Fresh Graduate Salaries 2026: How to Check Your Field's Pay Range and Negotiate

How to find a realistic pay range for your target role, a public-sector reference point, what lifts a first salary, and a negotiation line you can use.

You just graduated, you got an interview invite, and then HR asks the question that makes your hands go cold: what salary are you expecting? Answer too low and you may be stuck at that base for years. Answer far above the market and you may drop out of the process. This article does not hand you a one-size-fits-all table, because fresh graduate pay changes with the company, the role and the hiring year. Instead, it shows you how to find a realistic salary range for your field and how to negotiate with evidence.

Why salaries differ so much within the same major

Two classmates with similar grades can receive clearly different first offers. Most of the gap comes from these factors.

• The role you apply for, not the name of your major: a business graduate who becomes a Data Analyst is usually benchmarked against the data market, not the business market.
• Type and size of organisation: multinationals, large Thai companies, SMEs and startups all have different pay structures.
• Industry: the same job title at a bank, a factory and an agency can have different base pay.
• Skills you can prove: English, internship experience, a portfolio and AI skills you actually use.
• Location and work format: Bangkok, other provinces, remote work or shift work.

A verifiable reference point: the public sector

If you want a figure with a clear source, the public sector is a good place to start. Thai PBS reported that the cabinet approved raising the starting salary for civil servants with a bachelor's degree in two phases, and that from 1 May 2025 the starting rate for a bachelor's degree is at least 18,000 baht. This applies to civil servants and does not bind private employers, but it gives you one anchor when comparing offers.

4 ways to find the real salary range for your field

1. Read job posts that state a salary

Open job listings on Plants.work and search by the job title you plan to apply for, not by your major. Note the salary ranges of at least 10 to 15 posts that hire fresh graduates or 0 to 1 years of experience, then see where most of the numbers cluster.

2. Check recruitment firms' salary guides

Many recruitment firms publish annual salary reports. Always check the year of the report and its sample, and use it as a broad picture rather than a fixed number.

3. Ask seniors with 1 to 3 years of experience

Instead of asking directly how much they earn, ask: for this role at this kind of company, roughly what range do fresh graduates usually start at? Most people find that easier to answer.

4. Talk to people in the field

If you have no seniors in that field, try finding a Mentor on Plants.work to talk with someone who does the job, and ask what makes some fresh graduates get higher offers than others.

Factors that push your first salary up

1. English with evidence: a test score helps you pass screening. See the TOEIC and IELTS guide.
2. Internship experience told as results: for example, building a dashboard the team uses every week beats simply saying you supported the marketing team.
3. A portfolio: especially in Design, Data, Tech and Content. See why a portfolio matters more than a degree.
4. Practical AI skills: being able to say what you use AI for and how much time it saves.
5. Offers from elsewhere: the clearest bargaining chip, as long as the offer is real.

Can fresh graduates negotiate salary?

Yes, if you do it politely and with reasons. The key is to give a range, with the bottom of the range being a number you can truly accept. An example line:

Based on my research into this role in the market and my six months of data analysis internship experience, I am expecting a range of X to Y baht, and I am happy to consider the overall package as well.

If the company cannot move on salary, ask about other things instead, such as a review after probation, a training budget or hybrid working days. Read more in salary negotiation tips and how to answer the expected salary question.

Common mistakes

• Treating numbers from social media posts as the standard: they are often exceptional cases, not typical values.
• Giving a single number immediately: it leaves no room to negotiate.
• Looking only at the starting salary: forgetting growth opportunities, what you will learn and your direct manager.
• Choosing a job for money alone: a first job that teaches you well often lifts your pay faster in the following years. Compare company cultures in Startup vs Corporate.

Where to start

1. Pick 2 to 3 roles you want to apply for.
2. Collect salary ranges from at least 10 real job posts.
3. Ask at least 2 seniors or mentors.
4. Set your target range and the lowest number you can accept.
5. Prepare 3 pieces of evidence that you are worth that range.
6. Practise answering salary questions with Interview Lab.

Your first salary does not define your life. What you learn in your first two years matters much more. If you are not yet sure which role suits you, talk it through with the AI Career Assistant, then start collecting salary data for that path.