Some U.S. states and cities restrict employers from asking about your salary history, and where no rule applies you can still answer without naming a past salary. The move is to answer the question behind the question — what you expect to be paid — with a researched range and one sentence of context. If an application demands a number, keep it factual, never inflate it, and get back to the range for the role.
Key takeaways
- Salary history rules are local: some states and cities limit the question, and the details differ.
- You can usually answer without a number by giving a range for the role you want.
- If a form or portal requires history, keep the answer short and factual — never inflate it.
- Redirect every follow-up to the range budgeted for the role, not to what you earned before.
Can employers ask about your salary history?
Two different kinds of rules often get lumped together. A salary history law limits what an employer may ask about your past pay. A pay transparency law requires the employer to publish a range for the role. A state or city can have one, both, or neither, so whether an employer can ask depends on where the job is located — and sometimes where the interview or employer is located. Check the enforcing agency's guidance for the specific rule.
Official state and city pages show how much the details vary. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says employers in that state cannot seek an applicant’s wage or salary history. They may confirm pay only after a negotiated offer that includes pay is accepted. Applicants can volunteer their history, but an employer cannot require past pay to meet a certain standard. New York City’s Commission on Human Rights describes another model: salary history protections there took effect on October 31, 2017, apply to employers of any size that hire for New York City jobs, and are not retroactive. The same FAQ says the law does not cover internal transfers or promotions with your current employer, or some public-sector jobs whose pay is set by a collective bargaining agreement. If you are asking about an internal promotion, the conversation is different — the evidence and timing are covered in how to ask for a promotion.
Those are examples, not a national rule. SHRM’s state-by-state compilation of salary history bans and pay transparency laws was last updated in August 2023, so treat it as a starting map, not a live feed of the law. Before you answer, check your state labor department, the city agency that enforces local human rights law, or the official text of the statute that applies to the job’s location.
Two laws, two questions
“May I ask about your past pay?” and “Must you publish the pay range?” are separate questions answered by separate laws. Do not assume a state with salary history protections also requires ranges in postings, or the reverse.
What if the application requires a salary history?
Online applications are where most people feel trapped. A required field is a form, not a negotiation. Read the label first: many forms mark the field optional, accept “N/A,” or ask for a range instead of a single number.
If the field is optional, skip it. If it is required and you decide to answer, use your actual base salary and nothing else — not a bonus, not equity, not an old rate from a different role. If there is a comments box, add one short line: “Base salary; total compensation can be discussed during the interview.” If the form will not accept a sensible answer, email the recruiter and ask how they would like you to handle it.
Email when the application will not submit
“Hi [Name] — I started the application for [role] and hit the required salary history field. My most recent base salary was $[amount], and I’m happy to discuss total compensation and my target range in a conversation. Is there a way to submit without that field, or would you like me to enter the base figure? Thanks for your help.”
Warning
Never inflate a number on an application. It can surface in a background or employment check, and the person comparing it with the range you give later is often the recruiter who read the form.
How do you answer without giving a single number?
Three moves work in many conversations: give a range for the role, ask for the range the employer has budgeted, and frame the conversation around total compensation when that keeps you honest without anchoring on base. Pick one approach and stay consistent; switching stories mid-process reads as evasive.
| What to offer instead of a past number | What it sounds like | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| A target range for the role | “I’m targeting $70,000 to $78,000 for this role, based on the scope and the market.” | Gives a usable number without disclosing history. |
| A question about the band | “What range has been approved for this level?” | Shifts the first number to the employer. |
| Total compensation framing | “My current package includes base and a bonus; for this role I’m focused on a base in the $70,000s.” | Broadens the frame without listing past figures. |
| The posted range | “The posting lists $68,000 to $80,000; I’d be looking at the middle of that band.” | Anchors to public, verifiable information. |
Every dollar figure on this page is a hypothetical example, not a quote from a survey or an employer. Substitute your own researched numbers before you use these lines out loud.
What should you say if they insist?
Some recruiters ask twice: “But what did you make before?” You do not have to repeat yourself word for word, and you do not need to argue about the law unless you are sure it applies. Acknowledge the question, restate your range, and offer a next step.
When they ask a second time
“I understand why you’re asking — it helps you check the budget. I’m not sharing my salary history, but I can tell you I’m targeting $74,000 to $80,000 for this role. That’s based on the scope we discussed and market data for this area. If the band for this level is different, I’m happy to hear where it sits.”
If you decide to share one number
“My current base is $71,000. For this role, given the added scope, I’m targeting $78,000 to $84,000.”
If you choose to disclose a figure, give one number and bridge straight to your target. Do not apologize, and do not volunteer a second number to fill the silence. The bridge sentence is the part the recruiter will remember and repeat to the hiring manager.
How do you redirect to salary expectations?
The strongest redirect is specific and calm: name the role’s range, say where you fit, and explain the scope behind your number. When a posting already shows a pay range, use it. New York State’s pay transparency FAQ shows why ranges are easier to find today: since September 17, 2023, job postings for work performed at least partly in New York must include a pay range, including remote roles that report to a New York worksite. That range is an anchor that has nothing to do with your history.
Redirecting on a screening call
“I’d rather focus on the role than on my history. Could you tell me the range approved for this position? That will help us both see quickly whether we’re in the same place.”
Once the range is on the table, move to negotiation rather than back to history. The full sequence is in our guide to how to negotiate salary, and the counter offer guide covers what to write when the first number comes back low. If a range turns into a real offer and you have more than one, the job offer comparison framework shows how to weigh them.
Example scripts by scenario
Many salary history conversations happen in one of four places: a screening call, an application form, a hiring manager interview, or a return to work after time off. Match the setting, not just the question.
| Scenario | What to say | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiter asks on a screening call | “I’m targeting $X to $Y for this role. What range has been approved for this level?” | Ask for their range first; give yours second. |
| Application requires “current salary” | Enter base pay only, leave it blank if allowed, or email the recruiter | Do not add bonus, equity, or an old rate. |
| Hiring manager asks for your history | “I’d rather keep the focus on this role. Based on the scope here, I’m targeting $X to $Y.” | Deflect once, then give your target so the conversation can continue. |
| You have been out of work | “My most recent base was $X. For this role I’m targeting $Y to $Z.” | One factual number plus your target; you owe no explanation of the gap. |
Returning to work after time off
“I’ve been out of the workforce for a year and I’m returning to [field]. My base before that was $[amount], and I’m targeting $[range] for this role based on the scope and current market data. I’m happy to walk through how my experience maps to what you need.”
What should you avoid?
Many salary history mistakes are small habits, not dramatic blunders. The most expensive one is giving a number before you know what the role pays.
- Naming a past salary before you know the range for the role.
- Inflating a number on a form you may have to verify.
- Quoting a range whose bottom you would not actually accept.
- Mixing up base pay and total compensation — answer the question that was asked.
- Arguing about the law with a recruiter instead of redirecting to your range.
- Apologizing for keeping your history private.
- Letting a required field stall the application — email the recruiter and ask.
Where can you check your state’s rules?
Start with the agency that enforces wage law where the job is located. State labor departments publish guidance on equal pay, salary history, and pay transparency; city human rights commissions publish their own rules for jobs in that city. The official pages linked here — Washington State, New York City, and New York State — show the range of rules, not a complete list.
If you use a state-by-state tracker, check the date at the top before you rely on it. SHRM’s compilation, for instance, was last updated in August 2023, and states have passed or revised laws since then. When a tracker and a state agency disagree, trust the agency and the current statute.
If the rules or the employer’s answers leave no workable path, the guide to declining a job offer politely has email templates that keep the relationship intact.
How we researched this guide
We build salary guides from primary and official sources. This page draws on the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ Equal Pay & Opportunities Act page, the New York City Commission on Human Rights’ salary history FAQ, the New York State Department of Labor’s pay transparency FAQ, and SHRM’s state-by-state salary-history and pay-transparency tracker (last updated August 2023). The state and city pages are examples of how the rules differ, not a substitute for the law that applies to your job.
Salary history and pay transparency rules change. We review this page when the underlying guidance changes and show the last-updated date at the top. If you spot an error or an outdated source, email us — our editorial policy explains how corrections work.
General information, not legal advice
This article is general information, not legal advice. Salary history and pay transparency rules vary by state and city and change often. Before you answer a specific question or form, check your state labor department, your city’s human rights agency, or the official text of the law that applies to the job’s location.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal for employers to ask for your salary history?
It depends on where the job is located. Some U.S. states and cities restrict employers from asking about salary history, and the details differ by jurisdiction. Washington State, for example, prohibits employers from seeking an applicant's wage or salary history, with a narrow exception for confirming pay after an offer is accepted. Where no rule applies, an employer may still ask, but you can answer without naming a past salary. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Do you have to disclose your salary history?
In many conversations, no. You can decline to name a number and redirect to the range budgeted for the role. A required application field is different: if the form will not submit without an answer, leave it blank if the form allows, enter your actual base salary only, or contact the recruiter and ask how to proceed. Never inflate a number you may have to verify later.
What if you refuse to share your salary history?
You can refuse politely and stay in the running, as long as you offer something in return: the range you are targeting for this role and the reason behind it. A refusal with no alternative can stall the process. If the employer keeps pushing after you redirect, ask whether the range for the role is already approved, then decide how much you want the job.
How do you answer salary history questions for a first job?
You probably do not have a salary history, so say that plainly and pivot to the market: internships, part-time jobs, and other paid work can be described briefly if you are comfortable sharing them. Then give a researched range for the role. Employers hiring early-career candidates expect a range and a reason, not a record of past compensation.
Should you put salary history on your resume?
No. A resume is a marketing document for your skills and results, not a compensation record. Leave salary history off unless a specific application asks for it, and do not list past pay in a summary or skills section. If an employer later asks, use a range for the role or redirect the question rather than quoting an old number.
Should you volunteer your salary history if they don't ask?
No. Volunteering a number gives the employer an anchor before you know the budget for the role, and it can work against you. Answer the question that was asked, keep the focus on the range you are targeting, and share history only when a rule requires it or you decide the disclosure helps your case.
Sources and further reading
We link to primary and official sources so you can verify the details yourself.
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries — Equal Pay & Opportunities Act
- New York City Commission on Human Rights — Salary History Law: Frequently Asked Questions
- New York State Department of Labor — Pay Transparency Act Frequently Asked Questions
- SHRM — State by State: Salary History Bans and Pay Transparency Laws (updated Aug. 2023)
How this guide was written. This page is part of Role Handbook, an independent career publication. We research each guide against primary and official sources, use worked examples and scripts instead of vague advice, and update pages when the underlying rules or practices change. Every page lists its sources. See our editorial policy for details and corrections.