Nearly Half of Job Seekers Won't Apply to Jobs Without Salary Ranges, New Survey Finds

Audio By Carbonatix

Patriot Software study reveals growing demand for pay transparency among job seekers and widespread suspicion about why companies hide pay.

CANTON, OH / ACCESS Newswire / March 24, 2026 / Today's job seekers are quietly filtering out employers before a single interview takes place. According to new research from Patriot Software, 44% of U.S. adults who applied for a job in the past year say they are unlikely to apply to any position that doesn't list a salary range.

The survey, which captured responses from 1,000 Americans across industries and income levels, highlights rising expectations around pay transparency in a competitive and uncertain job market.

Key findings include:

• 44% of job seekers are unlikely to apply for a job that doesn't include a salary range

• 84% believe companies intentionally hide pay to reduce workers' negotiating power

• 45% say hiding pay in job postings is disrespectful to applicants

• 17% received a job offer that came in below a publicly posted pay range

As more states introduce pay transparency laws requiring salary ranges in job postings, worker expectations are evolving alongside regulation. What once felt optional is increasingly viewed as a standard part of the hiring process.

For employers competing for talent, the message is clear: transparency may now determine whether candidates apply in the first place. The full survey results are available at patriotsoftware.com/blog/payroll/pay-transparency-hiring-survey/.

Methodology

Patriot Software surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults who applied for at least one job in the past 12 months. Participants answered questions about pay disclosure practices, how salary transparency influenced their application decisions, and their perceptions of employer honesty. Responses were analyzed across income and age groups.

###

About Patriot Software

Patriot Software is disrupting the accounting and payroll industries with its low prices, highest customer reviews, and award-winning software. Patriot offers cloud-based accounting, payroll, HR, and time and attendance software solutions that help American businesses with up to 500 employees simplify their administrative tasks. Patriot's US-based customer support team provides a personal touch that most software companies lack today. The company has been serving tens of thousands of businesses nationwide since 2002.

For more information, please contact:

Rachel Blakely-Gray

Content Manager

[email protected]

www.patriotsoftware.com

SOURCE: PATRIOT SOFTWARE LLC