# Salary Negotiation and Equity Compensation Resources in Every Programmer Should Know > Master salary negotiation and equity compensation with essential resources for every programmer. Boost your earning potential now. - Repository: [MTDV/every-programmer-should-know](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know) - Tags: growing-in-your-career - Published: 2026-02-26 --- **You can find comprehensive information on salary negotiation and equity compensation in the Career section of the [`README.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/README.md) file within the `mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know` repository.** The *Every Programmer Should Know* repository is a curated collection of essential developer resources maintained by the open-source community. Among its most referenced sections, the Career category specifically aggregates authoritative links for **salary negotiation and equity compensation** to help software engineers evaluate offers and understand total compensation. ## Locating the Career Section in README.md All resources related to compensation are stored in the main inventory file. According to the repository structure, [`README.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/README.md) serves as the master list, with the Career subsection containing curated external links for professional development and financial planning. The entries are formatted as standard markdown list items with direct hyperlinks to external guides and tools. ## Salary Data and Market Benchmarks At **line 174** of [`README.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/README.md), the repository links to **Levels FYI**, a platform providing real-time salary tables for technology companies. This resource aggregates self-reported compensation data across levels at major tech firms, enabling developers to benchmark their current pay or incoming offers against market rates. ## Job Offer Negotiation Strategies For tactical advice on compensation discussions, **line 185** references *"Ten Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer"*, a concise guide published on FreeCodeCamp. This article covers specific tactics for both salary and equity conversations, including timing considerations and communication strategies with recruiters and hiring managers. ## Equity Compensation Fundamentals The repository provides three distinct resources for understanding equity, located between **lines 189 and 193**: - **TL;DR; Stock Options** – An archived quick-reference guide explaining common equity terms and option mechanics. - **The Open Guide to Equity Compensation** – A community-maintained handbook (`jlevy/og-equity-compensation`) detailing stock options, RSUs, and tax implications. - **Equity 101 for Startup Employees** – A Carta blog post covering the fundamentals of stock options, RSUs, and vesting schedules for early-stage company employees. ## Implementing These Resources Locally You can preserve these references in your personal knowledge base or internal documentation by copying the markdown snippet below. This format mirrors the repository's structure and maintains direct links to the original sources. ```markdown ## Salary & Equity Resources - **Salary benchmarks** – [Levels FYI](https://www.levels.fyi) – comprehensive salary data for tech roles. - **Negotiating offers** – [Ten Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer (FreeCodeCamp)](https://medium.com/free-code-camp/ten-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer-ee17cccbdab6) – practical advice on salary and equity discussions. - **Equity basics** - [TL;DR; Stock Options (archived)](https://web.archive.org/web/20190304234515/https://tldroptions.io/) – quick reference for common equity terms. - [The Open Guide to Equity Compensation](https://github.com/jlevy/og-equity-compensation) – community‑maintained handbook. - [Equity 101 for Startup Employees (Carta blog)](https://blog.carta.com/equity-101-stock-option-basics/) – fundamentals of stock options, RSUs, and vesting. ``` ## Contributing New Resources If you discover additional salary negotiation or equity guides, you can submit them via the [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) file. This document outlines the guidelines for adding or updating resources in the list. The repository operates under the MIT `LICENSE`, allowing you to fork the project and maintain your own curated version of compensation resources. ## Summary - The **Career section** of [`README.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/README.md) contains all **salary negotiation and equity compensation** links. - **Levels FYI** at line 174 provides market salary data for tech roles. - **Line 185** links to tactical negotiation advice for job offers. - **Lines 189-193** cover equity fundamentals through three specialized guides. - Use [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) to propose additions to the curated list. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where exactly are the salary resources located in the repository? All salary and equity resources are located in the Career section of the root [`README.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/README.md) file. Specifically, salary data appears at line 174, negotiation tactics at line 185, and equity compensation guides between lines 189 and 193. ### What type of salary data does the repository recommend? The repository links to **Levels FYI**, a platform aggregating self-reported compensation data from major technology companies. This provides developers with current market rates for specific roles, levels, and geographic locations. ### Can I contribute additional equity compensation resources to the list? Yes. The repository maintains contribution guidelines in [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/mtdvio/every-programmer-should-know/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), which specifies how to format and submit new resources. You can fork the repository, add relevant salary or equity links following the existing markdown format, and submit a pull request for review. ### Are these resources applicable to both startups and established tech companies? Yes. The curated links cover diverse scenarios: Levels FYI includes data from large tech companies like Google and Meta, while the equity guides specifically address startup compensation structures, including stock options and RSUs common in early-stage environments.