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Have you ever questioned if your salary is appropriate with respect to your successes and professional achievements? Do you ever wonder how your pay compares to others in the same industry? Or maybe you're negotiating your salary with a new employer and want to know what you're actually worth? You're in luck because the answer to this easier to find than you think.


Utilize job salary websites

These websites provide salary averages for the role and location where you are searching, so look at more than one website as some factor in more information than others. It's easy to get caught up in the numbers, but these are just averages for that position and city, so use this as a starting point to realistically decide what your salary should be.
Level of education
Think about the role that you have or want to have and what level of education or certifications you would need to fulfill the job requirements. If you have a master’s degree, you want to make sure you factor that into your salary expectations as having a master's degree demonstrates academic knowledge about a job in addition to the experience. Your level of education will greatly impact what jobs you should look for and at what salary. 
Average doesn't mean starting salary
After seeing the average salary, note that in some situations, this salary could be too high or too low for you. If you're a recent college grad, new to the workforce, or switching industries, your starting salary will most likely be at or below the average. Oppositely, if you’re an experienced professional, your starting salary can be at or above the average. By doing your research into the salary average for the specific position, you’re ensuring that you’ll be better equipped to leverage your work experience and skills for a reasonable and commensurate salary. 
Location
When looking into job salaries, make a note of where these average salaries are. If you’re looking in a suburban or rural area, the salary for that area can be substantially less than in a big city. You have to account for taxes, the cost of living, and other expenses you’ll have to pay depending on where the job is.
With these job salary components in mind, do your due diligence and research salary expectations with your experience and skills in mind. To get started on your job search, contact a Michael Page consultant or view our open jobs.