Pros of SalaryExpert: – Clearly shows how your current salary compares to the average salary for that job title in both your area and nationally. – Salary Potential graph projects anticipated salary growth for your position over the next five years, which can help you out when
planning mid-term financial goals. – Education pie charts show the percentage of jobholders with your job title for each level of education attainment. E.g., 68% of graphic designers in Austin, Texas have a bachelor’s degree; 11% have an associate’s degree.
Cons of SalaryExpert: – Salary and cost of living info is often incomplete for locations outside the United States, including major overseas cities. – Popular skills listed aren’t always the most relevant for a given job title.
Pros of Salary.com: – Cost of Living Comparison is a straightforward way to check an anticipated salary increase/decrease relative to a cost of living increase/decrease if you move locations. – Benefits calculator allows you to estimate the total value of your salary + benefits
relative to industry averages. – Benefits breakdown shows the median values for your position’s healthcare benefits, 401(k) contributions, time off, etc. – Resume review service provides free and actionable analysis of your resume’s formatting, content, and voice.
Results are emailed to you within 48 hours. Cons of Salary.com: – ‘Similar jobs’ salary comparison chart sometimes lists positions that are quite dissimilar. – Annoying pop-ups interfere with the user experience, and they’re not always targeted well. E.g., employees may be bombarded by ads targeting employers/HR.
Pros of Glassdoor: – Top Paying Companies section lists employers in your area and the reported salary they pay employees in your position. – Total Pay Trajectory shows your projected salary growth as you climb the ladder in your chosen profession. – Top Interview Questions and sample
interview tests are reported by your peers to help you prepare for the hiring process in your chosen career. Cons of Glassdoor: – Some listed career metrics outside salary info are quite vague, e.g., a ‘work life balance’ score is given for each profession, but with no context (score scale,
score meaning, etc.) – Salaries are also displayed for cities outside the United States, but information for these international locations can be wildly inaccurate.
Pros of Indeed: – Trends in degree requirements are displayed for specific job titles, as well as the influence that holding a given degree may have on your salary. – Clearly displays its data pool for each salary average. – Lists average hourly rates for a given job in
addition to monthly and yearly salaries. This could be a useful reference point for freelancers. Cons of Indeed: – Little to no information is provided for cost of living differences from one city/state to the next, making some of its location graphs rather useless.
– Average salaries listed for some job titles vary substantially from the median salaries listed by top competitors (like Glassdoor or Salary.com).
Pros of BLS: – Anticipated demand growth/reduction statistics for a job title are accompanied by a clear explanation of why demand for that job is expected to increase or decrease in the near future. – Different median wages are provided for the same job title as it
applies to different industries. E.g., the median wages for a graphic designer working in an advertising firm vs. at a newspaper. Cons of BLS: – Exceedingly dull, lifeless site design typical of a government institution – Data is updated somewhat infrequently
— once every two months or so — compared to private sector salary sites.