The Truth About Salary Data

When it comes to researching compensation, most tech workers turn to platforms like Levels.fyi or Glassdoor. While these sites are incredibly useful, they have one major flaw: they rely on user-reported data.

The Problem with User-Reported Data

User-reported data is inherently uncertain.

• Verification: It's difficult to verify if a user actually works at the company or if the numbers they are entering are accurate.
• Bias: People with extreme salaries (either very high or very low) are more likely to share, skewing the averages.
• Inconsistency: Different users might calculate "Total Compensation" differently (e.g., including sign-on bonuses vs. recurring stock grants).

As useful as community-driven data is, there is always that lingering question: "Is this real?"

What is H1B Salary Data?

H1B salary data comes directly from the United States Department of Labor (DOL). When a company wants to hire a foreign worker on an H1B visa, they are legally required to file a Labor Condition Application (LCA). In this document, they must disclose the exact base salary (or salary range) they intend to pay for that specific role and location.

This data is:

1. Legally Binding: Companies can face severe penalties for lying on these forms.
2. Verified: It represents real offers made to real people.
3. Public Record: It is not a secret; it is government data.

Why Real Data Gives You Leverage

Having access to verified, government-reported salary data changes the game during your job search and negotiations.

1. Remove the Uncertainty

When you see a salary on Compbase, you know it's not a guess or a brag. It is a factual record of what a company paid for a specific role. This eliminates the "uncertainty tax" you pay when relying on hearsay.

2. Negotiate with Confidence

During negotiations, knowledge is power. If a recruiter tells you, "The max we can offer for this Senior Engineer role is $150k," but you see H1B filings for the same role at $170k, you have objective proof to push back. You can confidently say, "I see that for similar roles in this location, the base salary has been around $170k."

3. Make Better Career Decisions

Choosing a job isn't just about the work; it's about the financial trajectory. By looking at the real salary history of a company, you can see:

• Are they paying competitive market rates?
• Have salaries for this role increased over the last few years?
• How does this company compare to its competitors in the same city?

Conclusion

While user-reported sites are great for getting a general "vibe" of the market, H1B data provides the concrete evidence you need to close the deal. Don't leave money on the table by guessing. Use real data to drive your career forward.