A counter offer is a reply to an offer that asks for better terms. To make one to a new employer, thank them, ask for one specific number or change, give a reason based on the market and the role, and say you will accept if they can meet it. To respond to one from your current employer after you resign, go back to why you decided to leave. More money fixes a pay problem. It does not fix the work, the manager or a missing path forward.
Key takeaways
- Counter once, in a single message that covers everything you want changed.
- Base the number on market data and the scope of the role, not on your expenses or your last salary.
- Name a specific figure and say you will accept if it is met. A clear path to yes is easy for a recruiter to take to the person who approves pay.
- Get the revised offer in writing before you accept it or resign from anything.
- Judge your current employer’s counter against your reasons for leaving.
- Never bluff with an outside offer you would not take. Employers can ask to see the letter.
01
The two kinds of counter offer
The phrase covers two different situations.
| What to know | You counter a new employer | Your current employer counters |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | After a job offer, before you accept | After you resign or mention another offer |
| What is on the table | Base pay, bonus, equity, start date, title, flexibility | A raise, a promotion, a retention bonus, a new project |
| Main risk | Asking without a reason, or asking twice | Staying for money when money was not the problem |
02
How to make a counter offer to a new employer
- Get the whole offer in writing first. You cannot counter terms you have only heard. Ask for pay, bonus, equity, benefits, start date and work location in one document, then evaluate the offer as a package.
- Set three numbers. Your target (what the market supports), your ask (a little above it, so you can land on the target) and your walk-away point. Combine the pay ranges in current postings with public data: the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage estimates for about 830 occupations, nationally and by state and metro area. The guide to researching salary walks through it.
- Choose what to counter on. One main item, usually base pay, and at most two smaller ones such as a sign-on bonus or the start date. Seven requests read as dissatisfaction with the whole offer.
- Size the ask. There is no universal percentage. As one reference point, a career center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests countering 10 to 20 percent above an offer that is below the average for the location, and 5 to 10 percent above one that is at or above average. Test that range against your research.
- Reply quickly, in the channel they used. A call lets you hear the reaction. An email gives the recruiter something to forward to whoever approves pay. Many candidates call, then confirm in writing.
- Close the loop. Once you agree, ask for an updated offer letter, then accept the offer by restating the final terms.
Subject: [Job title] offer: [Your name] Hi [Name], Thank you again for the offer to join [Company] as [job title]. I'm excited about the role, especially [specific part of the work or team]. I've reviewed the full package. Based on [the scope we discussed, for example owning X and managing Y] and what comparable roles in [location or market] pay, I'd like to ask whether the base salary can move from [offered amount] to [your ask]. [Optional second item: I'd also like to ask about a start date of [date] / a sign-on bonus to offset the bonus I leave behind.] If we can get to [your ask], I'm ready to accept and can sign this week. Best, [Your name]
"Thanks for sending the offer over. I've read it carefully and I want to make this work. The one thing I'd like to discuss is base salary. Given [scope of the role] and what I'm seeing for comparable roles in [market], I was expecting something closer to [your ask]. Is there room to get there?" [Stop. Let them answer.] "If you can do [your ask], I'm ready to say yes today."
What the reply means
| The employer says | What to do |
|---|---|
| “Yes.” | Ask for the updated letter and accept in writing. |
| “We can come up, but not that far.” | Compare the new figure with your walk-away point. If it is close, ask about a sign-on bonus or a pay review after six months, written into the offer. |
| “This is our best offer.” | Believe them, and decide on the offer as it stands. |
| “Let me check.” | Ask when to expect an answer, and wait until then. |
| “Why that number?” | Repeat your two reasons: the scope of the role and the market data. |
The main guide to salary negotiation covers the wider strategy, including what to say when you are asked for a number first.
03
Will countering cost you the offer?
A single, polite counter with a reason behind it is an ordinary part of hiring. UCLA’s career center tells students that some employers expect candidates to negotiate salary. An employer can still say no, and you should not assume an offer stays open indefinitely, so the way you ask matters.
The risk rises with:
- An ultimatum, or a deadline you invented.
- A number with no reason attached.
- A second or third round after the employer has answered.
- Negotiating after you have already accepted.
- Days of silence between replies.
04
How to respond to a counter offer from your current employer
You resign, and your manager asks what it would take to keep you. Slow down.
- Do not decide in the room. Thank them and ask for the details in writing.
- Reread your reasons for leaving, as they stood before any counter existed. The table below shows which ones an employer can fix.
- Ask exactly what changes, and when. Pay, title, scope and effective date. A promise to “look at it in the next review cycle” is not a counter offer.
- Weigh the knock-on effects. Your employer now knows you were ready to go, and you cannot use this leverage again soon.
- Answer both employers quickly. One of them has to restart its plans.
| Why you wanted to leave | Can a counter offer fix it? |
|---|---|
| Pay below the market | Yes, if the raise is permanent, in writing and effective now |
| No promotion path | Only if the new title and scope are in writing with a date |
| Your manager or the team | No. A raise does not change who you report to |
| Workload or burnout | Only with concrete changes to staffing, scope or hours |
| You want different work | No |
You will see figures quoted online for how many people leave within a year of accepting a counter offer. Treat them with caution unless the source shows the study behind the number, and weigh your own reasons instead.
"I appreciate that, and I don't take it lightly. I made this decision carefully, so I don't want to answer on the spot. Could you put what you have in mind in writing: the salary, the title, what would change in the role, and from what date? I'll give you a clear answer by [day]."
Subject: My decision Hi [Manager's name], Thank you for the counter offer and for the effort behind it. I've thought it over carefully, and I've decided to go ahead with the new role. My last day will remain [date]. This was about [the direction I want to take], not about anything the offer was missing. I'm grateful for [specific thing], and I'll hand over [projects] cleanly before I go. Best, [Your name]
If you stay, you have to withdraw from the other company. If you had already said yes to them, you are going back on an acceptance, which university career centers warn is costly to the employer and damaging to your reputation. Call the hiring manager the same day. The guide to declining a job offer has the wording.
05
Should you use an outside offer to get a raise?
Only if you would take the outside job. An offer you would not accept is a bluff, and it can be called. The University of Texas at Austin’s HR guidance for managers, for example, says an outside offer behind a counter offer must be documented with a written offer letter.
If what you want is to stay and be paid fairly, ask for a raise directly first, using the same market evidence.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much should I counter offer?
Ask for what your research supports, plus a small margin so you can settle on your target. There is no universal percentage. One university career center suggests 10 to 20 percent above an offer that is below the local average and 5 to 10 percent above one that is at or above it.
How many times can you counter a job offer?
Plan on once. Put everything you want changed into one message. If the employer comes back partway, you can ask one follow-up question about a specific item, such as a sign-on bonus. Reopening the terms after a final answer puts the relationship at risk before you start.
Can a company withdraw a job offer because you countered?
It can happen. A single, reasoned request made politely is a normal step, and some employers expect it. The risk rises with ultimatums, repeated rounds, long silences, and negotiating after you have already accepted.
Should I accept a counter offer from my current employer?
Accept it only if it fixes the reason you were leaving and the new terms are in writing with an effective date. A raise solves a pay problem. It does not change your manager, your workload or the kind of work you do.
Do I have to show my employer the other offer?
You do not have to, but be ready to be asked. Some employers will not approve a counter offer without documentation of the outside offer. Never describe an offer you do not hold, and never inflate its numbers.
Sources
- UW–Madison SuccessWorks: Accepting and Negotiating Your Offer: the counter offer percentages and negotiating from data.
- UCLA Career Center: Negotiating a Compensation Package: that some employers expect negotiation, and what besides salary can be negotiated.
- BLS: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: annual wage estimates for about 830 occupations, nationally and by state and metro area.
- The University of Texas at Austin HR: Salary Adjustments: an employer requiring a written offer letter to support a counter offer.
- Berkeley Career Engagement: Decision Time: written terms before accepting, and the cost of backing out after you accept.
Published by Jobbie and last updated on October 6, 2026. This guide is general information for job seekers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.