Most software engineers and tech professionals leave significant money on the table during salary negotiations. Studies from Glassdoor and LinkedIn consistently show that candidates who negotiate receive 10–20% higher starting salaries than those who accept the first offer—yet fewer than 40% of workers attempt to negotiate at all.

In 2026, with AI reshaping teams and layoff-recovery cycles creating new hiring demand, negotiating well is more important than ever. Here is how to do it.

Why Negotiation Matters More Than You Think

The compounding effect of a single negotiation is staggering. An extra $10,000 on a starting salary, assuming 3% annual raises, turns into over $150,000 in additional cumulative earnings over ten years—before you even account for the higher base that future raises are calculated from.

Employers expect negotiation. Recruiters rarely open with their best number. A 2025 survey by Levels.fyi found that 84% of tech offers have room for negotiation, and the average improvement for those who pushed back was $18,000 in total compensation.

The Research Phase: Know Your Number Before the Call

Negotiating without data is guessing. Negotiating with data is a business conversation.

Where to benchmark:

  • SalaryGood salary pages — city-specific ranges by role
  • Levels.fyi — equity-inclusive compensation for major tech companies
  • LinkedIn Salary — peer-reported figures filtered by location and experience
  • Glassdoor — base salary distributions with company-level filters
  • Blind (app) — anonymous peer discussion, especially useful for offer comparisons

What to collect:

  • Median, P75, and P90 base salary for your exact role and city
  • Typical equity (RSU) vesting schedules and refreshes
  • Bonus structures (target %, guaranteed first-year)
  • Signing bonus norms for your seniority level

Once you have a target number, set a floor (the minimum you will accept), a target (realistic stretch), and an anchor (the first number you say out loud, usually 10–15% above target).

The Negotiation Conversation

Timing matters. The best moment to negotiate is after you have a written offer in hand—not during early interviews. Once you receive the offer, ask for 24–48 hours to review. Use that time to prepare.

The opener script:

"Thank you so much for the offer—I'm genuinely excited about this role and the team. I've done some research on market rates for a [Senior Software Engineer] in [San Francisco], and based on what I'm seeing, I was hoping we could get to [anchor number]. Is there flexibility there?"

Keep it simple, confident, and collaborative. You are not confronting them—you are solving a problem together.

Dos:

  • State your number first (anchoring works)
  • Give one clear reason tied to market data or your specific value
  • Stay silent after you name your number; let them respond
  • Counter every offer at least once, even if it feels uncomfortable

Don'ts:

  • Don't apologize for negotiating
  • Don't reveal your current salary unless legally required (it is banned in many US states and EU countries)
  • Don't give a range—give a number (the bottom of a range becomes the offer)
  • Don't accept immediately, even if the offer meets your number

Handling "that's our maximum":

"I understand there may be constraints on base. Are there other levers we could look at—a signing bonus, accelerated vesting, or an earlier performance review?"

Beyond Base Salary: The Full Compensation Picture

Base salary is often the least flexible part of an offer. These are the levers that frequently have more room:

Signing bonus: A one-time payment that doesn't affect ongoing payroll costs. Asking for $10,000–$30,000 (depending on level) is normal at most tech companies. If they can't move base, this is where money often hides.

Equity (RSUs/options): At pre-IPO companies, equity is the biggest variable. Ask for the total grant value, the vesting schedule (standard is 4 years with a 1-year cliff), and whether there are refresh grants. At public companies, ask how much of a refresh you can expect after year one.

Remote flexibility: If you are relocating from a lower cost-of-living city, negotiate the right to stay remote. This can be worth tens of thousands in effective purchasing power per year.

Annual bonus: Confirm whether the bonus is discretionary or target-based, and whether a guaranteed first-year minimum is possible.

Professional development budget: $1,000–$5,000/year for conferences, courses, and books is standard at larger companies. Ask for it explicitly if it is not listed.

After the Negotiation

Once you reach agreement, get everything in writing before you give notice or make any other commitments. Verbal promises fade—email confirmations exist forever.

If they come back with a lower number than you hoped, evaluate the full picture: growth trajectory, team quality, work-life balance, and equity upside. Sometimes the right move is to accept a lower base for the right opportunity. Sometimes it is to walk away.

Either way, you negotiated. That puts you in the top 40% of candidates—and well above average in total career earnings.

Ready to benchmark your current salary? Check what engineers in your city are actually earning on our salary insights directory.