# Salary.com MCP > Salary.com API MCP connects your AI client to authoritative salary data and job market insights. Use it to audit compensation ranges for specific roles and locations, track industry trends, or search for open jobs without leaving your chat interface. It turns complex HR research into a simple conversation. ## Overview - **Category:** human-resources - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** compensation-data, salary-benchmarks, market-trends, job-market, hr-analytics ## Description This MCP lets your AI agent act as an instant compensation analyst. Instead of visiting multiple websites or running manual database queries, you simply ask your client for market data. You can instantly get salary ranges for thousands of job titles and specific locations, including base pay and percentile breakdowns. It also searches open job postings, giving you detailed descriptions so you know exactly what the market is asking for right now. Need to understand how salaries shift? The agent queries historical trends for specific roles. If your AI client supports Vinkius, connecting this MCP gives you access to industry-standard salary benchmarks and active job listings from a single place. ## Tools ### check_api_status Confirms if your connection to Salary.com is working. ### get_job_details Fetches the full description and requirements for a specific job ID. ### get_salary_benchmark Retrieves current salary ranges, including base pay and percentiles, for a specified job title and location. ### get_salary_market_trends Calculates the typical change or increase in salaries over time for a specific role. ### list_job_categories Lists all major job categories that are available in the database. ### search_jobs Finds open jobs matching keywords and a specific location. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` What is the average salary for a 'Product Manager' in 'Austin, TX' using Salary.com? ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the salary benchmark for a Product Manager in Austin. The median base salary is approximately $120,000. Would you like the full percentile breakdown or market trends for this role? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Find open 'Software Engineer' jobs in 'San Francisco'. ``` **Response:** ``` I've identified 10 open Software Engineer roles in San Francisco. Companies hiring include major tech firms and innovative startups. Would you like the specific requirements for the top matches? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show salary trends for 'Data Scientist' roles. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the market trends for Data Scientists. Salaries have seen a steady increase of 5% over the last year due to high demand. I can provide the trajectory metadata for different experience levels if you'd like. ``` ## Capabilities ### Check API operational status Confirms that the connection to Salary.com is working properly. ### Get specific job details Retrieves all descriptive information for a given job ID. ### Benchmark salary by title and location Pulls current salary ranges, including median base pay, based on a job title and city/state. ### Query market trend data Calculates the historical trajectory of salaries for a given role. ### List available job categories Shows every major industry and job grouping tracked by Salary.com. ### Search for open jobs Finds active job postings based on keywords and geographic location. ## Use Cases ### Determining competitive pay for new hires An HR Manager needs to hire five data scientists across three states. Instead of manually looking up each title, the agent can run `get_salary_benchmark` for all five roles in all three locations instantly, providing a quick and reliable compensation package baseline. ### Auditing salary growth for retention planning A Compensation Analyst wants to know if salaries are keeping pace with inflation. They use `get_salary_market_trends` on their top roles, seeing a 7% increase trend, confirming they need to adjust budgets immediately. ### Market intelligence during recruiting A Recruiter finds a promising candidate but needs to know if the role is even open. They use `search_jobs` with the company name and keyword, quickly finding current openings and using `get_job_details` for the specifics. ### Mapping out career paths A job seeker wants to switch from marketing to product management. They use `list_job_categories` first to map viable adjacent roles, then run `get_salary_benchmark` on those new titles to see the potential earning power. ## Benefits - You get instant salary comparisons. Instead of checking multiple websites, you ask for a benchmark, and the agent returns base salary ranges by title and location using `get_salary_benchmark`. - Job market research is faster. Use `search_jobs` to pull lists of open roles in specific areas and then use `get_job_details` to grab all requirements for the top matches. - Understand pay evolution over time. The agent uses `get_salary_market_trends` to show if a role's salary is rising or falling, giving you predictive power that manual research can’t match. - Keep your data clean and current. Before starting any big project, run `check_api_status` to guarantee the connection is live and ready for deep analysis. - Navigate job paths easily. If you're unsure which roles exist in an industry, use `list_job_categories` to get a complete breakdown of available options. ## How It Works The bottom line is that it lets your AI client pull detailed, professional HR data without you ever needing to touch a complex web portal or spreadsheet. 1. Subscribe to this MCP in Vinkius and enter your personal Salary.com API Key. 2. Use your AI client's conversational interface, referencing the compensation tools you need (e.g., 'What is a Data Scientist salary?'). 3. The agent executes the request using the appropriate tool and returns verified market data directly into your conversation. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can Salary.com API MCP find salaries for roles that aren't open?** Yes. While `search_jobs` finds active listings, you can still use `get_salary_benchmark` to check the historical or average pay range for any job title and location. **Does Salary.com API MCP only give current salaries?** No. You can use `get_salary_market_trends` to see how compensation has changed over time, giving you a view of the role’s salary trajectory. **How do I check if this MCP is working before using it?** You simply call the `check_api_status` tool. This confirms that your connection to Salary.com is operational and ready for any task you throw at it. **What jobs can I research with Salary.com API MCP?** The agent can list all major job categories using `list_job_categories` or narrow the focus by searching specific keywords in an area of interest.