One company, one 75,500 dollar gap between role families

One company revealed a staggering $75,500 median difference between the top and bottom of its role family salary ranges. This information was compiled from a public dataset of 8,049 job postings from 266 employers, sourced directly from their own applicant tracking systems. The dataset focused solely on postings that explicitly stated a salary range, excluding bonuses, equity, and other variables that contribute to total compensation.

The median pay disparity was observed across various role families, including engineering, product, sales, marketing, finance, design, people/recruiting, legal, security, and support and operations. Notably, seniority titles such as "senior" or "staff" did not significantly impact the median salary, with titles containing these words yielding a median of $185,791 and titles without seniority words at $193,500.

The study highlights that the role family, rather than the specific job title, plays a crucial role in determining salary. For career-minded individuals seeking optimal pay, focusing on the role family may be more advantageous than merely concentrating on the title alone. It is essential to remember that the posted ranges are base salary bands, not total compensation packages, and are subject to change over time with factors such as promotions and raises.

The dataset provides transparency into these discrepancies, allowing individuals to make more informed decisions when evaluating job offers and negotiating compensation.