State Laws Requiring Salary Ranges in Job Postings and Ads
More states are mandating employers disclose pay ranges upfront—here's what the rules are, who they affect, and why they matter.
- Several U.S. states now require employers to include salary or pay ranges in job postings, with Colorado, California, New York, and others leading the way.
- These laws aim to reduce pay discrimination and give job seekers real information before they apply.
- Employers must understand which states apply to them—the rules vary on range width, remote work, and penalties for non-compliance.
- Remote work and multi-state hiring have made compliance more complex; many companies now post ranges everywhere to simplify.
A growing number of U.S. states are passing laws that require employers to post salary or pay ranges in job advertisements. These laws mandate that when a company advertises an open position—whether internally or publicly—it must disclose the minimum and maximum compensation (or a range) the role offers. The goal is transparency: job seekers can see what a job actually pays before investing time in an application, and pay discrimination becomes harder to hide. Colorado was the first state to pass such a law (effective 2021); California, New York, Washington, and others have since followed.
Which States Have These Laws and When Do They Apply?
| State | Effective Date | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Jan 1, 2021 | Salary range required for all positions; applies to employers with 1+ employee in the state |
| California | Jan 1, 2023 | Pay range required for all positions; applies to employers with 15+ employees |
| New York | Sep 17, 2023 | Salary range required for all positions; applies to employers with 4+ employees in NYC; expanded statewide Jan 1, 2024 for employers with 4+ employees |
| Washington | Jan 1, 2023 | Pay range required for all positions; applies to employers with 15+ employees |
| Connecticut | Jan 1, 2024 | Salary range required for all positions; applies to employers with 3+ employees |
| Maryland | Jan 1, 2024 | Salary range required for all positions; applies to employers with 15+ employees |
| Nevada | Jan 1, 2024 | Salary range required for most positions; applies to employers with 50+ employees |
The list is still growing—Illinois, Massachusetts, and other states have introduced or passed similar bills. The effective dates and employee thresholds vary significantly, so employers need to track their own states and any states where they hire remotely. A company with 20 employees in California must comply, but a company with 20 employees in Nevada may not (Nevada's threshold is 50). This patchwork creates compliance challenges, especially for remote-first or multi-state organizations.
What Counts as a Valid Salary Range?
Most laws require a minimum and maximum salary, though the definition of "salary" and what qualifies as a range varies slightly. Colorado, California, and New York require a "good faith" range—meaning the employer must reasonably believe the hired candidate will fall within that band. Some laws allow the range to be quite wide (e.g., $50,000–$150,000), while others encourage narrower ranges to be more meaningful. A few states allow employers to post a salary OR an hourly wage range, and some permit the inclusion of benefits, bonuses, or commission in the total compensation disclosure.
The posting location also matters. If a job is open to remote applicants nationwide, some employers interpret this as needing to post a range that covers all potential locations—or post different ranges for different regions. California's law, for example, applies to positions that "can be performed" in California, which includes remote roles. This has led many national employers to simply post a single broad range to avoid legal risk, even if the job is only open in one state.
Penalties and Enforcement
Non-compliance carries real teeth. Most state laws impose fines per violation—often $100 to $10,000+ per job posting that lacks a range. Colorado and California allow employees and job seekers to file complaints with state labor agencies; some states also permit private lawsuits. Enforcement is still ramping up, but major employers have already faced complaints and fines. The penalties are usually civil (not criminal), but they accumulate quickly if a company posts dozens of jobs without ranges.
Why This Matters and When It Applies to You
Salary transparency laws address a real problem: pay secrecy has historically enabled wage discrimination, especially against women and people of color. By forcing employers to disclose ranges upfront, these laws level the playing field. Job seekers can self-select based on real compensation, not guesses. Employers benefit too—they attract more qualified candidates and reduce time spent on unsuitable applicants. For employers, the laws are mandatory if you hire in a covered state and meet the employee threshold; there's no opting out. If you're a job seeker, you now have the right to see pay ranges in many states before applying, which shifts negotiating power slightly in your favor.
- Identify which states you hire in and check their employee thresholds and effective dates.
- Audit your job posting platforms and ensure ranges are included before posting.
- Consider posting ranges in all states to simplify compliance, even if not legally required everywhere.
- Document how you set ranges (market data, role level, location) to defend against 'bad faith' claims.
- Train recruiters and hiring managers on the rules so ranges appear consistently.
- If a job can be performed remotely, it may trigger salary range requirements in multiple states simultaneously.
- Some employers post location-based ranges (e.g., 'CA: $X–$Y; CO: $A–$B'); others post a single national range.
- Check your state labor board's guidance on how remote positions are treated in your jurisdiction.
Sources
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Salary Range Transparency Rule (effective Jan 1, 2021)
- California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Pay Transparency Law AB 1522 (effective Jan 1, 2023)
- New York State Department of Labor, Salary Range Transparency Law (effective Sep 17, 2023 in NYC; statewide Jan 1, 2024)
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Equal Pay and Transparency Act (effective Jan 1, 2023)
