How to Counter Offer a Salary: Step-by-Step Guide With 3 Email Examples

You received a job offer. The salary is lower than you want. You need to counter-offer, but you don't want to lose the opportunity or sound unprofessional.

This guide walks you through the entire counter-offer process — from deciding your number to sending the email to handling their response. With exact email examples you can use today.

Step 1: Decide If You Should Counter-Offer

Counter-offer if any of these are true:

• The offer is below market rate for your role, location, and experience
• You have competing offers or strong alternatives
• You're bringing specialized skills the company specifically hired for
• The recruiter asked for your salary expectations and then offered the bottom of your range

The only time not to counter: if the offer already exceeds your research-backed target and you're genuinely satisfied. Even then, consider negotiating non-salary benefits.

Step 2: Research Your Market Rate (5 Minutes)

Your counter-offer number must be grounded in data. Here's how to find it fast:

Your target number: Take the 75th percentile from 2–3 sources. This is your ask. The employer will negotiate you toward the median — which is exactly where you want to end up.

Example: If Glassdoor shows $95K–$125K for your role in your city, and Levels.fyi shows $115K median, your ask should be around $120K–$125K. You'll likely land at $110K–$118K — well above the $95K–$100K you'd get without negotiating.

Step 3: Send the Counter-Offer Email

The email has one job: get them to say "let's discuss" or "we can do $X." Here are three scenarios with ready-to-use templates.

Email Example 1: Standard Counter-Offer

Use when you want a higher base salary with no competing offer.

Email Example 2: Leveraging a Competing Offer

Use when you have another offer and want to use it as leverage without sounding like a threat.

Email Example 3: Negotiating Benefits (When Base Is Locked)

Use when they say "the base is firm" but you want to improve the total package.

Step 4: Handle Their Response

There are three common responses you'll get. Here's how to handle each:

Response A: "We can do $X" (a higher number)

If it's above your walkaway number, accept with grace. Send a clear acceptance email confirming the exact terms in writing. This protects you if anything changes before the official letter arrives.

Response B: "We can't increase base, but we can offer…"

This is where you negotiate benefits. A $10K signing bonus, 5 extra PTO days, or additional equity can be worth more than a base increase over time. Don't dismiss non-salary compensation.

Response C: "The offer is final"

Rare, but it happens. Your options:

1. Accept if the role is still worth it at the offered comp
2. Ask if a 6-month salary review is possible — "I'd like to prove my value and revisit compensation after 6 months"
3. Walk away if you have better alternatives

Important: offers are almost never rescinded because someone negotiated politely and professionally. What gets offers pulled is ultimatums, bluffs, or repeated re-trading — not a single calm, specific counter.

Step 5: Accept and Lock It In

Once you agree on terms, send a written acceptance email that explicitly lists every agreed term: base salary, signing bonus, start date, equity, PTO. This is your paper trail. It prevents "misunderstandings" when the official letter arrives.

The Actual Math: Why This Matters

Let's run the numbers on a single negotiation:

This accounts for 3% annual raises compounding on the higher base, but does not include the impact on bonuses (often 10–20% of base), 401k matches, or future negotiations that anchor off your current salary.

A 3-minute email. Potential seven-figure lifetime impact. The ROI is infinite.

5 Common Counter-Offer Mistakes

1. Negotiating by phone without preparation. Email gives you control over word choice. Phone catches you off guard. Always start via email.
2. Saying "I need" instead of "I'd like to discuss." The first is a demand. The second is a conversation. Conversations get results.
3. Not giving a specific number. "I was hoping for something higher" forces them to guess. They'll guess low. State your target.
4. Waiting too long to respond. Send within 24 hours. Delays signal disinterest or indecision.
5. Accepting without written confirmation. Verbal agreements can shift. Get every term in email before signing.

Quick-Reference Checklist

• ☐ Research market rate (Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Payscale)
• ☐ Set your target (75th percentile) and walkaway number
• ☐ Write counter-offer email (use templates above)
• ☐ Send within 24 hours, Tue–Thu morning
• ☐ Handle response (accept, negotiate benefits, or walk)
• ☐ Confirm all terms in writing before signing