> If I can put a single number on what I'm looking to be paid with incomplete information about the position, you can put a single number on what you're willing

> If I can put a single number on what I'm looking to be paid with incomplete information about the position, you can put a single number on what you're willing to pay with incomplete information about the candidate. To be fair, that's not true. One person interviewing can say what number will make them happy to consider a move. The company though, is open (usually) to all kinds of people who might fill the role. These people may range from a recent graduate to someone with tons of experience. Just depends who shows up and how good of a match they are. Open positions are hardly ever so statically fixed, there's always room to make the scope (and pay) smaller or larger, depending who shows up. Software roles are fairly open-ended on what the person will ultimately end up doing, so it'll depend on their experience and interests. It's not like hiring someone for a widget factory where I know in advance they'll be stamping widgets 8 hours a day. In such cases, the pay can be predicted easily.