[hfthrowaway]

I'll take the job with the best experience/learning curve, coworkers, and future growth. I'm not worried about maximizing salary - I'm just trying to establish floor and ceilings for what to expect.

I think the fact its in finance is what skews things. I'm very frugal, so I don't want to feel as if I made out like a bandit when in fact I really got something below market rate.

Doesn't mean I won't take something below market rate, but I'd like to have that information when I evaluate an offer.

[Maro]

The promise of money may be fuzzying your logic.

Finance is a domain with a lot of money. So, if you have domain knowledge and can help the firm make a lot of money, you can make a lot of money too. But if you don't, don't expect a dime more than at another company. In fact, they may pay you less, in return for gaining the domain knowledge, which you can later turn into a lot of money.