Posting a Wide Salary Range Can Deter Women from Applying

Pay transparency laws are spreading fast. As of 2025, 15 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., require employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings, and roughly 60% of postings on Indeed, up from 18% in 2020, now include salary information.

The intent is straightforward: Give workers better information, level the playing field, and help close the persistent pay gaps across gender and race. Yet in most jurisdictions, the laws focus on whether a range is disclosed—not on how wide or narrow it should be—leaving employers substantial discretion. READ MORE