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Salary Range

Category: HR Glossary
Date Published: March 6, 2026
Written By: Michael van Niekerk
 

What is a Salary Range?

A salary range is the set minimum and maximum pay an employer offers for a specific job or role. It defines the spectrum of possible compensation, helping guide pay decisions and ensuring fairness. Salary ranges are important in human resources because they create transparency and consistency during hiring, performance reviews, and compensation planning. They fit into the employee lifecycle at multiple points, from recruitment to ongoing pay management. Use our salary benchmarking tool to determine salary ranges across countries.

Purpose and Benefits of Salary Ranges

Salary ranges ensure internal pay consistency and fairness within an organisation. They support transparent and structured pay decisions, which help attract and retain employees by offering competitive compensation. Additionally, salary ranges provide flexibility to accommodate different skill levels and experience within the same role.

How Salary Ranges are Determined

The determination of salary ranges is based on job responsibilities and required experience. Employers consider market salary data through benchmarking to keep pay competitive. Company budgets and pay policies also influence the ranges, which may be adjusted periodically to reflect inflation or market changes. 

Use of Salary Ranges in the Workplace

Salary ranges are utilised during recruitment to set offer levels and are aligned with payroll to maintain fairness. They serve as a reference in performance discussions for determining raises or bonuses. Salary ranges also help companies comply with pay equality regulations.

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FAQs

Salary range is the overall low to high pay limits for a job, while base salary is the specific amount an employee is paid within that range.
Salary ranges should be reviewed at least annually or when market conditions or company policies change to stay competitive and fair.
Yes, salary ranges may vary by department, location, or job level within the same company to reflect different market conditions and job requirements.
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