Younger people talk more openly about their salary than older people — but shy away from negotiation

Press release 

A taboo subject: Younger people talk more openly about their salary than older people — but shy away from negotiation 

• 74% of people under 30 openly discuss their salary transparently — not even one in two people over 30 do so 
• Despite this, six out of ten under-30s feel uncomfortable during salary negotiations  
• Good preparation pays off: 40% of younger people research salary ranges online in advance 

DUESSELDORF, April 7th 2025 — Younger people talk more openly about their salary than older people — but lack self-confidence when negotiating. This is the result of two Stepstone studies on salary transparency and negotiation behavior, for which 8,600 people were surveyed, or 3,800 in a sub-study. According to the results, almost three quarters (74%) of those under 30 state that they talk openly about their salary. In contrast, less than half (48%) of over-30s said the same. 

“For a long time, people didn't talk about money. This is no longer the case, especially among younger people,” explains Lena Ludwig, career expert at Stepstone. “GenZ and millennials are increasingly better informed about what salary they can demand, as they are more open about it than older people.” 

Despite openness: salary negotiations remain unpleasant for many 

However, although salaries are being discussed more and more openly, salary negotiations continue to give younger people in particular a bad feeling: according to a Stepstone study of 3,800 candidates, almost two thirds (61%) of people under 30 feel uncomfortable negotiating salaries. Among people over 30, the figure is just over half (54%). The reasons for the uneasy feeling during salary discussions: 43% of those under 30 say they do not know how to convincingly justify their salary request, while this only applies to a third (33%) of older people. Younger people in particular also see their personal impression of their superiors at risk: 42% of those under 30 fear being perceived as ungrateful, compared to only 28% of older employees.  

“Younger employees in particular often feel overwhelmed in salary negotiations,” explains Ludwig. “This is understandable, as career starters lack professional experience and practice in conducting salary negotiations. This makes it all the more important to provide career starters in particular with as much information as possible.” 

Stronger self-confidence through good preparation 

Those who have no problem with salary negotiations in job interviews (17%) justify this with their professional skills and experience (61%). Just under half (47%) can provide clear examples of their successes and 29% have previously researched salary ranges or average salaries online — among younger people, the figure is 40%.  Thorough research and good preparation therefore make salary negotiations easier. Employees cite online salary calculators (83%) and salary comparison sites (82%) as well as salary information in job advertisements (82%) as particularly helpful sources of information to find out about their own market value. Despite regular use, they find social media less useful (36%).  
 

“The best recipe for more self-confidence in salary negotiations is good preparation,” emphasizes Ludwig. “If you research your market value, use salary ranges in job advertisements as a guide, think of specific examples of recent successes and prepare yourself for critical questions, you increase your chances of a salary increase — even without years of professional experience.” 


About the study 
As part of Stepstone's Salary Report 2025, two studies on salary transparency were conducted on the following questions: Can employees in Germany assess their market value? How do they feel about salary negotiations? What role does salary play in the job and when applying for a job? And how transparently do people deal with the topic of salary? 

In the first study, Stepstone surveyed around 8,600 people in Germany in November 12-25, 2024, including around 1,600 managers and over 800 recruiters. The survey is representative of the German working population by age, gender and education. In a follow-up study, Stepstone surveyed around 3,800 candidates between February 18 and 23, 2025 on the question of how younger talents think about salary negotiations compared to older generations. This study is representative of the German working population by age and gender.  
 

About The Stepstone Group 
The Stepstone Group is a leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. AI-driven job marketplaces and programmatic-powered marketing solutionsconnect about 140 million job applications with around 140,000 employers every year. In 2024, The Stepstone Group generated revenue of over €900 million. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 30 countries - including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs around 3,500 people worldwide. For more information: www.thestepstonegroup.com/english  

Contact 

The Stepstone Group Media Relations
press@stepstone.com