The most accurate salary websites, compared
Updated
No single site is the most accurate for every question: each one counts different people. For the typical pay of a job in a city, use the BLS employer survey. For pay at a named company, Glassdoor or Levels.fyi. For what employers advertise in job postings, Indeed.
Where each site's numbers come from
| Site | Where the numbers come from | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| BLS (OEWS) | A survey of employers: a sample of about 1.1 million establishments, over three years | The typical pay of a job in a state or metro area |
| Glassdoor | Salaries shared anonymously by employees | Pay at a named company, next to its reviews |
| Levels.fyi | Pay shared by employees, many checked against offer letters, W-2s or pay stubs | Total pay by company and level, stock included |
| Payscale | Its online salary survey, filled in by employees | How experience, skills and certifications change pay |
| Salary.com | Employer-reported, HR-verified survey data | Employer benchmarks for a job description |
| Indeed | Pay in job postings on Indeed over the past 36 months | What employers advertise in job postings |
| ZipRecruiter | Employer job postings and third-party data | Advertised pay for open jobs |
| Salaries submitted privately by members | Pay ranges next to job posts |
Pick the source for your question
- Am I paid fairly for my job here? The BLS median for your job and metro area. Salaries by job and city.
- What does this company pay? Glassdoor, or Levels.fyi for total pay by level. Levels.fyi vs Glassdoor.
- What would a new job offer? Pay ranges in job postings on Indeed, ZipRecruiter or LinkedIn. Glassdoor vs Indeed.
- How do my experience and skills change it? Payscale's survey. Payscale vs Glassdoor.
How to check any salary figure
- Who reported it: employers, employees, or job postings.
- How many: a figure built on a few reports can sit far from the typical pay.
- What it counts: base pay only, or bonus and stock too.
- When: the date of the data, not of the page.
- Compare two sources: if they agree, you have your number.
The BLS median for software developers in the Seattle area is $167,280 (U.S.: $135,980). Put any site's figure for the same job and city next to it: if they agree, you have your number.
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What is the most accurate salary website?
For the typical pay of a job in a city, the BLS: it surveys employers, about 1.1 million establishments over three years. For pay at a named company, Glassdoor or Levels.fyi.
Is BLS salary data better than Glassdoor?
They answer different questions. The BLS gives the typical pay of a job across all employers in an area. Glassdoor gives pay at named companies, from what employees share.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS technical notes for May 2025 estimates, May 15, 2026
- Glassdoor Help Center, What salary information is available on Glassdoor?, read November 9, 2026
- Levels.fyi, About, read November 9, 2026
- Payscale developer documentation: Jobalyzer data and reports, 2025
- Salary.com, salary research pages, read November 9, 2026
- Indeed, Registered nurse salaries in the United States, updated November 2, 2026
- ZipRecruiter, Registered nurse salary (archived copy), June 30, 2022
- LinkedIn, Introducing salary insights on jobs, February 13, 2018
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, published May 15, 2026
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, www.bls.gov/oes. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.