Salary listed as DOE: what it means and how to negotiate it

You're reading a job description that checks every box: the role, the company, the responsibilities. Then you hit the compensation line: Salary: DOE.

DOE stands for Depends on Experience. The company will set your pay based on what you bring: your years in the field, your skill set, your track record. No number is published.

That definition takes five seconds to look up. The harder questions take longer: Is this listing worth your time? What range is realistic? And what do you say when the recruiter asks about your expectations before you know what they're offering? This article covers all three.

What does DOE mean in a job posting?

DOE is short for Depends on Experience. When a salary is listed as DOE, the pay is set based on the candidate's background, not a fixed rate tied to the title.

You'll see it written several ways: "Salary: DOE," "Compensation: DOE," "Pay is DOE," or "Hourly rate DOE." All mean the same thing.

It's one of the most common salary formats in US job listings. According to LinkedIn's 2024 workforce data, roughly one in three job postings in the US still omits a specific salary figure. DOE is the default format when employers want flexibility on the offer before seeing candidates.

Why companies post DOE instead of a number

The honest answer is: it depends on the company.

On the legitimate side, DOE makes sense when a company is genuinely hiring across experience levels. The same job title might go to a mid-level candidate at $90K or a senior candidate at $130K. Publishing a number would either scare off strong candidates or anchor the offer too high for a weaker hire. That's a real constraint, and DOE is a reasonable response to it.

The less defensible use: some companies post DOE because their number is below market and they know it. Keeping the salary off the listing means candidates apply without a reference point, and research on pay transparency consistently shows that candidates without a posted salary to anchor to negotiate less effectively. A 2022 paper by economists at Glassdoor found that job postings with no salary listed attracted candidates who accepted offers 8–12% below those at comparable firms that posted ranges.

That's not a reason to rule out every DOE listing. It's a reason to do your research before you apply.

When a DOE listing is a red flag

Four patterns worth watching before you invest time in an application:

The experience requirement is a wide spread with no detail. "3–10+ years required" with no further breakdown usually means the role is underdefined. Underdefined roles are harder to negotiate because the employer can't articulate what they're actually paying for.

The company is in a pay transparency state but still posts DOE. Colorado, California, New York City, Washington, and Illinois all require employers to post salary ranges. If a company has employees in those states and is still running a national posting with no range, they're either in violation or relying on candidates not to ask.

Glassdoor compensation reviews are consistently below market. Before applying to any DOE listing, check Glassdoor's compensation section for that specific company. If multiple employees over multiple years flag below-market pay, DOE is likely how the company keeps hiring despite it.

No mention of equity, bonus, or benefits. A well-structured compensation package usually gets at least a mention in the posting. "Salary: DOE" with no other context is a thinner offer than "Salary: DOE, plus equity, annual bonus, and full benefits."

Pay transparency laws and what they mean for you

Five states now require employers to include salary ranges on job postings:

If you're applying to a company that operates in any of these states, you can ask the recruiter for the range directly. In most cases they're required to provide it.

Even in states without laws on the books, you can always ask. If a recruiter declines to share the budget range, that response tells you something too.

How to research your number before you apply

This is the step that makes every DOE conversation easier. Candidates who go into a recruiter call without a market reference point are negotiating blind. Candidates who've done the research walk in with a floor and a target.

Four steps before you apply to any DOE listing:

1. Find your role-specific, city-specific range. National medians are too broad to be useful. A Senior Marketing Manager in Denver earns a different number than the same title in San Francisco. Check your role on PayScope for location-adjusted compensation data before you respond to the posting.

2. Know where you sit in the full range. DOE listings tend to yield offers in the lower third of the market range for candidates who come in without data. If the market for your level runs $95K–$140K and you have 9 years of experience, you're at a different point in that range than someone with 4. Know where your background actually lands.

3. Cross-reference with company data. Salary benchmarking tools like LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor, and Levels.fyi (for tech) carry company-specific pay data. Two sources is the minimum. If both show the company consistently pays 12% below market, you need to decide whether the role is worth that discount before you apply.

4. Set your floor before the call. Decide on the minimum you'd accept, and decide that you'll walk away below it. Candidates who've thought through this number in advance handle the salary conversation differently than those who haven't.

Before you apply to that DOE listing, run a quick check on PayScope to see what the market is actually paying for your role in your city.

What to say when the recruiter asks about salary expectations

This is the conversation most people dread on a DOE listing. The recruiter asks what you're looking for. You don't have a posted number to anchor to. Two approaches that consistently work:

Ask about their range first. "I've been researching the market for this role. Before I share a specific number, could you tell me the approved budget range for the position?" Most recruiters filling real roles with real budgets will answer this. If they won't share a range at all, ask whether they can at least confirm a ballpark so you can assess fit.

Anchor with your market research. If they ask again after you've tried the first approach: "Based on my research, the market rate for this level in [city] is around $X to $Y. Given my background, I'd expect to be in that range. Does that match what you've budgeted?" This does two things at once: it signals that you've done the work, and it anchors the negotiation to real market data rather than an arbitrary number.

What to avoid: offering a specific number first without knowing their range. You're more likely to undershoot than to set a floor that helps you. The person who names a number first in a negotiation typically gets a worse outcome.

For a full walkthrough of building the data case you'll need in that conversation, see how to figure out your fair salary before any negotiation.

Know your number before the call

DOE listings hand the information advantage to the employer. The way to take it back is to research your market value first, set your floor, and walk in with a reference point.

Check your market value on PayScope →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does DOE mean in a job posting? DOE stands for Depends on Experience. It means the salary is not set at a fixed amount. The company determines the offer based on the candidate's background: years in the field, specific skills, and track record. No salary number is published in the listing.

Is DOE good or bad in a job posting? It depends on the employer. Some companies use DOE because they're genuinely hiring across experience levels and the pay range is wide. Others use it to avoid disclosing a below-market rate. Checking Glassdoor's compensation reviews for that company and researching your own market value before applying gives you a clearer picture than the DOE label alone.

Can I ask what the salary range is for a DOE job? Yes, and you should. Employers in Colorado, California, New York City, Washington, and Illinois are legally required to share salary ranges on job postings or upon request. In other states, you can still ask. Most recruiters will share the range if they're filling a legitimate position with an approved budget.

What should I say when a recruiter asks about salary expectations for a DOE job?Ask about their budget first: "Before I share a number, could you tell me the approved range for the role?" If they ask again, anchor with your market research: "Based on my research, the market for this level in [city] is X–X– X–Y. Does that match your budget?" Providing a number before you know their range puts the negotiating advantage on their side.

What does "pay is DOE" mean on a job application? It means the same thing as "Salary: DOE." The pay will vary based on your experience rather than a fixed rate. Some postings use different phrasings: "pay is DOE," "compensation is DOE," "hourly rate DOE." All refer to the same format: no fixed number, offer determined by candidate background.

Is DOE the same as negotiable? Not exactly. "Negotiable" usually implies an employer is willing to adjust from a stated starting point. DOE means there is no stated starting point. The number depends on who walks in. In practice, DOE roles always have an internal range. Researching your market value gives you a reference point to negotiate against even without a posted figure.