Each month, Pave Market Data expands its real-time benchmarks. The September release adds a new industry cut, extends equity and variable pay into four more markets, and opens two new locations.
Below is a summary of the latest updates and how you can leverage them.
New Industry: Aerospace & Defense
Aerospace & Defense is now available as a dedicated industry filter, with data from 180 contributing companies. You can view the full list of companies in the Data Composition Explorer.
Benchmarking A&D roles using adjacent industries has been challenging because compensation dynamics differ significantly. Engineering talent is recruited from technology companies and commercial space firms, yet operates under government contracting constraints. Cleared roles command premiums not reflected in general technology benchmarks. Program and systems engineering functions also differ structurally from typical product organizations.
Comparing these roles to broad Manufacturing or Technology benchmarks often yields unreliable results. The dedicated filter allows A&D companies to benchmark against their true competitive set and enables recruiters to understand the compensation landscape when hiring from A&D.
Equity and Variable Pay for Four More Markets
Equity and variable pay benchmarks are now available for Japan, Singapore, San Diego, CA, and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.
Base salary alone provides limited insight across different markets. Equity participation, refresh practices, and bonus targets vary significantly between the US and APAC, and among US metros with diverse industry mixes. Comparing only base salaries may suggest offers are equivalent when total compensation packages differ greatly.
For companies hiring in Tokyo or Singapore, these benchmarks help distinguish between pricing a role and pricing a competitive offer. In San Diego and Dallas/Fort Worth, they provide insight into whether local equity practices align with those in the Bay Area and New York, where many candidates are comparing offers.
Two New Locations: Seoul and Guadalajara
Base salary benchmarks are now available for Seoul, South Korea, and Guadalajara, Mexico.
Seoul expands coverage into a key APAC technology and manufacturing market. Guadalajara is a rapidly growing engineering and nearshoring hub in North America, often chosen by US companies seeking engineering capacity in a compatible time zone. Previously, teams have relied on regional approximations to price roles in both markets.
The Full Rundown:
- New industry filter: Aerospace & Defense, with 180 contributing companies.
- New job families: Employee Relations and Product & Commercial Legal.
- New locations: Seoul, South Korea and Guadalajara, Mexico.
- Equity and variable pay: Japan, Singapore, San Diego, CA, and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.
Why Monthly Releases Matter
These updates don’t require a data submission project, a matching cycle, or waiting for an annual release. Pave's benchmarks are sourced from automated, continuous connections to HRIS, ATS, and equity systems. When your company expands to Guadalajara or begins recruiting talent with security clearance, the data is available immediately.
To read the full release notes, visit the Pave Help Center.
Benchmark against current market data, not outdated surveys. Sign in to explore the new coverage or book a demo to see it in action.
Charles is a member of Pave's marketing team, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in HR strategy and technology. Prior to Pave, he advised CHROs and other HR leaders at CEB (now Gartner's HR Practice), supported benefits research initiatives at Scoop Technologies, and, most recently, led SoFi's employee benefits business, SoFi at Work. A passionate advocate for talent innovation, Charles is known for championing data-driven HR solutions.
