13radyallen

Hi all, I am about to graduate with my MSW (soon to be LMSW) and I am preparing to apply for jobs. Looking at the applications, I see the dreaded question: "What is your desired salary?" This is a difficult question to answer. I am moving from a small-city in Missouri to Chicago and graduating from BSW to LMSW, so it's hard to know what a realistic salary range would be. I know what a medical social worker at my current job makes, and I am sure it is nowhere near what the equivalent salary would be for the same job in Chicago. I've also tried looking up average salaries for medical social workers in Chicago, but I find the results to be inconsistent and unreliable. It's also very uncommon for hospitals to post salary ranges online. I want to provide a salary amount that is both realistic and reflective of my worth and experience and won't give my application an automatic "no". Does anyone have any tips/suggestions for coming up with a good desired salary, or how to negotiate this during an interview? Also bonus points if someone knows what the average medical social worker salary is for Chicago. Thanks!