Email template · Application and screening
Email asking candidate salary expectations
In short
An email asking a candidate's salary expectations shares the role's pay range, asks what compensation the candidate is targeting, and explains why you are asking now. Leading with the range gets more honest answers and avoids wasted interviews. Below are templates, subject lines, an SMS and notes on salary history bans and pay transparency laws.
When to send it: Ask before or right after the first phone screen, never after the final interview. Finding a compensation gap after three rounds wastes everyone's time and puts pressure on the offer.
Email asking candidate salary expectations: 3 versions
Range first
SubjectPay range for [Job Title] and your expectations
Hi [First Name], Thanks for your interest in [Job Title]. Before we set up a call, I want to be upfront about pay so we don't waste your time. The base salary range for this role is $[Range Min] to $[Range Max], depending on experience, plus [bonus / benefits summary]. Most people join [in the lower half / around the midpoint] of the range. Does that work for you? If you have a target number in mind, feel free to share it. It helps me make the case for the right offer later. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
After the phone screen
SubjectFollowing up on our call: compensation
Hi [First Name], Thanks for the conversation today. I'm moving you forward to [Next Step] with [Hiring Manager Name]. One thing we didn't cover: what base salary are you looking for? For reference, the range for this role is $[Range Min] to $[Range Max]. A range or a number is fine, and it's useful to know about anything else that matters to you, like bonus, schedule or start date. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Expectations above the range
SubjectYour [Job Title] application and pay
Hi [First Name], Thanks for sharing that you're targeting around $[Candidate Number]. I want to be honest: the top of our range for [Job Title] is $[Range Max], and we don't have room to go above it for this role. If that still works for you, I'd be glad to keep going. If not, I completely understand. I'd also like to keep you in mind for [more senior role / future openings], where the range is closer to what you're looking for. Either way, let me know by [Date]. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Subject line ideas
- Pay range for [Job Title] and your expectations
- Quick question about compensation
- Following up on our call: compensation
- Before we schedule: salary range for [Job Title]
- Your salary expectations for [Job Title]
- Checking we're aligned on pay
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], it's [Your Name] at [Company]. The [Job Title] role pays $[Range Min] to $[Range Max]. Does that work for you? If you have a target, reply with it and I'll set up next steps.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [Range Min], [Range Max], [Candidate Number], [Next Step], [Hiring Manager Name], [Date], [Your Name], [Title], [Company]
Share the range before you ask
Recruiters used to ask for a number and hide the range, hoping to anchor low. That approach has mostly stopped working. Candidates research pay, more states require ranges in job postings, and a candidate who has to name a number first often either lowballs and resents it later or inflates it and drops out.
Sharing the range first is faster and fairer. Most candidates will simply say "that works," and the few who are far apart will say so early. Add one line about where offers typically land in the range, so nobody assumes they will get the maximum. If your compensation team does not want ranges shared, push back: the information is often already public in the posting, and hiding it mostly costs you candidates.
The cost of finding a mismatch late is real. A hiring manager who interviewed someone three times and then loses them over pay is far more likely to push for an exception the budget can't support.
When to ask
Ask at the start: either in the email that invites the candidate to a phone screen, or during the screen itself, with a follow-up email if it didn't come up. For high-volume hourly roles, the pay rate should already be in the posting and the outreach, so the question becomes a simple check ("This role pays $18.50 an hour; does that work for you?").
For senior or niche roles, expectations are often a package: base, bonus, equity, remote work, a sign-on bonus to cover a forfeited bonus. Ask about all of it early, and write it down in the candidate record so the offer stage starts from facts.
Legal notes: salary history and pay transparency
Asking about pay expectations is different from asking about pay history. Many US states and cities have a salary history ban that prohibits asking candidates what they earn or earned, including California, New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, Washington and others. Asking what they want to earn is generally allowed in those places. Phrase it carefully: "What base salary are you targeting?" rather than "What are you making now?"
Pay transparency laws in states such as Colorado, California, Washington and New York, plus several cities, require employers to include a good-faith pay range in job postings or provide it on request. If the range is in the posting, repeat it in the email. If a candidate volunteers their current salary unprompted, some jurisdictions still restrict relying on it to set the offer. Rules vary by state and country, so check the ones that apply to the role's location.
Handling a mismatch
When expectations are above the range, be direct. State the top of the range, say whether there is flexibility, and let the candidate decide. A clear no now is a better experience than a lowball offer later, and it keeps the door open for a better-paid role. The "above the range" template above does exactly this.
If you see the same gap repeatedly for one role, that is market data. Five qualified candidates in a row targeting 15% more than your maximum means the range is out of date, and the hiring manager and compensation team should hear it with numbers. For the bigger picture on building pay that holds up, see this guide to compensation packages that attract and retain top performers. If the gap shows up only at offer stage instead, a counter-offer response email helps you reply clearly.
Mistakes to avoid
- Asking about current salary in a jurisdiction with a history ban.
- Waiting until the final round to raise pay.
- Asking for a number while refusing to share the range. Candidates notice the imbalance.
- Treating the candidate's number as the offer. Pay people consistently with peers in the same role, not by who negotiated hardest; that is how pay equity problems start.
- Not recording the answer, so the offer team asks again.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask a candidate about salary expectations by email?
Share the pay range for the role first, say where offers typically land, then ask whether it works and whether they have a target in mind. Explain that knowing early avoids wasted time on both sides.
Is it legal to ask a candidate's expected salary?
In the US, asking about expected pay is generally legal, including in states with salary history bans. Asking about current or past pay is prohibited in many states and cities. Check the rules for the role's location.
When should recruiters ask about compensation expectations?
Before or during the first phone screen. Raising pay after the final interview risks losing the candidate or pressuring the offer budget.
What if a candidate's salary expectations are too high?
Tell them the top of the range plainly and whether there is flexibility, then let them decide. Offer to keep them in mind for roles with a higher range.
Should I share the salary range with candidates?
Yes. Many states require it in postings, and sharing it first gets more honest answers, fewer late dropouts and smoother offer conversations.