Pay in the U.S. is negotiable more often than many people think, and an offer is more than its base salary. Benefits, retirement matching, bonuses and whether you're a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor can all change what a job is really worth. These salary guides follow the order you'll meet each question: the salary-expectations question in a recruiter screen, the offer and counteroffer, comparing total compensation, and asking for a raise once you're in the job. Every guide cites official sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IRS and the Department of Labor, and shows when it was last updated.