The 9 Best California Job Boards That Show Salary Upfront

Guessing what a job pays is fading fast in California. Since Senate Bill 1162 took effect on January 1, 2023, Indeed’s Hiring Lab found that about 70 percent of state postings now list a salary range. You can spot roles that meet your number in seconds—and ignore the ones that don’t.

This guide ranks eight job boards that surface pay up front and let you apply in just a few clicks. By the end, you’ll know which sites fit your target range and which tools can even submit applications for you while you prep for interviews.

Why California now demands salary transparency

California’s pay-range mandate comes from Senate Bill 1162, effective January 1, 2023. Any employer with 15 or more workers must list a bona fide pay scale in every job ad, with no fine print or back-channel emails. 

The shift was immediate. According to Indeed’s Hiring Lab, by August 2023, 70 percent of California postings on its platform displayed a salary range, a jump of 37 percentage points in just twelve months.

Penalties exist, though state records show they are rarely applied. The Labor Commissioner can fine employers $100 to $10,000 per posting that omits pay information, but first-time offenders may correct the ad to avoid a fee, according to CalMatters reporting.

Culture does much of the enforcement. A 2022 poll of 2,000 U.S. candidates by Adzuna found that 28 percent ranked missing or vague salary details as their biggest job-search frustration, and 54 percent later declined an offer after learning the pay. When a third of applicants walk away on principle, job boards have little choice but to surface compensation by default. As a result, when you scan California listings today, there is roughly a seven-in-ten chance you will see real numbers before you click, helping you decide within moments whether to apply.

Keep that clarity in mind as we compare boards that put compensation front and center.

How we tested each job board

We approached every site as a California job seeker and scored it on six criteria:

1. Salary visibility (30 percent weight)
2. Transparency of pay info, or how early the number appears (10 percent)
3. Depth of salary filters (15 percent)
4. Compensation clarity, including base versus OTE and range width (15 percent)
5. Listing freshness and overall quality (10 percent)
6. Application speed, including one-click options (20 percent)

For each board, we counted how often a real pay range appeared, noted whether the number was visible in results or hidden behind a click, and stress-tested the salary filters. We also timed a sample application, tracking the number of fields and redirects.

Scores rolled into a ten-point scale. Platforms that showed pay on nearly every listing and let us submit an application in under two minutes ranked highest, while those that hid salaries or required a twenty-step form ranked lowest.

Our aim is to give you a ranking that mirrors how you search: fast, salary-first, and free of unnecessary clicks.

The 9 best job boards for salary-first searches

Below are the nine platforms that scored highest on our tests for salary visibility, filter strength, and application speed. Skim the list, pick the boards that fit your search style, and start applying with confidence.

1. Adzuna (ApplyIQ) – best for salary-first search and hands-free apply

Adzuna aggregates millions of U.S. listings and puts pay front and center. If an employer omits the number, Adzuna’s Salary Predictor adds an estimate so you are never guessing.

What sets it apart is Apply IQ, a free AI assistant that saves more than six hours of form-filling each week by submitting pre-approved applications with your résumé. Pair that with ValueMyResume, an instant market-value check, and you have a salary-smart path from search to submit.

2. Indeed – best overall for salary info and volume

Indeed’s main advantage is scale. In August 2023, 70 percent of California postings on the platform included employer-provided pay ranges, the highest share of any large state except Colorado.

Search results show that range under each title, and if an employer skips it, Indeed’s Salary Estimate fills the gap. Slide the salary filter and the page refreshes at once, hiding lower-paying jobs. Many listings carry the orange Quick Apply badge, letting you send an application with your saved résumé in seconds.

Estimates can be broad on niche roles, and the volume sometimes surfaces stale ads. Still, for most seekers, Indeed offers the widest choice paired with reliable pay data, making it a logical first stop.

3. LinkedIn Jobs – best for networking with pay insight

LinkedIn layers pay data on top of its biggest asset: your network. When you browse California roles, you will see the salary range (employer-provided or LinkedIn-estimated), who in your circle already works there, and how many people have applied.

Tap All filters → Salary, pick a bracket (for example, $120k+), and irrelevant listings vanish. For many roles, the blue Easy Apply button drops your profile into the hiring queue in seconds; if that option is missing, you will finish on the company site but still benefit from network insights.

If you want transparency plus warm introductions in one feed, LinkedIn is hard to beat.

4. Glassdoor – best for deep salary and culture intel

Glassdoor built its reputation on anonymous pay reports, so transparency is baked in. As of January 2023, 61 percent of California listings on the site included an employer-provided salary range.

Open a posting and you will often see that company range plus a Glassdoor estimate for quick comparison. Click the company page to pair those numbers with employee reviews, CEO ratings, and scores on work-life balance and career growth, a helpful context for judging whether the pay fits the culture.

Applications usually jump to an external site, so it is slower than one-click boards. But if you need salary data and insider reviews in one tab, Glassdoor offers a research-first experience.

5. ZipRecruiter – best for one-click apply and smart matches

Set a preferred salary on ZipRecruiter and its algorithm surfaces matching California jobs at the top of your feed. Most listings display either an employer-supplied range or a bold ZipEstimate, so you can judge fit at a glance.

Hit the green 1-Click Apply and your stored résumé is on its way in about 30 seconds, our test average across five roles. For true hands-free speed, you can add an AI helper such as ApplyIQ to auto-apply to every salary-approved posting while you prep for interviews.

If you need to send high-volume applications without losing pay transparency, ZipRecruiter keeps the process quick and focused.

6. Built In LA & SF – best for tech roles with mandatory pay ranges

Built In focuses on startup and tech jobs and will not publish a listing unless the employer includes a salary range; its posting guidelines spell this out for recruiters.

That policy removes guesswork. Whether you browse Los Angeles or San Francisco feeds, every role—from junior engineer to VP of product—shows base pay and often equity details. Because each listing is vetted, you scroll through quality roles instead of sifting through duplicates. Tap a job, check the compensation, and if it fits, click Apply to open the employer’s short form, usually a one-minute task.

The catalog is smaller than mega-boards, but for tech pros who insist on transparent pay, Built In offers signal over noise.

7. Wellfound (AngelList) – best for startups that show salary and equity

Wellfound, formerly AngelList Talent, hides listings without compensation details, so nearly all California startup jobs display both salary and equity ranges.

Build one profile, set your salary filter, and apply with a single click. Founders receive your details in-platform and can reply directly, skipping traditional HR steps, ideal for lean teams.

Competition is intense and some offers skew equity-heavy, but if you value ownership and transparent pay, Wellfound keeps the startup search clear and efficient.

8. Snagajob – best for hourly work with wages upfront

Snagajob highlights the hourly rate on each job card, so you will see “$19–$22 an hour” before you click. The board centers on service, hospitality, and light-industrial roles, sectors where pay transparency still varies on other sites.

Create a quick profile, hit Quick Apply, and your details autofill. In our test, we submitted five applications in just under five minutes, a plus if you juggle multiple gigs or classes.

The catalog is light on salaried office jobs, but for wage earners who want speed and upfront pay, Snagajob is a time-saving pick.

9. Hired – best for tech pros who want salary-guaranteed offers

On Hired, you set a minimum base salary and vetted California companies send interview requests that meet or exceed it; every invitation lists the pay range, location, and tech stack up front.

Because the platform screens both sides, you will see fewer but higher-quality matches. Accept a request and recruiters move quickly; they already know your number and skill fit, which trims negotiation time.

Hired is selective, so early-career applicants may wait weeks for a match, but seasoned engineers and product leads often save hours by skipping underpaying postings and focusing only on pre-qualified offers.

California job boards at a glance

Use the grid below to compare salary visibility, filter strength, and apply speed, then focus on the boards that match your search style.

Figures reflect our August 2025 snapshot of California listings; sources are noted in each board’s detailed review above.

Read the fine print: common salary pitfalls and how to avoid them

California’s pay-range law puts numbers on each listing, yet some employers still blur the true offer. Watch for these red flags:

1. Ranges that stretch too far If you see “$60,000–$140,000 DOE” (depends on experience), the spread is too wide to guide a decision. Ask the recruiter where recent hires land before you invest time.
2. Base pay versus on-target earnings (OTE) Sales postings often combine salary and commission. A line such as “$120k OTE” might hide a $60k base with steep quotas. Request the guaranteed amount and the rules for variable pay.
3. Platform estimates Job boards add salary estimates when employers stay silent. Treat these numbers as ballpark figures and confirm them during your first conversation.
4. Remote roles that omit California Some companies avoid the disclosure rule by adding “not available to CA residents.” Skip these listings; many employers welcome California talent.

Confidence helps. An Indeed survey found that 75 percent of job seekers are more likely to apply when a salary range is posted. Use this advantage to push toward the top of the band or negotiate for perks that matter most.

Conclusion

California’s transparency law has turned salary-first searches from wishful thinking into the norm. By focusing on boards that display pay upfront and using the built-in salary filters, you can zero in on roles that match your expectations, apply faster, and negotiate from a position of knowledge. Your next offer should never be a guessing game again.

FAQ: your top salary-transparency questions answered

Do all California job ads have to show a pay range? Yes. Senate Bill 1162, effective January 1, 2023, requires employers with 15 or more workers to print the range in every posting. Smaller firms are exempt, though many still publish pay to stay competitive.

Is the posted range base pay or total compensation? Usually base pay. Bonuses, commissions, or equity sit outside the stated numbers unless the listing spells them out. Ask recruiters for the full package before you sign.

What if the offer lands below the advertised minimum? Push back. The range must reflect what the company reasonably expects to pay. Cite the posting and request alignment; most employers correct rather than risk a Labor Commissioner complaint.

Can I negotiate even when a range exists? Yes. The range is a guardrail, not a ceiling. Bring market data and examples of your impact. Many candidates land near the top or trade for perks such as extra PTO or remote days.

Why do some remote jobs exclude California applicants? A small share of firms write “except CA” to avoid disclosure rules. A 2024 Indeed analysis found that fewer than two percent of U.S. remote listings excluded pay-transparency states. Skip those ads and focus on employers comfortable sharing pay nationwide.