canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/payscale.com/payscale

# PayScale API

Jentic publishes the only available OpenAPI specification for PayScale API, keeping it validated and agent-ready. PayScale API provides access to salary and compensation data through a token-based authentication flow and resource endpoints. The API offers 3 endpoints covering authentication token generation, resource listing, and individual resource retrieval for accessing PayScale's compensation database programmatically.

## For AI agents

Access PayScale compensation and salary data resources through authenticated API calls for integration into HR and recruiting workflows.

## Scope

Does not handle payroll processing, job posting, or employee management - use for compensation data retrieval and salary benchmarking only.

## Capabilities

- Generate authentication tokens for secure API access to compensation data
- List available compensation data resources in the PayScale catalog
- Retrieve specific salary and compensation resources by identifier
- Access market pay data for integration into HR decision systems
- Query PayScale's compensation database programmatically

## Use cases

### Compensation Data Integration

Connect to PayScale's compensation database to pull market salary data into internal HR systems. The API provides a token-based authentication flow followed by resource discovery and retrieval. Compensation data can feed into salary band configuration, offer letter generation, and pay equity analysis.

Example prompt: Authenticate via POST `/auth/token`, then list available resources via GET /resources, and retrieve a specific compensation dataset via GET `/resources/{id}`

### HR System Salary Benchmarking

Pull PayScale compensation benchmarks into HRIS platforms for automated salary band updates and competitive analysis. The resource endpoints provide structured access to pay data that can be scheduled for periodic refresh, keeping internal compensation frameworks aligned with current market rates.

Example prompt: Retrieve the compensation resource list via GET /resources and identify available datasets for software engineering roles

### AI Agent Compensation Research

AI agents use the PayScale API through Jentic to access salary data as part of hiring, budgeting, or employee retention workflows. Jentic handles API key management and token generation so agents can query compensation resources without managing the authentication flow directly.

Example prompt: Search Jentic for 'access PayScale compensation data', load the authentication and resource retrieval schemas, and pull salary data for a target role

## Key endpoints

| Method | Path | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| POST | `/auth/token` | Generate an authentication token |
| GET | `/resources` | List available compensation resources |
| GET | `/resources/{id}` | Retrieve a specific resource by ID |

## Key resources

- **Authentication** — Generate access tokens for API authentication
- **Resources** — List and retrieve compensation data resources

## Why Jentic

- **Setup:** Wiring the PayScale API by hand means calling POST `/auth/token` to mint an access token, managing the X-API-Key header, and sequencing the auth-then-retrieve flow yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import PayScale from the API Directory, store the API key once, and your agent calls it.
- **Permission scoping:** The PayScale API exposes only compensation resource lookups, so scope the agent by the operations it needs, such as listing resources or fetching one by id. You choose that set, so nothing beyond read access to benchmarking data is included unless you add it.
- **Credential handling:** Your PayScale API key is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time, with the token exchange handled for you. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
- **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'get salary benchmarks', and Jentic returns the matching PayScale operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.

## Related APIs

- **Jobalyzer** — Job-specific compensation analysis with title matching and impact scoring
- **BambooHR** — HR platform for applying compensation data to employee records
- **Gusto** — Payroll execution platform that benefits from PayScale benchmarking data

## FAQ

### Why is there no official OpenAPI spec for PayScale API?

PayScale does not publish an OpenAPI specification for their compensation data API. Jentic generates and maintains this spec so that AI agents and developers can call PayScale API via structured tooling. It is validated against the live API and kept up to date. Get started with Jentic One, the self-hosted execution layer.

### What authentication does the PayScale API use?

The PayScale API uses a two-step authentication flow. First, you submit your API key to POST `/auth/token` to receive an access token. Then you use that token in subsequent requests to the resource endpoints. Through Jentic, API keys are stored encrypted in your Jentic One instance and token generation is handled automatically.

### How do I retrieve compensation data through Jentic?

Use Jentic to search for 'access PayScale salary data', which loads the authentication and resource retrieval flow. Jentic handles token generation via POST `/auth/token` automatically, then you can list resources via GET /resources or retrieve specific data via GET `/resources/{id}.`

### What data is available through the PayScale API resources endpoint?

The GET /resources endpoint returns a catalog of available compensation data resources. Each resource has an identifier that can be used with GET `/resources/{id}` to retrieve the full dataset. Available resources cover salary benchmarks, compensation ranges, and market rate data.

### How does the PayScale API differ from Jobalyzer?

The PayScale API provides general access to compensation data resources through a simple list-and-retrieve pattern. Jobalyzer is a specialized service that generates custom compensation reports with job title matching, skills impact analysis, and education premium calculations. Use PayScale API for bulk data access and Jobalyzer for targeted job-specific analysis.

### Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the PayScale API?

Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which PayScale operations the agent can call, and the PayScale API only exposes compensation resource lookups. You can allow the agent to list available resources via GET /resources or fetch a single dataset via GET `/resources/{id}` while withholding anything you have not approved. Only the operations you grant are callable, so the agent stays limited to read access over benchmarking data.