How to Negotiate a Higher Salary as a New Graduate

What to research, the exact words to use when an offer lands, and how to hold your number without sounding like you might walk away.

By Noor AbdallahOct 28, 202610 min read

Quick answer

Start from a benchmark, not a blank page: the Class of 2024 bachelor's average starting salary was $65,677, up 2.2% on the Class of 2023's $64,291 (National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 2025).
Asking often moves something: of workers who asked for more than offered, 28% got their number and 38% got more than first offered (Pew Research Center, 2023).
Later annual raises are smaller than offer-stage gains — the overall median pay raise was 4.1% in 2024, down from 4.5% in 2023 (WTW survey of about 31,000 organizations, reported by SHRM, 2024).

Featured image for "How to Negotiate a Higher Salary as a New Graduate"

Your starting offer is the most movable number of your early career, because every later percentage raise is calculated from it. Most U.S. workers who are not self-employed say they did not ask for more than the pay first offered the last time they were hired; among those who did ask, 28% were given the figure they asked for and 38% were given more than the original offer though less than they asked (Pew Research Center, 2023).

This guide covers the artifacts to assemble before you reply, the words to use when the offer arrives, and how to answer the pushback you are most likely to hear.

Before You Ask: Research and Preparation

Each step should end with something you can print, paste into a document, or read off a card. If you cannot point to the artifact, the step is not done.

Print the government wage estimate for your occupation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program publishes estimates by occupation at national, state, and metro or non-metro level, and names this as data job seekers can use in salary negotiations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, undated). OEWS covers about 830 occupations across more than 400 industries, drawn from a survey of 1.1 million establishments, with estimates for roughly 530 metro and nonmetro areas plus states (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, undated). Artifact: one page showing your occupation's national, state, and metro figures, each labeled median, mean, or percentile, and hourly or annual.
Add a new-graduate benchmark and date it. The overall average starting salary for Class of 2024 bachelor's graduates was $65,677, up 2.2% on the Class of 2023 average of $64,291 (NACE, 2025). A later NACE survey reported the overall average for new college graduates rising 5.5% to $68,873 from $65,276 (CNBC, citing NACE, 2026). NACE tracks starting salaries three times a year, with a Winter projection from employer reports and a Summer final report built on graduates' actual First-Destination Survey data (NACE, undated). Artifact: a note recording which edition and year your figure comes from.
Turn the numbers into one sentence. New graduates are advised to avoid naming a single exact figure if asked early, and to give a researched range tied to the position, employer type, and experience level (UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development, 2020). Artifact: one written sentence with a low and a high number you can repeat verbatim.
Write three accomplishments with measurements attached. Early-career guidance recommends outlining a project, the steps and tools used, and the result in concrete terms such as time saved or accuracy improved (Robert Half, undated). Artifact: three short paragraphs from coursework, an internship, a campus job, or a capstone, each ending in a measured outcome.
Check the employer's current situation. The same guidance recommends researching company information, such as recent staff reductions, before a salary conversation (Robert Half, undated). Artifact: three bullet points on recent hiring, funding, or restructuring news.
Fix three numbers and price the whole package. New graduates are advised to pick a realistic number backed by data and weigh the full compensation package rather than base pay alone (Robert Half, undated). Artifact: a card with your target, your lowest acceptable base, and your walk-away point, plus a list of everything attached to the base — sign-on, bonus or commission terms, overtime eligibility, retirement contribution, health premium share, relocation, tuition support, remote days. Where a role pays commission, tips, or routine overtime, write down which part of the total is guaranteed base, because only the base survives a slow quarter.

What to Say

Swap the benchmark figures below for the ones from your own research before you say anything out loud.

Buying yourself time when the offer arrives

CareerOneStop, from the U.S. Department of Labor, advises waiting to discuss salary until you have an offer, expressing appreciation and strong interest first, and asking for at least 24 hours to decide (CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor), undated).

Sample: on the phone, the moment the offer is made
"Thank you — I'm glad to hear it, and I want this role. Could I take 24 hours to read the full package and come back to you tomorrow with any questions? I'd like to give you a clear yes."

Naming your number

Sample: countering an offer that sits below the national average
"I appreciate the offer and I'd like to accept. Looking at the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS estimate for this occupation in this metro area, and at the average starting salary of $65,677 for Class of 2024 bachelor's graduates (NACE, 2025), the number I'm asking for is $68,873 — the overall average for new college graduates in a more recent NACE survey (CNBC, citing NACE, 2026). The reason is my final-year project: I rebuilt a weekly manual report so it ran automatically, which took a half-day task down to under an hour. Is $68,873 something you're able to do?"

If they ask your expectations before an offer exists

Sample: deflecting to a researched range
"I've researched this role for employers of your size in this area. Based on the OEWS metro estimate and the national new-graduate averages — $65,677 for the Class of 2024 (NACE, 2025) and $68,873 in a later survey (CNBC, citing NACE, 2026) — I'd expect to land in that range. I'd rather hear what you've budgeted for the position so I can respond to a real number."

Handling the pushback

Sample: responding to "that's the top of the band for this level"
"That's fair, and I'm not asking you to break the band. Two things would get me to yes instead: a one-time sign-on to close the gap, or a written review at six months with a defined increase. The overall median pay raise across employers in 2024 was 4.1%, down from 4.5% in 2023 (WTW survey reported by SHRM, 2024), so a 4.1% increase written into the offer at six months would work for me. Which of those two is easier on your side?"

Two habits matter more than wording. End each ask with a question, so the employer has to answer rather than restate the offer. And once you have named a number, stop talking — silence is not your cue to negotiate against yourself.

Negotiation Checklist

Answer each of these yes or no. Anything still a no is work you have not done.

I have printed the BLS OEWS estimate for my occupation at national, state, and metro level (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, undated).
I have labeled each figure I copied as a median, mean, or percentile, and as hourly or annual.
I have written down the new-graduate benchmark I am using and the year of the report it came from — for example the Class of 2024 average of $65,677 (NACE, 2025).
I have written three accomplishments, each ending in a measured result such as time saved or accuracy improved (Robert Half, undated).
I have written three bullet points on the employer's recent hiring, funding, or restructuring news.
I have written a target number, a lowest acceptable base, and a walk-away point on one card.
I have written one sentence containing a researched low and high figure that I can say word for word if asked early (UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development, 2020).
I have asked for the offer in writing, including base pay, bonus or commission terms, overtime eligibility, start date, and benefits.
I have asked for at least 24 hours before responding (CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor), undated).
I have listed the non-base items I will ask for if base cannot move: sign-on, relocation, extra paid time off, remote days, tuition support, a dated review.
I have calculated the guaranteed base separately from any commission, tips, bonus, or overtime in the offer.
I have rehearsed the counter out loud at least once, and decided what I will say if the answer is no.

Frequently asked questions

Is it risky to negotiate when I have no experience?

Most U.S. workers who are not self-employed say they did not ask for more than the pay initially offered the last time they were hired (Pew Research Center, 2023). Among those who did ask, 28% received the pay they asked for, 38% received more than originally offered but less than they asked, and 35% received only the first offer (Pew Research Center, 2023). Pew also found men slightly more likely than women to say they asked (Pew Research Center, 2023). No tactic guarantees an increase and an employer can decline, but a polite counter after an offer is a normal part of hiring.

How much above the offer should I ask for?

There is no fixed rule, because the right number depends on four things you can look up: the OEWS estimate for your occupation in your state and metro area (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, undated); the new-graduate benchmark for your year, such as the Class of 2024 bachelor's average of $65,677 (NACE, 2025); the employer's size and sector; and whether the role adds commission, tips, or overtime on top of base. Guidance for early-career candidates is to choose a realistic number backed by data and prepare examples of your impact to justify it (Robert Half, undated).

What if the recruiter says the salary band is fixed?

Bands and budgets are usually set in advance. U.S. employers reported 2024 merit increase budgets rising 3.3% on average, with total salary increase budgets up 3.6% (Mercer survey data reported by SHRM, 2024), and 79% of organizations planned to give pay increases in 2024, down from 86% in 2023 (Payscale Compensation Best Practices Report, reported by SHRM, 2024). When base cannot move, shift to items outside the band — sign-on, relocation, paid time off, a dated review — and get the review commitment in writing. Treat the full package, not base pay alone, as what you are negotiating (Robert Half, undated).

Should I skip negotiating now and ask for a raise after six months?

You can do both, but the offer is usually the larger lever. Once inside, increases track company budgets: the overall median pay raise fell to 4.1% in 2024 from 4.5% in 2023 (WTW survey of roughly 31,000 organizations, reported by SHRM, 2024), and wages and salaries for civilian workers grew 4.4% over the 12 months ending in March 2024 (BLS Employment Cost Index, reported by SHRM, 2024). Worker expectations run higher: U.S. adults said an 8.2% annual increase would be fair on average, with a median response of 5% (NerdWallet survey reported by SHRM, 2024). Money added at the offer stage becomes the base those percentages apply to.

Where do I check current rates for my field before the call?

Start with the BLS OEWS program, which covers about 830 occupations across more than 400 industries and roughly 530 metro and nonmetro areas plus states, based on a survey of 1.1 million establishments (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, undated). Add the NACE Salary Survey, which tracks new-graduate starting salaries three times a year — a Winter projection from employer reports and a Summer final report built on graduates' actual First-Destination Survey data (NACE, undated). Your state labor department and your college career center's graduate outcomes data are worth checking for the same role in your metro area.

Sources

National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) — Average Starting Salary for Class of 2024 Shows Mild Gain (2025)
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) — NACE Salary Survey Subscription

Written by

Noor Abdallah

Noor writes personal essays and interviews about career changes, burnout, and starting over. She's interested in the stories people tell themselves about what a job is supposed to mean.