Market Adjustment Raise: What It Is, and Why You Might Deserve One

You open your payslip. Nothing’s changed. But something feels… off.

You’ve gained experience, taken on more responsibility, and you’ve seen job ads offering higher pay for your exact role. Even new hires at your company seem to be earning more.

Is it time for a promotion? Maybe. But what you might really need is something more subtle: a market adjustment raise.

What Is a Market Adjustment Raise?

A market adjustment raise is a salary increase given to align your compensation with current market rates. It’s not based on your performance or a new title. It’s about fairness. It's about catching up.

Think of it as a salary course correction.

Companies issue market adjustments when they realize that employees are being paid below the going rate for their role, level, and location (or remote equivalent).

Sometimes it happens quietly. Sometimes you have to ask for it. Either way, it's 100% legit to want your pay to reflect the real market, not a 2-year-old budget spreadsheet.

Why Do Companies Offer Market Adjustments?

1. The market moved fast, and you didn’t

Tech roles in particular change value quickly. A backend dev earning $90K in 2022 might now command $115K+ without doing anything new. Inflation, demand, and skill scarcity play a big role.

2. New hires are making more

If a company is offering new team members higher salaries than tenured employees in the same role, things can get awkward. A market adjustment helps close that gap.

3. Pay equity audits

Companies focused on DEI or preparing for compliance (hello, EU Pay Transparency Directive) often conduct internal audits. If they uncover discrepancies, they’ll offer market adjustments to correct them.

4. Retention risk

If a valued employee is underpaid, they’re one email from a recruiter away from leaving. Proactive market adjustments are often cheaper than replacing talent.

Market vs. Merit: What’s the Difference?

Let’s break it down:

Both matter. But one is about how well you work. The other is about how fairly you’re paid.

How to Know If You Deserve One

Ask yourself:

• Have salary ranges for your role increased significantly in the past 12–18 months?
• Are newer team members in similar roles being hired at higher pay?
• Have your responsibilities grown, even if your title hasn't?
• Are you in a high-demand skill area (data, security, backend, AI)?
• Are you below the average market range according to PayScope?

Still unsure? Check this guide with 7 ways to know if you're underpaid.

How to Ask for a Market Adjustment Raise

Step 1: Gather your market data

Use tools like PayScope to get:

• Median salary for your role & level
• Top 10% benchmarks
• Regional & remote comparisons

Bring this to the conversation, not assumptions.

Step 2: Frame it as alignment, not entitlement

Instead of “I want a raise,” try:

“Based on current market data, my compensation appears to be significantly below the range for this role. Can we talk about bringing it into alignment?”

This makes it about fairness, not ego.

Step 3: Focus on the business case

• Losing experienced employees = expensive
• Replacing you could cost 1.5–2x your salary
• You’re not asking for special treatment, just a data-backed correction

Want more tips? Here's how to ask for a raise without sounding awkward.

Are Market Adjustments Automatic?

Nope. Even in companies that do them, they often:

• Happen only during budget reviews
• Focus on specific roles or pay gaps
• Require a manager to advocate for you

If your company doesn’t offer them regularly, you may have to bring it up yourself (politely, with receipts).

Final Thought: Don’t Let Loyalty Undervalue You

If you've stayed with a company for years without seeing your pay evolve, you're not "lucky to have a job." You might be historically underpaid.

Market adjustment raises aren’t rewards. They’re repairs.

And you have every right to ask for one.

Want to Know If You're Underpaid?

Use PayScope.ai to:

• Upload your resume or LinkedIn
• Instantly see what you should be earning
• Compare by country, remote vs in-office, and role seniority

No signup. No fluff. Just market clarity.

Because if the market changed and your salary didn’t... you deserve to know.

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