How to Read US Salary Levels: Budget by State, City, Role, and Experience

Start with the conclusion: build a budget from role facts

When forming a company and hiring employees in the United States, first define the role's duties and the metro area where the employee will actually work. Then use P25, P50, P75, and other percentiles from the same dataset to form an initial range. State and local minimum wages and the published range in a job advertisement are separate compliance floors and visibility constraints. An average wage supplies background only; it cannot decide an offer for a role. Statistical wages are market observations, not quotations, commitments, or legal wage standards.

As of 24 August 2026, the latest available annual OEWS data from BLS remain May 2025, published on 15 May 2026. The BLS 2025 A01 results and data-table entry point should take priority over older articles, compensation-platform summaries, or search snippets. This article calculates cash wages only. It does not mix in employer taxes, insurance, benefits, recruitment fees, or equity. For total employer cost, continue to the US employer-cost guide.

Keep three risks in mind: a metro area is not a city administrative boundary, and the New York, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro areas each cross several counties; a job title cannot replace a duties match, because roles all called "operations" may fall under different SOC codes; and the pay range that a transparency law requires to be published is neither the BLS median nor necessarily the final amount the company must pay.

Use four definitions consistently: units, statistics, percentiles, and SOC

The statistical definitions and survey approach for OEWS follow the BLS May 2025 Technical Note. The BLS wage-distribution explanation also distinguishes the mean from the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles. First separate four commonly confused ways of reading the figures, then place them back into the role budget.

Hourly and annual wages: confirm they use the same basis

OEWS publishes both hourly and annual wages. Annual pay is an intuitive unit for a full-time budget, but it is not a contractual commitment. BLS annualisation generally uses 2,080 hours a year, so part-time work, seasonal work, overtime, commissions, and bonuses cannot be derived from that figure. Where an example starts from the hourly median, use "hourly wage × 2,080" as a check. A formal budget should cite BLS's published annual-wage field first, so rounding does not create error.

The mean is the arithmetic average of the sample and can be pulled upward by the high-wage tail. The median (P50) is the middle position after ordering the data. A software developer's annual mean in a metro area may be close to P50 or materially different. Neither figure alone answers "What should I pay a candidate?" For budgeting, the mean is useful for a market overview, P50 for a neutral anchor, and P25 to P75 for a first range that can be discussed.

P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90: distribution positions, not years of experience

P10 means that about 10% of observed wages are below that value; P90 means that about 90% are below it. They describe the surveyed wage distribution, not five statutory candidate grades. P25, P50, and P75 also cannot be mechanically translated as junior, mid-level, and senior. Experience is one factor in choosing a percentile, but scope of duties, scarce skills, industry, language, work arrangement, management responsibility, and hiring speed also move a budget position.

If a role is new and its duties may still change, start with P25-P50. If it requires independent delivery, cross-team collaboration, or urgent hiring, begin at P50-P75 and explain any change through a competitive premium. Do not use P90 simply to look professional; that turns a high-end market observation into a general quote.

SOC: match work content, not the job title

The four fixed sample roles are 15-1252 Software Developers, 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors, 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives, and 13-1161 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists. First read the BLS SOC classification guidance, write a role card covering the main duties, decision authority, required skills, and whether the role manages people, then select the closest SOC. Sales, growth, product, and data roles cannot share one code simply because their Chinese translations are similar.

Six layers for a budget: role benchmark, location calibration, experience percentile, competitive premium, compliance floor, and budget range

These six layers are this article's reusable tool. They give each adjustment a reason, make it reproducible, and allow professional review.

Layer one: role benchmark

State the outcome the role must actually deliver in its first year, its main duties, tools, and responsibility boundary. Choose an SOC and record adjacent occupations that do not apply. If the role includes people management, sales commission, shift work, or licensed work, one ordinary occupation's wage data are not enough. Keep the role-card version with the data date so you can later explain why the budget changed.

Layer two: location calibration

Identify where the employee actually works every day before selecting the relevant metro area. A city name may be an accessible label for the reader, but a data citation must state BLS's full metro-area name and data period. For interstate remote work or work at a customer's site, use the closest OEWS market as a market benchmark and separately check the wage floor and transparency requirements in the actual city under the compliance layer.

Layer three: experience percentile

Translate "experience" into observable work complexity: whether the person must break down problems independently, manage people, own customer or compliance outcomes, or deliver on a short timetable. Use P25, P50, or P75 as the starting point for the candidate range and state that this is an experience mapping, not BLS's direct measurement of experience. P10 and P90 are better for boundary checks and should not become recruitment quotes without explanation.

Layer four: competitive premium

Where a role is scarce, the hiring window is short, an incumbent candidate is needed, or special skills are required, add a stated planning assumption to the percentile range, such as 5% or 10%. This is a budget assumption, not an official statistic or market guarantee. State the reason, application period, and review date. If candidates do not accept, revisit the role scope, workplace, or hiring speed before raising the amount without limit.

Layer five: compliance floor

Convert federal, state, county, city, or industry minimum wages that apply into the same unit and use them as a "cannot go below" check. A minimum wage is a legal floor, not the market price of a role. Statistical ranges for software developers and similar roles are usually far above that floor, while customer-service, entry support, and hourly shift roles may be constrained by it. If more than one layer applies, use official rules to confirm the higher standard, exceptions, and effective date.

Layer six: budget range

Use the layers to write the range. One transparent conceptual formula takes the higher of "the percentile for the role and location × (1 + the stated premium)" and "the applicable cash-wage compliance floor" as the budget floor. It takes another percentile × (1 + premium) as the budget ceiling, while separately stating whether negotiation room is needed. This formula excludes employer taxes, insurance, benefits, bonuses, and equity, and it is not a MANPRPOWER quotation.

Reproducible readings for three metro areas and four SOC codes

All figures below come from BLS May 2025 OEWS and are in US dollars. The hourly P10/P25/P50/P75/P90, annual P10/P25/P50/P75/P90, and annual mean are transcribed field by field. Annual figures remain subject to readback from BLS data tables or the API after rounding. The Technical Note says the survey covers about 530 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and the metro-area definitions page lists the counties in each area. If you batch-check through the BLS Public Data API multi-series method, retain the actual series IDs, returned year, and period. The API is only a readback tool; annual source fields still need to be cross-checked against the BLS May 2025 tables and 2025 A01 release.

New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area (NY-NJ, BLS area code 35620)

This metro area spans New York and New Jersey. Do not treat a "New York City office" as the administrative boundary of the whole metro area. Minimum wage and transparency rules still need checking against the employee's actual work state, city, and role conditions.

• 15-1252 Software Developers: hourly P10/P25/P50/P75/P90 are 48.89/62.81/80.21/99.02/107.97; annual P10/P25/P50/P75/P90 are 101,690/130,650/166,830/205,970/224,590; annual mean 165,870.
• 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors: hourly 34.54/39.82/50.80/66.10/84.01; annual 71,850/82,830/105,650/137,490/174,750; annual mean 119,280.
• 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives: hourly 17.75/20.70/23.84/29.78/37.16; annual 36,930/43,060/49,590/61,940/77,290; annual mean 54,410.
• 13-1161 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists: hourly 29.04/36.78/48.33/62.84/80.23; annual 60,400/76,510/100,520/130,700/166,880; annual mean 106,310.

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area (CA, BLS area code 41860)

The BLS area includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and other counties. "San Francisco wages" cannot be applied directly to every city in the metro area. If the employee actually works in the City of San Francisco, check the local minimum wage separately.

• 15-1252 Software Developers: hourly P10/P25/P50/P75/P90 are 61.58/78.61/89.73/105.61/131.44; annual P10/P25/P50/P75/P90 are 128,090/163,500/186,640/219,670/273,400; annual mean 193,430.
• 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors: hourly 35.30/42.70/53.24/69.03/86.57; annual 73,420/88,820/110,730/143,590/180,060; annual mean 120,780.
• 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives: hourly 20.38/22.63/27.80/34.13/40.76; annual 42,390/47,070/57,830/70,990/84,780; annual mean 61,320.
• 13-1161 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists: hourly 29.17/39.67/59.25/82.00/101.51; annual 60,680/82,510/123,250/170,560/211,140; annual mean 130,760.

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area (TX, BLS area code 19100)

BLS's Dallas market is likewise a metro area, not the City of Dallas administrative boundary. Texas's state-level cash-wage floor differs from New York's and California's, but a lower floor does not justify reducing the median or P25 directly to minimum wage.

• 15-1252 Software Developers: hourly P10/P25/P50/P75/P90 are 41.31/50.80/64.08/78.89/86.25; annual P10/P25/P50/P75/P90 are 85,920/105,660/133,290/164,100/179,400; annual mean 138,810.
• 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors: hourly 27.86/34.19/39.72/50.07/64.20; annual 57,940/71,100/82,620/104,150/133,540; annual mean 92,520.
• 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives: hourly 15.08/17.62/21.63/24.75/29.80; annual 31,370/36,660/44,990/51,470/61,980; annual mean 46,210.
• 13-1161 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists: hourly 20.53/28.48/36.17/49.27/68.50; annual 42,710/59,240/75,240/102,490/142,480; annual mean 84,070.

The figures can be checked this way. For Dallas 13-2011, annual P50 is 82,620 and hourly P50 is 39.72; 39.72 × 2,080 = 82,617.60, which agrees after rounding. If a public platform's "average salary" is mixed with P50 here, the result is no longer on the same basis.

Minimum wage and transparency: how floors intersect with ranges

Federal law is the starting floor, not a skilled-role quote

For non-exempt employees covered by the FLSA, the federal minimum wage has been US$7.25 per hour since 24 July 2009. The DOL FLSA explanation and minimum-wage Q&A both say that where a higher state or local standard also applies, the applicable rules must meet the higher standard, and particular industries and employee classes may have exceptions. A budget worksheet should keep federal, state, local, and industry fields separate, rather than using US$7.25 in place of every check.

New York: regional floors and state pay ranges operate together

The current New York State Department of Labor table shows that from 1 January 2026, the general minimum wage is US$17.00 per hour in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, and US$16.00 elsewhere in New York State. Industries, tipped work, and home care have separate rules, so return to the current NY DOL minimum-wage page to verify them. A customer-service role in Manhattan can use BLS P25 as its market starting point, but US$17.00 is only a floor, not a replacement for P25.

New York Labor Law section 194-B requires covered businesses to provide a job description and pay range in specified job, promotion, and transfer opportunities. The NY DOL pay-transparency page explains that it generally applies to businesses with four or more employees. The range must be reasonably accurate when published, and commission roles must also be described. Before hiring in New York, decide the role card, cash range, and adjustment authority. Do not first publish a wide range that cannot be honoured and attempt to cure it through negotiation.

California and San Francisco: state floor, city floor, and published pay

California DIR's current page shows that the general statewide minimum wage is US$16.90 per hour from 1 January 2026, with higher specialised standards for some fast-food and healthcare roles. The California minimum-wage page also notes that some cities and counties have higher standards. San Francisco's official 2026 notice states that from 1 July 2026, employees working in San Francisco for at least two hours a week generally have a US$19.61 hourly minimum wage. The official City notice also sets out the exception boundaries. A San Francisco market budget cannot simply copy California's US$16.90.

Enforcement guidance for California Labor Code section 432.3 requires an employer with 15 or more employees to include the pay scale the employer reasonably expects to pay in job advertisements for positions that may be filled in California. The California DIR Equal Pay Act guidance also explains boundaries for remote jobs and employee pay-scale requests. A published range constrains the visible floor and ceiling of a budget, but it is not a BLS percentile. A single job advertisement cannot be used to infer the whole market median.

Texas: a lower floor still requires separating market from law

The Texas Workforce Commission's FLSA explanation states that Texas's minimum wage is the same US$7.25 as the federal rate and that non-exempt employees are also subject to federal overtime rules. Confirm it against the TWC official explanation and the facts of the particular industry. Dallas P25 annual pay for customer service is US$36,660, far above the US$15,080 floor calculated as 7.25 × 2,080. That is exactly why a compliance floor and a competitive wage are separate lines. Whether a Texas role needs a published pay range, how an advertisement must be written, and whether city or industry rules apply cannot be inferred from a low state floor. Check the actual workplace and applicable adviser view before publishing.

Three expressly fictional scenarios: run the formula

The scenarios below are anonymous calculation demonstrations only. They are not MANPRPOWER customers, cases, quotations, or outcome commitments. The 5% and 10% are planning assumptions used to demonstrate the formula, not market facts.

Scenario one: a customer-service lead candidate in the New York metro area

A fictional company plans to hire a customer-service role in the New York metro area that can independently handle escalated complaints, write a knowledge base, and lead two part-time colleagues. Start with the 43-4051 P25-P75 annual range of US$43,060-US$61,940. Because the job manages people and the hiring window is short, assume a 5% premium: 43,060 × 1.05 = 45,213; 61,940 × 1.05 = 65,037. The first cash budget is about US$45,200-US$65,000. New York City's US$17.00 minimum wage converts to US$35,360 and is only a floor check. If the final actual workplace is Long Island or Westchester, verify against the official regional table.

Scenario two: a software developer in the San Francisco metro area

Another expressly fictional company needs a software developer who can independently complete backend services and take part in code review, but does not manage a team. Take the 15-1252 P25-P75 annual range in the San Francisco metro area, US$163,500-US$219,670. Because the skills are scarce, assume a 10% premium: 163,500 × 1.10 = 179,850; 219,670 × 1.10 = 241,637. The initial budget can be US$179,900-US$241,600. If the role is actually in the City of San Francisco, the US$19.61 minimum wage is not the decisive constraint, but city applicability, the published pay scale, and the role's duties should still be checked by professionals.

Scenario three: an accountant in the Dallas metro area

The third expressly fictional scenario is a company newly entering the US market. It plans to hire an accountant responsible for month-end close, accounts receivable and payable, and liaison with external accountants, without signing audit reports. Start with the 13-2011 P25-P75 annual range in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, US$71,100-US$104,150, and assume a 5% premium: 71,100 × 1.05 = 74,655; 104,150 × 1.05 = 109,357.50. The budget is about US$74,700-US$109,400. Texas's US$7.25 floor converts to US$15,080, which does not mean US$15,080 can hire someone who meets the role requirements.

Leave four notes for every scenario: the version of the role duties and SOC, the BLS data period, the premium assumption and review date, and the employee's actual workplace. If any one changes, obtain the data again rather than changing only the final budget figure.

Turn the range into a reviewable budget sheet

Keep one cash-salary budget sheet for each role, with at least the following:

• Role card: core duties, management responsibility, key skills, SOC code, and adjacent occupations that do not apply.
• Location card: actual work city, state, metro-area code, remote or interstate arrangement, and BLS data period.
• Statistics card: raw mean, P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 values, which two percentiles form the range, and why.
• Premium card: whether a premium applies, its percentage, reason, validity period, approver, and hiring signals that trigger review.
• Compliance card: federal, state, local, and industry minimum wages; covered employee class; effective date; published pay-range requirements; and official links.
• Decision card: cash-wage range, whether it includes commission or bonus, negotiation ceiling, when to recalculate, and which costs are expressly outside the sheet.

Review sequence and stop conditions

In actual execution, verify the data period and metro-area definition first, then the role card and SOC, and only then discuss premiums and published ranges. If the data period changes while the role does not, update the raw percentiles. If duties change while the location does not, rematch the SOC. If the employee moves or becomes interstate remote, check minimum wage and transparency at the actual workplace again. If any of these three lacks evidence, mark the budget as pending confirmation and do not give a candidate a final range.

The budget sheet should also retain the raw figures and rounded display figures, state who approved the premium and when it expires, and say whether a public advertisement triggers stricter state or local requirements. Finance can then reproduce the figures, operations can explain them, and advisers can quickly see facts that need further questions, rather than receiving a single annual-salary total with no trail. Retain the query date, source version, and internal approval record for every data pull. When the published range changes, update the budget sheet before changing recruitment copy so candidates do not see figures that lag the internal decision.

The "range" here is an internal planning tool, not a commitment to a candidate or customer. Where state law requires a range in a job advertisement, it should match the approved budget. If the budget can attract candidates only by writing a very high ceiling without approved funds, adjust the role, location, or hiring plan first. Do not present BLS statistical percentiles as legal standards or minimum wage as a role quote.

This article covers cash wages only; leave other costs for later

To keep the basis consistent, this article does not calculate Social Security, Medicare, unemployment tax, workers' compensation, health insurance, retirement plans, paid leave, bonuses, commissions, equity, recruitment-agency fees, office space, or payroll software. They can materially change total employer cost, but they cannot be substituted here with a single "wage times a multiplier". Continue to the US employer-cost guide and calculate by actual employer, state, employee class, and benefit plan.

MANPRPOWER LIMITED provides company-registration, document-preparation, and implementation-coordination support only. It does not provide legal, tax, compensation, payroll, insurance, or hiring decisions. This article also does not replace an employment adviser's judgement on employee classification, minimum-wage exceptions, overtime, pay transparency, interstate work, or advertising compliance. Before issuing a formal offer or public recruitment range, have qualified local legal, tax, compensation, or HR advisers at the employee's actual workplace confirm it.

As a next step, choose one role, complete the role and location cards, then take P25-P75 from BLS May 2025 for the same SOC and same metro area. Record the premium assumption, compliance floor, and review date. Even if the budget later changes, this lets you explain whether the change came from the role, location, experience, competitive strategy, or legal floor.