Salary Negotiation Email Template: 4 Scripts You Can Copy and Send

A salary negotiation email states your ask clearly, backs it with a specific reason, and confirms you're still excited about the role, all in a few short paragraphs. Most candidates never send one, and most companies expect them to. Below are four templates you can copy directly: one for countering base salary, one for asking for more equity, one for requesting a signing bonus, and one for when the recruiter says the offer is final.

Each template follows the same structure, gratitude, ask, reason, flexibility, so once you've used one you can adapt any of them to your own numbers in a few minutes. If you'd rather skip the copy-and-fill process, our offer letter analyzer can generate a version tailored to your exact offer.

Why Should You Negotiate a Job Offer at All?

You should negotiate because most companies build room into their initial offer, expecting a counter. Recruiters extend offers below the top of the approved salary band far more often than they lead with it. Not asking means leaving money on the table that was already budgeted for someone in your role.

Companies Expect a Counter

A first offer is rarely a company's final number. Hiring managers set a range internally, and the number you receive typically sits somewhere in the middle, not at the ceiling. Asking doesn't damage how you're perceived; it's a normal, expected part of accepting a professional role.

The Cost of Staying Silent

Skipping negotiation doesn't just affect your first paycheck. Base salary compounds through annual raises, future job offers that reference your current pay, and even retirement contributions tied to a percentage of salary. A few thousand dollars left unclaimed at the offer stage can shape your earnings for years.

What Leverage Actually Works When Asking for More Money?

The leverage that works best combines market research, competing offers when you have them, and a clear statement of the specific value you bring to the role. Vague requests ("I was hoping for more") rarely move a number. Specific, evidence-backed requests do, and each of the templates below builds one of these directly into the ask.

Market Research

Look up comparable salaries for your role, experience level, and location using sites like Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, or Payscale before you counter. Bring a range, not a single guess. Citing a researched range shows the recruiter you did homework instead of picking a number out of thin air.

Competing Offers

If you have another offer in hand, mentioning it, without being combative about it, is one of the strongest levers available. You don't need to bluff or exaggerate. A simple, honest statement that you're weighing another opportunity at a specific compensation level tends to get a fast response from the hiring team.

Your Specific Value

Recruiters respond to concrete reasons a number is justified, not general confidence. Point to a skill in high demand for the role, prior results that map directly to this job's responsibilities, or a scarcity factor like rare domain experience. For more tactics on framing these points, see our salary negotiation tips guide.

What's the Step-by-Step Process Before You Hit Send?

Before you send any of the templates below, work through five quick steps: don't accept on the spot, research comparable pay for your role and location, decide what matters beyond base salary (signing bonus, equity, start date, remote terms), pick your target number with room to negotiate down to, and decide in advance what you'd walk away from. Most negotiations resolve within one or two rounds of back-and-forth, so there's rarely a need to send more than two emails per round of the process.

Put your counter in writing, ideally email, so there's a record and the recruiter has time to route it internally. Keep it short: state your ask, the reason behind it, and confirm you're excited about the role.

Four Salary Negotiation Email Templates You Can Copy and Send

Each template below targets a different scenario. Swap the bracketed placeholders for your own details, and only include the optional lines that actually apply to you.

Template 1: Countering the Base Salary

Use this when the number itself is below what your research supports and you have no other ask beyond base pay.

Subject: [Role] Offer - Following Up

Hi [Recruiter/Hiring Manager Name],

Thank you again for the offer for the [Role] position at [Company Name]. I'm genuinely excited about the team and the work, and I've spent the last few days thinking through the details.

Based on my research into comparable roles at this level, and [X years] of experience in [specific skill or domain relevant to the role], I'd like to ask if there's flexibility to bring the base salary to [Proposed Salary]. [Optional: I also have another offer in process at a comparable level, and this role remains my top choice.]

I'm confident this reflects the market rate for the role and the value I'd bring from day one. I appreciate you considering this, and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Happy to hop on a call this week if that's easier.

Best,
[Your Name]

Template 2: Asking for More Equity

Use this when base salary is close to fair but the equity grant looks light relative to the role or level, common at startups and pre-IPO companies.

Subject: [Role] Offer - Quick Question on Equity

Hi [Recruiter/Hiring Manager Name],

Thanks for sending over the offer details for the [Role] position. I'm excited about [Company Name] and where the team is headed.

I've looked at the offer closely, and the base salary works well for me. I wanted to ask about the equity component specifically: based on typical grants for this level at similar-stage companies, would there be room to increase the number of shares/options to [Proposed Amount], or adjust the vesting schedule?

I'm optimistic about the company's trajectory, which is exactly why the equity piece matters to me here. Let me know if it would help to talk through this on a call.

Best,
[Your Name]

Template 3: Requesting a Signing Bonus

Use this when base salary and equity are close to final but you're walking away from unvested equity, a bonus, or relocation costs at your current job.

Subject: [Role] Offer - One Follow-Up Question

Hi [Recruiter/Hiring Manager Name],

Thank you for the offer, I'm looking forward to joining the team as [Role]. I've reviewed the full package and it's close to what I was hoping for.

One thing I wanted to raise: accepting this offer means walking away from [unvested equity / an annual bonus / relocation costs] at my current company, roughly [Amount]. Would there be flexibility to offset some of that with a signing bonus, even if it's less than the full gap?

I understand signing bonuses depend on budget, so I appreciate whatever you're able to check on. Happy to jump on a call if that's easier than email.

Best,
[Your Name]

Template 4: Responding When They Say the Offer Is Final

Use this when the recruiter has told you base salary is fixed. The move here is to shift the ask to non-salary terms instead of pushing on a number that isn't moving.

Subject: Re: [Role] Offer

Hi [Recruiter/Hiring Manager Name],

Thanks for the update, and for checking on the base salary. I understand there's no flexibility there right now.

Given that, would there be room to move on [start date / signing bonus / additional PTO / remote work days / a compensation review at 6 months] instead? Any one of these would make a real difference on my end, and I'm still very much looking to make this work.

Thanks again for all the back-and-forth on this, I know it takes time on your side too. Let me know what's possible.

Best,
[Your Name]

How to Adapt Any Template to Your Offer

The four templates above cover the most common scenarios, but the structure behind them, gratitude, a specific ask, a reason, and room for flexibility, is what actually does the work. Adjust that structure to your situation rather than sending a template word for word.

What to Change Before You Hit Send

Replace every bracketed placeholder with a real number or detail specific to your offer. A generic-sounding email is easy for a recruiter to spot and easy to deprioritize. Name the specific skill, result, or market data point that justifies your ask, and only mention a competing offer if you actually have one in hand.

What Not to Change

Keep the tone appreciative rather than demanding, keep the email short enough to read in under a minute, and always confirm you're still excited about the role somewhere in the message. Recruiters are more likely to advocate for a candidate internally when the ask feels collaborative rather than adversarial. Adjust the wording if you're negotiating by phone instead of email, but the same structure still applies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to negotiate a job offer?

Yes. Negotiating is a standard, expected part of accepting most professional roles, and companies typically build room into their initial number anticipating a counter. A respectful, well-reasoned ask doesn't put the offer at risk in the vast majority of cases.

How much more should I ask for?

There's no universal number, but a common approach is to counter somewhere between 5% and 15% above the initial offer, backed by market research for your specific role and location. The right figure depends heavily on how the offer compares to comparable roles.

What if the company says the offer is final?

Ask if there's flexibility on non-salary terms like signing bonus, start date, extra PTO, or remote work arrangements even if base salary truly is fixed. Template 4 above is built specifically for this situation.

Should I mention a competing offer if I don't have one?

No. Never bluff about a competing offer; recruiters compare notes, and getting caught can cost you the offer entirely. Lean on market research and your specific value instead if you don't have another offer in hand.

Can I use more than one of these templates in the same negotiation?

Generally, send one focused ask at a time rather than combining templates into a single email that asks for base salary, equity, and a signing bonus all at once. A single, well-supported ask is easier for a recruiter to act on than a long list of requests.

Key Takeaways

• Negotiating is normal and expected; most initial offers leave room for a counter.
• The strongest leverage combines market research, a real competing offer if you have one, and specific value tied to the role.
• Use Template 1 to counter base salary, Template 2 for equity, Template 3 for a signing bonus, and Template 4 when the recruiter says the offer is final.
• Keep every version short, appreciative, and specific: one clear ask, one clear reason, and confirmation you're still excited about the role.

Every offer is different, and the right template depends on your specific numbers and priorities. If you'd rather skip the copy-and-fill process, upload your offer to Offer XRay for a personalized breakdown and negotiation email, or check pricing to see how it works.