NYC Salary Transparency Law: A Guide for Tech Job Seekers

If you have browsed tech job listings in New York City recently, you have probably noticed that most include a salary range. That is no accident. New York City and New York State both have pay transparency laws requiring employers to post good-faith pay ranges in job advertisements. For tech workers, these laws make it easier to compare roles, target the right level and negotiate with better information. This guide explains what the NYC salary transparency law means for tech job seekers, what it covers, its limits and how to use posted ranges in your search.

Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws and official guidance can change, so check the NYC Commission on Human Rights and the New York State Department of Labor for current details.

The basics of the NYC law

New York City's pay transparency law took effect in November 2022 as an amendment to the city's Human Rights Law. In general, it requires covered employers to include a good-faith minimum and maximum salary or hourly wage in advertisements for jobs, promotions and transfer opportunities that will be performed in New York City. Key points:

• It generally applies to employers with four or more employees, at least one of whom works in New York City.
• It covers full-time, part-time, and many other positions, including roles advertised by employment agencies.
• It applies to remote roles that could be performed, in whole or in part, in New York City, according to city guidance.
• The range must reflect what the employer genuinely believes it is willing to pay at the time of posting.

The New York State law

New York State's pay transparency law took effect in September 2023 and extends similar requirements statewide. It generally applies to employers with four or more employees and to jobs physically performed in New York State, as well as jobs performed outside the state that report to a supervisor, office or work site in New York. It also requires the posting to include the job description if one exists. For most NYC tech postings, both laws apply, and their requirements largely line up.

What the range covers, and what it does not

In tech, base salary is only part of compensation. Under city guidance, the required range is for base salary or hourly wage. Employers are generally not required to include other forms of pay, such as:

• Annual bonuses and sign-on bonuses
• Equity such as stock options or restricted stock units
• Commission
• Benefits like health insurance, retirement matching and paid time off

Some employers voluntarily mention bonus or equity eligibility. When they do not, remember that total compensation can be meaningfully higher than base salary, especially at public tech companies and later-stage startups that grant equity.

Why ranges can be wide

You may see postings with very broad ranges. Employers sometimes use one posting for several levels, or account for differences in experience and skills. The law requires a good-faith range, not a narrow one, though city guidance is clear that the range should not be open-ended, such as "$100,000 and up." A wide range is a reason to ask questions, not necessarily a red flag.

How to use posted ranges in your job search

Target the right level

Ranges help you figure out how a company levels a role. If two "Senior Software Engineer" postings have very different ranges, they may correspond to different levels of responsibility. Use ranges to focus your applications on roles that match your experience and goals.

Benchmark the market

Collect ranges for similar roles across companies to build your own picture of the New York market for your specialty, whether that is backend engineering, data science, product design or security. Combine this with information from salary data sites, peers and recruiters.

Negotiate with context

Knowing the posted range gives you a starting point for negotiation. Where you land within it usually depends on your experience, interview performance and competing offers. If you are strongly qualified, it is reasonable to ask for the upper part of the range, and to ask about bonus, equity and sign-on as separate levers.

Ask the right questions

• What level does this role map to internally?
• Where in the range do you expect to place the successful candidate?
• Is the role eligible for bonus or equity, and how are they structured?
• How often are compensation reviews conducted?

The salary history ban

New York City also has a long-standing law, in effect since 2017, that generally prohibits employers from asking about your salary history. New York State has a similar ban. You can choose to share it voluntarily, but you do not have to. Instead, you can talk about your salary expectations, informed by the posted range and your market research.

What to do if a posting lacks a range

If a job covered by the law is advertised in New York City without a range, the employer may not be in compliance. Some postings are exempt, such as certain temporary staffing roles, and some employers fall outside the threshold. You can ask the recruiter for the range directly. The NYC Commission on Human Rights accepts complaints about violations if you believe a posting breaks the rules.

Bottom line

Pay transparency has made the New York tech job market easier to navigate. Use posted ranges to focus your search, understand leveling and negotiate with confidence, while remembering to look at the full compensation package.

New York Tech Jobs lists current software, AI, data, security, design and infrastructure roles at New York City companies, with salary ranges shown where employers share them. Browse the latest openings and compare roles side by side.