55% of Workers Say Their Salary Is Less Than It Should Be — 4 Tips for Earning More in Your Career

Many Americans’ salaries don’t match their expectations. According to Resume Now’s “2025 Wage Reality Report,” 55% of the 1,065 American workers surveyed indicated they “think their salary is lower than it should be.”

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Andy Thomas, the owner of Andy Thomas Careers Now, a full-service career and executive coaching firm that works with clients nationally, told GOBankingRates that he wasn’t surprised by Resume Now’s finding.

“I certainly hear that concern quite a bit,” he said.

According to Thomas, if you’re unhappy with your current salary, there are steps you can take to start earning more in your career.

Thomas emphasized that many people “put the blame on the company” for not getting paid more.

“In some cases, that’s fair,” Thomas said. “I certainly hear stories and I’m well aware of companies that could be paying more than what they should be, and are too worried about just bottom-line profits, and unfortunately, don’t hold onto people very effectively by increasing salaries the way they should.”

However, Thomas stressed, “a lot of this ballgame is what the individual is doing to increase their worth and value perception within the company.”

He pointed to an example of a step one of his clients took to stand out to management — regularly traveling by car for several hours from one city to another to meet with upper management (the company was not fully remote, but had a remote workforce in the client’s city).

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In turn, he said, management started “talking about advancing her career” and told her “about openings she didn’t even know existed. She applied and was able to actually be interviewed for positions she would not have known about if she’d only stayed” in her area.

Thomas advised to “make sure you’re getting together with your boss on a more regular basis, or the powers that be within the company. Don’t wait for them to request a meeting.” He added that the advice applies regardless of whether or not your company has a physical location, and that you can arrange virtual meetings if necessary.

That, he said, is called “managing up.” It refers to updating your boss about what you’re doing so that you’re “not micromanaged,” building the “trust factor” with them and also forming “a bit more of a bond because you’re keeping them in the loop, they don’t have to ask you.” Additionally, he recommended that you “get to know” your boss “a little bit personally.”