How much of a raise to ask for when switching jobs
Updated
People who change jobs get bigger pay increases: a median 4.7% a year, against 3.4% for people who stay (Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker, September 2026). Ask a new employer for at least the median for the job in its city, and never less than your pay plus the raise you'd get by staying.
Switchers and stayers
| Workers | Latest (3-month average) | Past year (12-month average) |
|---|---|---|
| Changed jobs | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Stayed in their job | 3.4% | 3.5% |
| All | 3.9% | 3.7% |
A median: half of the people who switched got more. Your own jump depends on how far your pay sits from the market.
Set your number
- Your floor: your pay plus a normal raise, 3.5% in 2027. Moving costs you the raise you'd get by staying.
- The market: the median for the job in the new city, and the 75th percentile if you're senior. Salaries by job and city.
- The ask: one number, at or above the market. Not a range.
Example
A software developer paid $120,000, interviewing in the Austin area. Floor: $124,200. Median there: $134,120, 75th percentile $168,730. The ask: $135,000, a 12.5% raise.
Moving to another city
The same job pays differently: the median for software developers is $186,640 in the San Francisco area and $134,120 in the Austin area (BLS). Use the median of the city you move to. Software developer pay in 50 cities.
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Check my payQuestions
Is a 10% raise normal when changing jobs?
The median switcher gets 4.7% a year (Atlanta Fed). 10% is right if your pay is about 10% below the median for the new job and city.
Should I ask for more than the job posting says?
If the posting's range sits below the median for the job and city, ask for the median and say where the number comes from.
Sources
- Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Wage Growth Tracker, updated October 8, 2026
- Mercer, US employers stick with moderate pay increases for 2027 (QuickPulse, 1,001 U.S. organizations), August 31, 2026
- Payscale Salary Budget Survey, reported by WorldatWork (1,266 organizations), August 6, 2026
- 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.