PayTransparency§

Blog · Law data reviewed October 18, 2026

Every State That Requires Salary Ranges in Job Postings (2026)

14 US states plus Washington DC now require employers to publish a salary range in job postings. This table is generated from the same rules database our free validator runs, so you can check a posting against it right on this page.

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Pay transparency laws have moved fast. In 2020 only Colorado had a job-posting salary rule. By 2026 more than a third of US workers live in a jurisdiction where employers must disclose pay in every external job posting. If your company posts jobs in more than one state — or accepts remote applicants — you almost certainly need to comply with multiple laws simultaneously.

Active posting requirements (18 jurisdictions)

JurisdictionLawEffectiveThresholdRequiresMax penalty
CaliforniaCalifornia SB 1162Jan 1, 202315+ employeesSalary range in postingsUp to $10,000
Cleveland, OHCleveland Ordinance 104-2025 (Codified Ord. ch. 669)Oct 27, 202515+ employeesSalary range in postingsUp to $5,000
ColoradoColorado Equal Pay for Equal Work ActJan 1, 2021All employersSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $10,000
ConnecticutConnecticut Public Act 26-12 (HB 5003)Oct 1, 2026All employersSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionNot yet specified
HawaiiHawaii SB 1057Jan 1, 202450+ employeesSalary range in postingsNot yet specified
IllinoisIllinois Equal Pay Act (HB 3129)Jan 1, 202515+ employeesSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $10,000
Jersey City, NJJersey City Ordinance 22-026Apr 13, 20225+ employeesSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $2,000
MaineMaine LD 54 (26 M.R.S. § 622-A)Jul 29, 202610+ employeesSalary range in postingsUp to $500
MarylandMaryland Wage Range Transparency Act (SB 525 / HB 649)Oct 1, 2024All employersSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $600
MassachusettsMassachusetts Wage Transparency ActOct 29, 202525+ employeesSalary range in postingsUp to $25,000
MinnesotaMinnesota Pay Transparency Law (Minn. Stat. § 181.173)Jan 1, 202530+ employeesSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionNot yet specified
New JerseyNew Jersey Pay Transparency Act (P.L. 2024, c.91)Jun 1, 202510+ employeesSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $600
New York CityNYC Local Law 32Nov 1, 20224+ employeesSalary range in postingsUp to $250,000
New York StateNew York Labor Law §194-bSep 17, 20234+ employeesSalary range in postingsUp to $3,000
VermontVermont H.704Jul 1, 20255+ employeesSalary range in postingsNot yet specified
VirginiaVirginia Pay Transparency Law (SB215 / HB636)Jul 1, 2026All employersSalary range in postingsUp to $5,000
WashingtonWashington Equal Pay and Opportunities ActJan 1, 202315+ employeesSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $1,000
Washington DCDC Wage Transparency Omnibus Amendment Act of 2023Jun 30, 2024All employersSalary range in postingsUp to $20,000

Check a job posting against these laws

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Hiring remotely?A posting marked “Remote, US” can be performed from every state above, so it may need to satisfy all 15 statewide laws at once, including the benefits-description rules. See remote postings and pay transparency.

Taking effect soon

JurisdictionLawEffectiveThresholdRequiresMax penalty
Columbus, OHColumbus Ordinance 2898-2025 (City Code ch. 2335)Jan 1, 202715+ employeesSalary range in postingsNot yet specified
DelawareDelaware HS 2 for HB 105Sep 26, 202726+ employeesSalary range in postings + benefits descriptionUp to $10,000

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Disclosure-on-request states

A second group of jurisdictions stops short of a posting mandate but requires employers to disclose the pay range when an applicant or employee asks (or, in Nevada, automatically after an interview). If you hire in these states, your recruiters need a documented answer ready even though the posting itself is unaffected.

JurisdictionLawEffectiveThresholdRequiresMax penalty
Cincinnati, OHCincinnati Pay Equity Ordinance (No. 83-2019)Mar 13, 202015+ employeesPay range on request (no posting mandate)Not yet specified
ConnecticutConnecticut PA 21-30Oct 1, 2021All employersPay range on request (no posting mandate)Not yet specified
NevadaNevada SB 293Oct 1, 2021All employersPay range on request (no posting mandate)Not yet specified
Rhode IslandRhode Island Pay Equity ActJan 1, 2023All employersPay range on request (no posting mandate)Not yet specified
Toledo, OHToledo Pay Transparency Ordinance (No. 173-19)Jun 25, 202015+ employeesPay range on request (no posting mandate)Not yet specified

Need posting-ready pay language for several states at once? Build a compliant range →

What counts as a “job posting”?

Most laws define a posting as any public communication advertising an open position — including listings on your careers page, LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and third-party ATS boards. Internal-only postings are often excluded, but the thresholds differ. California SB 1162 also requires employers to provide pay scale on request for existing employees, regardless of whether they applied externally.

What is a valid salary range?

Every covered law requires a range— a minimum and a maximum — not just a midpoint or “competitive salary.” Colorado and Washington also require a good-faith estimate, meaning the range must reflect what you actually expect to pay a qualified candidate. Ranges like “$50,000–$500,000” have drawn enforcement scrutiny in Colorado for being unreasonably wide. See what counts as a valid salary range for the standard each state applies.

Looking for a state that isn’t listed? The pay transparency laws by state index covers all 50 states and DC, including the ones with no posting law, and the law change log tracks every new law and effective date.

Frequently asked questions

What states require salary ranges in job postings?

As of October 2026, 14 states plus Washington DC have an active law requiring a salary or pay range in job postings: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC. Several cities — including New York City and Jersey City — have their own ordinances, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive extends the requirement to job ads across EU member states.

Do job postings have to include salary?

It depends on where the role can be performed. If a posting is open to candidates in a state with a pay transparency law — including remote roles workable from that state — the posting generally must include a good-faith salary range. There is no federal requirement yet; coverage is state by state.

Are salary ranges required for remote job postings?

Usually yes, if the role can be performed from a covered state. Colorado, California, Washington, New York, and Massachusetts all apply their posting rules to remote roles accessible to their residents, which means a single nationwide remote posting can be subject to a dozen laws at once.

What happens if a job posting doesn't include a salary range?

Penalties vary by state, from a few hundred dollars per posting in New Jersey and Maryland to $25,000 per violation in Massachusetts and $250,000 for a willful uncured violation in New York City. California's posting penalties run $100–$10,000 per violation at the Labor Commissioner's discretion, and its 2026 amendments extended the statute of limitations on claims to three years.

Does a salary range have to be accurate?

Yes. Every posting law requires a "good-faith" range — the pay the employer honestly expects to offer. A single number, "competitive salary," or an implausibly wide range (like $50,000–$500,000) can each be treated as non-compliant.

Posting more than a handful of roles?Checking them one at a time doesn’t scale. Pro scans your whole careers page or Greenhouse, Lever or Ashby board against every law above, re-checks it nightly, and emails you when a posting falls out of compliance.

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