Whose Salary Would You Want to Know?

Salary transparency was all the rage in 2016. Celebrities like Emmy Rossum and Jennifer Lawrence got candid about the wage gap in Hollywood. Companies like SumAll are leading a trend of companies of all sizes to now make salaries public knowledge. Plus, Glassdoor launched Know Your Worth, a free, personalized salary estimate based on today’s job market.

So with all of this transparency, the nosey Nancy in us wants to know: whose salary would you want to know?

New research from Glassdoor finds that the majority of Americans want to know how much money their boss makes. Glassdoor’s Salary Transparency Insights Survey*, conducted online by Harris Poll and surveying more than 2,033 American adults aged 18+, reveals some surprising results.

When told to imagine they live in a world where there is complete salary transparency and that they would be able to know how much everyone makes (i.e., their pay, their salary), the top three people whose salary/pay Americans would be most curious about are:
1. Their boss: 44%

2. Their coworkers: 39% (42% of women vs. 36% of men)

3. Politicians: 29%

Other top choices included…

4. My other friends /acquaintances: 16% (18% of women vs. 14% of men)                    

5. Celebrities:15%

6. My siblings: 10%

7. My parents: 8%

8. My ex: 7%

Interestingly enough, 36% of Americans wouldn’t be curious about anyone’s salary/pay!  

Whether you want to know how much your ex-lover earned or whether you’ve got a sneaking suspicion that your coworker takes home more than you, isn’t it time you found out if you’re paid fairly. Don’t let 2016 end without getting your personal salary estimate to see how much you’re worth in today’s jobs market. Get insights about what others in your field earn, and see open jobs that may pay you more. Do you know your worth?!

Methodology: This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Glassdoor from August 31 – September 2, 2016 among 2,033 adults ages 18 and older, among which 1,038 are employed FT/PT, 358 are active job seekers, and 184 are employed active job seekers. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Source: Glass Door