Salary negotiation in DFW: How I got $18K more than the initial offer

Just closed a negotiation for a Senior PM role in Plano. Initial offer: $112K. Final: $130K + $5K signing bonus. Here's exactly what I did.

Step 1: Know your number BEFORE the interview

• Researched the role on Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Blind
• DFW Senior PM range: $110-145K depending on company/industry
• My target: $130K (75th percentile for the market)

Step 2: Never give your number first

• When asked "What are your salary expectations?" I said: "I'd like to learn more about the total compensation package. What's the budgeted range for this role?"
• They said $105-125K. I noted the top of the range.

Step 3: Let them make the first offer

• After final round, offer came: $112K base, standard benefits, 10% bonus target
• This was the midpoint of their stated range. Always the case.

Step 4: Counter with data

• "Thank you for the offer. I'm excited about the role. Based on my research of Senior PM compensation in DFW (Levels.fyi, Glassdoor) and my 7 years of experience, I was expecting compensation closer to $132K. I have [specific accomplishments] that justify this."
• Provided 3 comp data points from Levels.fyi showing the range

Step 5: Negotiate beyond base

• They came back at $125K. I asked for $130K + $5K signing bonus to bridge the gap.
• Also negotiated: extra week PTO (3→4 weeks), remote flexibility (2→3 days)

Final package: $130K base + 10% bonus + $5K signing = $148K first-year TC. Original: $123K TC.

Sources:

• Levels.fyi — PM compensation data for DFW
• Glassdoor — salary reports
• "Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss — negotiation framework
• SHRM — negotiation statistics

Who else has noticed this?