Salary Negotiation for Data Scientists

Negotiation is expected and respected in tech hiring. Companies budget for it, and recruiters are trained for it. Not negotiating leaves money on the table.

Know Your Market Value

Before any negotiation, research thoroughly:

Data sources for salary research:

Source	Best For
Levels.fyi	Big tech specific numbers with levels
Glassdoor	Broad company coverage
Blind	Anonymous real discussions
LinkedIn Salary	Role-specific ranges
Hired/Triplebyte reports	Industry trends

Factors that affect your range:

• Years of experience
• Company size and funding stage
• Location (remote vs on-site)
• Specific skills in demand (ML, experimentation, etc.)
• Education and credentials
• Counter-offer leverage

Timing the Conversation

When to discuss salary:

Stage	What to Say
Initial screen	"I'm flexible and want to learn more about the role first"
Before final round	Still deflect: "I'd love to understand the full scope before discussing"
After verbal offer	NOW negotiate

Key principle: Never give a number first. The first number anchors the negotiation.

Deflection scripts:

• "I'm more interested in finding the right fit. What's the range for this role?"
• "I'd prefer to understand the full compensation package before discussing numbers"
• "I'm flexible depending on the total package - base, equity, and benefits"

The Negotiation Framework

Once you have an offer:

Step 1: Express Enthusiasm (But Don't Accept)

"Thank you so much for the offer. I'm really excited about the role and the team. I'd like to review the full package and get back to you."

Step 2: Ask for Time

Standard is 3-5 business days. Request a week if you have other processes running.

Step 3: Make Your Counter

Structure your ask:

"Thank you again for the offer. I'm very excited about joining [Company].

Based on my research and other opportunities I'm considering, I was hoping
we could discuss the base salary. Given my [X years experience / specific
skill / competing offer], I'm targeting [amount].

Is there flexibility here?"

Step 4: Be Ready for Responses

Their Response	Your Response
"That's above our range"	"What is the range? What would it take to reach [target]?"
"We can do X" (partial increase)	"I appreciate that. Can we also look at [signing bonus/equity/etc]?"
"The offer is final"	"I understand. Can we revisit this after my first review?"

What to Negotiate Beyond Base Salary

Base salary isn't the only lever:

Component	Negotiability	Notes
Base salary	Medium-High	Usually 10-20% room
Signing bonus	High	One-time, easier for companies
Equity/RSUs	Medium	Varies by company stage
Start date	High	Can get signing bonus spread
Remote work	Medium	Policy-dependent
Title	Medium-Low	Often standardized
Review timeline	Medium	Earlier review = earlier raise
PTO	Low-Medium	Often fixed by policy

Pro tip: If base is stuck, ask: "If there's limited flexibility on base, could we explore a signing bonus or additional equity?"

Handling Multiple Offers

Multiple offers dramatically increase your leverage:

Do:

• Be transparent that you have other offers (not details)
• Give realistic decision timelines
• Let them know who they're competing with (industry, not specifics)

Say: "I'm fortunate to have another offer from a [similar company/competitive startup]. I'm really interested in [this company] because [specific reasons]. Can you help me make this decision easier?"

Don't:

• Lie about offers you don't have
• Play companies against each other aggressively
• Give ultimatums early in the process

Negotiation Psychology

Things to remember:

• Recruiters expect negotiation - it's part of their job
• A reasonable counter doesn't hurt your standing
• The worst they can say is no
• Companies invest significantly to hire you; they want it to work

Mindset shift: Don't think: "Am I worth this?" Think: "What does this role pay in the market?"

After Accepting

• Get the offer in writing before giving notice
• Confirm start date, title, salary, equity details
• Be gracious - you'll work with these people
• Stop negotiating once you've accepted

Negotiation is a professional skill that compounds over your career. An extra $10K now is worth $200K+ over 20 years with compounding raises. :::