How to ask for a raise when you are underpaid

Updated November 9, 2026

Prove the gap with market data, then ask for a market adjustment, not a favor. In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay estimates for about 830 occupations, by state and metro area, which gives you a neutral number to point to. Pair it with your results and ask for a specific salary and a date.

What to do

1. Find your real job title. Match what you actually do, not just your title, to an official occupation. If you do the work of a senior role, compare to that one.
2. Check official pay data. In the US, search your occupation in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables, then look at your state and metro area. Outside the US, use your national statistics office. Add two or three current job ads in your city that show a salary range.
3. Write the gap down. One line: what you earn, what the market pays for this work in your area, and the difference. Keep the sources on one page you can hand over.
4. Add your results. Data shows the market; your results show you deserve the upper part of it. Three achievements with numbers is enough.
5. Ask for an adjustment. Call it a "market adjustment", name the salary, and if it can't happen at once, ask for a written plan in two steps with dates.
6. Know your next move. If the answer is a flat no with no plan, the market data you gathered is also your starting point for a job search. See negotiating with another offer.

What to say

Say this in a meeting booked to discuss pay:

I've been looking at pay for this role. Official data and current job ads for our area put it around [market range], and I'm at [your salary]. Over the last year I've also taken on the scheduling and the supplier contracts. I'd like to ask for a market adjustment to [your number]. If that can't happen in one step, can we agree on a plan with dates?

Avoid

• Don't compare yourself to a named coworker's salary; compare your pay to the market for the work.
• Don't open with anger or "I've been underpaid for years"; open with the data.
• Don't use salary websites with no stated method as your only proof.

Questions