Risky / jurisdiction-dependentFor job seekers

What does it mean when a job posting has no salary range?

A posting with no pay range usually means one of three things: an old template, a company that hasn't set a budget yet, or a role in a state where a range isn't required. In many states, roles that can be performed there are now supposed to include a good-faith range — so a blank can also mean the posting simply hasn't caught up.

Missing pay information is the single most common thing the auditor flags, largely because one remote posting can fall under several states' rules at once. When the range is absent, you're being asked to spend time on a process without knowing if the pay is even in your ballpark.

The move isn't to walk away automatically — it's to ask early and to know what a compliant posting should include. Paste the posting into the free auditor to see whether a range was expected for where the role sits, then use that to raise pay in the first conversation instead of the last.

What you might see

“Remote (US). Salary negotiable — let's talk about your expectations on the first call.”

What a fair posting looks like

A fair posting leads with the range, e.g. "$72,000–$94,000 depending on experience and location." Until you see one, it's reasonable to ask for the range before scheduling interviews.

The law at a glance

Law: Multiple state pay transparency statutese.g., Cal. Lab. Code § 432.3; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-5-101 et seq.; RCW 49.58.110; N.Y. Lab. Law § 194-b; 820 ILCS 112 (as amended eff. 2025)
In effect: Varies by state — Colorado's posting requirement was first (Jan. 1, 2021); newer laws in Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont and Massachusetts phased in through 2025–2026.
Who’s covered: Depends on the state and where the role sits: Colorado reaches any employer with at least one in-state employee; New York State and NYC start at 4 employees; California, Washington and Illinois at 15; Massachusetts at 25; Minnesota at 30. About a dozen states plus D.C. require the range in the posting itself.
Penalties: The exposure sits with the employer. Civil penalties are generally per violation — e.g., $100–$10,000 in California, $500–$10,000 in Colorado, escalating up to $10,000 in Illinois, and up to $250,000 for uncured or willful violations in New York City. In Washington, an applicant can seek statutory damages of $100–$5,000 per violation in court.

What that means for a posting

A blank where the pay should be usually means one of three things: an old template, a company that hasn't set a budget, or a role in a place where a range isn't required. In posting-required states, a role performable there generally must carry a good-faith minimum and maximum — so a blank can also just mean the posting hasn't caught up.
Missing pay is the single most common thing the auditor flags, largely because one remote posting can fall under several states' rules at once — a "Remote (US)" listing can sit under California, Colorado, Washington, New York and Illinois rules simultaneously.
You don't have to walk away automatically — but you can ask early. In covered states the employer is expected to disclose the range, so "What's the range for this role?" is a fair opening question, not an awkward one.
A range that's present but enormous is worth the same scrutiny: these laws want a good-faith band, not a token "$30,000 and up."
Some states use a different model — Connecticut discloses on request or before an offer, Nevada automatically after an interview, Rhode Island on request — so "no range in the ad" doesn't always mean the employer is hiding it; it may just owe it to you at a specific point.

Remote and out-of-state postings

Most posting-mandate states cover any job that could be performed there, including remote roles — Colorado, California, Washington, New York and Illinois generally treat a nationwide "Remote (US)" posting as within reach, and Colorado has said excluding in-state applicants doesn't remove a remote posting from coverage. So even a remote role from an out-of-state employer can be one where a range is expected.

How it’s actually enforced

Enforcement is real but usually starts with a notice, not a fine. Colorado's labor department has reported more than 2,800 posting complaints and over $800,000 in fines across a smaller number of citations, while resolving most complaints through voluntary-compliance letters. Washington saw hundreds of proposed class actions over missing ranges before a 2025 amendment set statutory damages at $100–$5,000 and added a five-business-day cure window through July 27, 2027. For a candidate, the upshot is simple: a missing range is the employer's problem to fix, which is why raising it is reasonable.

Common follow-ups

Is it a red flag if a posting has no salary range?+

Not automatically — sometimes it's just an old template or a state where no range is required. But it does mean you're being asked to invest time without knowing if the pay is in your range. The move isn't to walk away on sight; it's to ask early, and to know that in many states the employer is supposed to provide a range anyway.

Can I ask for the pay range without seeming pushy?+

Yes. A simple "What's the budgeted range for this role?" early in the process is normal and increasingly expected — several states now require employers to disclose it. Asking about the range (rather than what you currently earn) keeps the conversation on the job and protects your negotiating position.

The company is in another state and the job is remote — do pay-transparency rules still apply?+

Often, yes. These laws usually turn on where the work can be performed, so a remote role open to candidates in a pay-transparency state can be covered even if the employer is headquartered elsewhere. That's part of why many national employers now post a range on every remote listing.

What if the range is there but absurdly wide?+

Treat it like a missing range worth a question. These laws use a good-faith standard — the band the employer genuinely expects to pay — and regulators have flagged open-ended figures as non-compliant. A very wide range can signal the role isn't well-scoped yet, which is fair to ask about before you go deep.

Check the posting you're about to apply to.

Paste any job posting. FairHire quotes the exact lines worth a second look — a missing pay range, vague "competitive salary," age-coded wording — so you know what to ask before you invest hours in interviews. Free, no signup.

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Sources

Last reviewed July 8, 2026. Laws change — always confirm current rules for your jurisdiction.FairHire is an informational tool, not legal advice. Have qualified counsel review your hiring questions before use.