Top Salary Comparison Tools
Tool #1: Indeed
Tool #2: Bureau of Labor Statistics Salary Survey
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a division of the U.S. Department of Labor and is responsible for collecting, compiling, analyzing, and disseminating economic data.
The BLS salary survey, or the Average Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers, is an effective tool for comparing the cost of living in different locations and for determining the relative income level of people in different professions. Because the survey is conducted using a scientific, random sample of employers across the country, each salary survey reflects the average experience and compensation level of workers in different occupations and industries across the country.
This survey is useful for determining the relative income of workers in different jobs in a particular area. Specifically, survey participants log their workplace earnings and are asked to estimate their own earnings and the percentage of workers in the same occupation with whom they are similar in age and education. This is a good way to determine relative salary in your profession in a particular region of the country. Obviously, the salary survey is not a universal salary guide.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Salary Survey
The salary survey is offered every two years.
The latest survey, released in April, 2015, contains detailed information on the average earnings of full-time workers in the country by sex, age, and education. The data for the survey is provided by over 4,800 employers.