This question can come up anywhere in the interview, but it more commonly comes toward the end. It's never a good idea for the person being interviewed to bring up pay too early, but once the interviewer addresses it, it's fair game. A good question to ask when quantifying your number is how frequently pay increases occur and how their pay structure works. Whether it is salary or hourly holds weight when determining your price. To ensure you are coming up with a fair number, you can also ask what other benefits are offered with the position. Health benefits cost an employer money and should be considered when coming up with your number, as well as any incentives, bonuses, or other perks. Be open, realistic, and honest. Transparency is the best choice when salary-based questions arise. If you want the job, don't be too eager to accept a low offer. Likewise, don't throw out an unrealistic number. Doing so could be viewed as disrespectful of the time and energy spent interviewing you.