60% of U.S. workers say they won’t apply to a job if the salary range isn’t listed. Yet most employers still leave pay out of job postings. That gap is starting to impact who applies and how roles perform.
Even in the most transparent industries, salary appears in only about one in five listings.
That leaves a clear opportunity for recruiters trying to stand out in a competitive market.
What this means for recruiters
Salary transparency is starting to affect pipeline quality and volume.
- You may be losing up to 60% of potential applicants before they apply
- Candidates are filtering out roles without pay early in their search
- Employers who include salary are more likely to attract qualified applicants
As expectations shift, job postings without salary are becoming less competitive by default.
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Where transparency is leading: top U.S. cities
Monster analyzed job postings across the 150 largest metro areas and ranked cities by how often salary is included.
To focus on employer behavior, this analysis excludes areas where salary disclosure is required by law.
Key trends
Transparency is being driven by competition: In markets without mandates, employers are choosing to include salary to attract applicants.
Mid-size markets are ahead: Smaller and mid-sized cities often rank higher than large hubs.
Adoption is spreading across regions: Transparency is not limited to one part of the country.
Top cities for salary transparency
Little Rock, AR
Virginia Beach, VA
Topeka, KS
Harrisburg, PA
Salt Lake City, UT
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Lincoln, NE
Jacksonville, FL
Tallahassee, FL
Jackson, MS
Raleigh, NC
Baton Rouge, LA
Nashville, TN
Detroit, MI
Lexington, KY
Montgomery, AL
Scottsdale, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Orlando, FL
St. Louis, MO
Industry breakdown: where transparency is highest
Salary transparency varies by industry, but no category is close to full adoption.
Most transparent industries (about 18 to 21 percent)
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Sales and Related
- Legal
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media
Mid-range transparency (about 14 to 16 percent)
- Healthcare Support
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Management, Construction, Production
Lower transparency (below 13 percent)
- Technology roles (about 10 to 11 percent)
- Education and Transportation
- Community and Social Services
- Farming, Fishing and Forestry
Tech roles, often assumed to lead on workplace practices, are not leading on salary disclosure.
The competitive gap
Candidate demand for salary transparency is high. Employer adoption is still low.
Even in leading industries, salary is included in only about 20% of job postings.
That creates a gap employers can use to their advantage.
Including salary can help:
- Increase application rates
- Improve candidate alignment
- Build trust earlier in the process
In many cases, it is a simple way to make a job posting more competitive.
How recruiters should respond
As expectations change, small updates to job postings can have a measurable impact.
- Include salary ranges to increase application volume
- Use transparency to stand out in competitive markets
- Set expectations early to improve candidate quality
Bottom line
Salary transparency is becoming a baseline expectation.
Candidates expect it, and employers who provide it are more likely to attract and convert qualified applicants.
It is not just about compliance. It is a practical way to improve hiring outcomes.
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Methodology
Monster analyzed millions of job postings across major occupational categories and the top 150 U.S. metropolitan areas by total posting volume, examining whether salary information was included at the time of posting. Salary disclosure rates reflect the share of postings that listed compensation, calculated as a percentage of total postings within each job category and metro area.To isolate market-driven transparency trends, the city analysis excluded locations in states and jurisdictions with active pay transparency laws. The remaining metros were ranked based on the percentage of job postings that disclosed salary information, with the final list highlighting the top 50 cities for salary transparency where disclosure is not legally required. All data reflects job postings collected on Monster between February 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026.