Am I Underpaid? Salary Percentile Calculator
Check if you're underpaid in 30 seconds. Enter your job, city, and salary to see your exact BLS wage percentile and how your pay compares to the median.
How to read your result
This checker places your salary on the wage distribution for your exact job and metro, using official BLS percentile data:
- Below the 25th percentile - you earn less than about three in four peers. A strong sign you’re underpaid for the role and location.
- 25th to 75th - you’re in the normal range for the job and city.
- Above the 75th percentile - you’re well paid; you out-earn most peers.
Percentiles beat a single “average” because averages are pulled up by a handful of very high earners. The median (50th percentile) is what a typical person in your role actually makes.
What to do if you’re underpaid
A low percentile is evidence, not a verdict. Pair it with your experience and results, check the salary by city pages for the full percentile ladder, and see what your pay is really worth after local costs with the cost-of-living calculator and paycheck calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare your salary to the wage distribution for your exact job and city. If you fall below the 25th percentile, you earn less than about three in four people in that role and metro - a strong signal you're underpaid. This tool uses official BLS wage percentiles to show where you land.
It's where your pay ranks among everyone in the same job and city. The 50th percentile (median) means half earn more and half earn less. The 90th percentile means you earn more than 90% of people in that role and metro. Percentiles are a fairer benchmark than a single average, which a few very high earners can skew.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) - the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for each occupation and metro area. It's the same government wage data behind the salary pages on this site.
Being below the median for your role and city is useful evidence, but it isn't the whole picture - experience, specialization, company size, and total compensation all matter. Use the percentile as a data point to anchor a negotiation, alongside your specific results and responsibilities.