Am I Paid Fairly?

How to read your percentile

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys about 1.1 million workplaces and publishes five points of each occupation's pay distribution: the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th and 90th percentiles. If you're at the 40th percentile, about 40% of people in that occupation earn less than you and 60% earn more.

25 + (your pay − 25th) ÷ (median − 25th) × 25 = your position between two published points

Example: 25th = $50,000, median = $60,000, your pay $55,000 → about the 38th percentile.

Between the published points we draw a straight line, so the result is approximate. Below the 10th or above the 90th percentile we only say "below" or "above" — BLS doesn't publish the tails.

Why pay differs within the same job

• Experience and level. The range covers new hires and 30-year veterans alike. Early-career workers usually sit below the median.
• Location. State medians can differ by 50% or more for the same occupation — but so do prices and taxes. Each occupation page shows pay after tax and in national-average prices.
• Industry and employer size. Hospitals, government and private practices pay the same title differently.
• Hours and shifts. BLS annual wages assume full-time, year-round work (2,080 hours). Overtime and shift pay aren't in the percentiles.

What to do if you're below the middle

1. Check you've picked the right occupation and state. A one-word title change can move the median a lot.
2. Gather two more data points — postings for similar roles near you, and what peers you trust are paid.
3. Price the gap. Use the raise calculator to see what moving to the median is worth per paycheck and over five years.
4. Compare offers properly. If you're interviewing, the job offer comparison separates guaranteed pay from targets and unknowns.
5. Don't stop at base pay. Overtime, bonuses, retirement matches, PTO and commute costs can outweigh a few thousand dollars of salary.

A short script for the raise conversation

Keep it factual and forward-looking:

"I'd like to talk about my pay. Over the past year I've [two concrete results]. Official BLS data puts the median for [occupation] in [state] at [$X], and I'm currently at [$Y]. I'd like to get to [$Z]. What would it take to make that happen by [date]?"

Ask for a specific number and a date, and get any agreement in writing.

What this data can't tell you

• It's the latest BLS release (May 2025). Pay has likely moved since; it doesn't adjust for that.
• It doesn't know your experience, certifications, performance or employer's pay structure.
• Metro areas inside a state can differ a lot; state figures blend them.

Sources

1. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 9, 2026.