A high salary is one of the clearest, most objective indicators of merit. Unlike subjective achievements, compensation is measurable and comparable. When earnings place someone well above industry averages for the same role and location, it shows that the market values their skills, responsibility, and impact at an exceptional level.
In simple terms, the black and white test is this: if independent wage data shows your compensation is in the top range, typically the top 5 to 10 percent, it directly supports the argument that you are among a small group at the top of your field. This is why salary evidence, when properly benchmarked, is powerful and difficult to dispute.
While high salary is a strong and objective signal, it cannot stand alone. The other arguments must be properly structured, clearly documented, and logically connected to impact. Each criterion should explain not just what you did, but why it mattered, who relied on it, and how it distinguishes you from peers. When all arguments are structured this way, high salary reinforces the story instead of carrying it alone.
