I recently finished job searching and the common theme was for the prospective employer to ask you what you're looking for in terms of compensation (I discuss salary only but other benefits are equally as important, for some). This can be tricky because you don't want to look greedy and you don't want to give away your services for less than fair value. I went to bls.gov and searched out PT and used their data (from '08) on different setting and locations, combined with APTA's salary statistics from a recent questionnaire to see what 0-3 years of experience make on average compared to national average and adjust the average gained from the location/setting you're interested. In my mind, using statistics to back up your number supports your position.
Having said that, I took a position making substantially less than national average because the clinic would be great for professional development in OP ortho setting (didn't get accepted to either ortho residencies applied to and this clinic is a location/faculty for weekend intensives for EIM residency).
