What should I make?

Stop guessing. Look at what BLS says the market pays.

Every salary negotiation starts with knowing the number. National Bureau of Labor Statistics medians, adjusted for the cost of living where you actually are.

Occupation
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Skip this if you just want to see the market range.

Software developer · Phoenix, AZ

$139,271 /yr median

Range: $85,600 (10th pct) – $223,223 (90th pct)

National median scaled to your city's cost-of-living index — a first-order approximation, not metro-level OEWS data. Drop the chat below and I can pull the live BLS metro-level figure for your exact area.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 national figures. SOC code: 15-1252.

Now what to do with the number

Knowing the median is step one. Step two is the negotiation.

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