Salary Research
Before you negotiate salary, take the time to research accurate salary ranges for your field and experience level. Solid research can help you understand market value for your field and position and help you to feel more comfortable and confident in negotiations.
Salary Research Resources
- Salary and Employment Statistics
Salary data of recent graduates organized by major - CAREERwise Education (formerly ISEEK.org)
Search for salary data by location and occupation - Salary.com and Salary Expert
Salary information searchable by job type and region - Occupations in Demand: MN DEED
View regional data about in-demand occupations, including median wage information. - Talk to professionals in your field. They tend to have the best information about salary ranges in your specific location.
- Professional associations often conduct salary surveys. Check their websites for more information.
Cost of Living
When evaluating a salary offer, it is important to consider the cost of living in the area you will be working. Here are some resources to get you started:
- CNN Money Cost of Living Calculator
Get an estimate of how far your salary will go to meet your living needs in a specific city. - Council for Community and Economic Research
Cost of living index comparison by city. - Compare MN
Compare MN to other states on a variety of categories including taxes, homeownership, utilities, etc.
Financial Planning Resources
Once securing a job, it is also important to learn effective money management skills. Check out the below resources to help you get started.
- CNN Money Essentials
Tons of financial lessons on money management ranging from budgets, investing, retirement, car buying and more. - OneStop Money Management
Tips on spending wisely, credit and more from One Stop.
