Bragswap

Raise request email: template and subject lines

Updated

Keep it short: ask for a meeting, give one number, and back it with the median pay for your job and city and three specific wins. Subject line: "Meeting request: my compensation".

Subject lines

  • "Meeting request: my compensation"
  • "Time to discuss my pay before reviews"
  • "Following up on our pay conversation" (after the meeting)

The template

Subject: Meeting request: my compensation Hi [Manager's name], I'd like 20 minutes to discuss my pay before budgets are set. This year I [win 1, with its result], [win 2] and [win 3]. The median pay for [job title] in the [city] area is $[median] (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). My pay is $[your pay]. I'm asking for $[your number]. Could we meet next week? Thanks, [Your name]

Fill it in

  1. The median: the official figure for your job and city. Check your pay, or find it in salaries by job and city.
  2. Three wins: what you did, when, and the result. How to get them.
  3. One number, not a range. How much to ask for.

Example: a software developer in the Austin area paid $120,000. The median there is $134,120. The ask: $135,000.

After the meeting

Subject: Following up on our pay conversation Hi [Manager's name], Thanks for your time today. To confirm: I asked for $[your number]. We agreed I will [what you will show] by [date], and we will review it on [date]. Thanks, [Your name]

If the answer was "no budget", the email still counts: it keeps the number and the date in writing. What to say when there's no budget.

What to leave out

  • A range: you'll get the low end.
  • Personal reasons (rent, a car). Ask for what the job is worth.
  • Long explanations: one line per win. The details are for the meeting.

See where your pay stands for your job and city. Takes 30 seconds. Free, no sign-up.

Check my pay

Questions

Should I ask for a raise by email or in person?

Both. Ask for the meeting by email, make your case in person, then confirm what was agreed by email.

When should I send a raise request email?

A few weeks before budgets are set, ahead of your review. Once the budget is split, your manager has little room left.

What should the subject line of a raise request email be?

Plain and specific: "Meeting request: my compensation". Your manager knows what the meeting is about before opening it.

Sources

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.