this calculator draws on information furnished by Salary.com. Other calculators are available for cost-of-living, relocation and related issues.

State labor departments. Local offices frequently maintain a Labor Statistics Division that monitors earnings in specific geographic areas as well as information on the supply and demand for many occupations. Such offices are listed in the government section of phone books, and may have information online. An example locally is Central New York Employment Statistics at
http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workforceindustrydata/apps.asp?reg=cny&app=wages#wages

Specialized salary surveys. Finding survey information on specific fields takes some effort. If released for the public, survey results are frequently summarized by certain publications, i.e. large newspapers, the Wall Street Journal , and trade periodicals. Professional associations occasionally make salary information available.