How do you find out what a competitive salary for you job is

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has data www.bls.gov/bls/wages.htm

and glassdoor.com might also have something for you.

good luck!

salary.com might be another, but just realize that any survey is going to be a bit skewed as it usually doesn't take into account all benefits (some have higher wages, lower benefits; others lower wages, higher benefits). It's also hard to value "perq's" such as flexible schedules, travel time/distance to work, etc.

I work in HR/payroll for a set of 5+ companies and see all that information too. I've had a tough one this week to see an employee who doesn't deserve get a 5.5% raise due to the exempt wage increase and her refusing to become non-exempt (was going to tender her resignation because she doesn't want to have to clock in/out). But I've had to realize it's just numbers in the end. If I focus on it too much, it brings me down and I just have to move away from that work and work on something else. It killed me though to change her salary in the payroll system!

Otherwise, generally my employer is fair. But I do find those in admin/services don't tend to increase as much as those that are directly bringing in income to the company coffers. I got much larger raises and bonuses when I was in HR consulting and at least 80% of my time was directly billed to clients. And those were in the early-mid 90s where typical annual raises were at least 4% for everyone. I haven't had a raise in 3 years, although we do get Christmas bonuses (same for all at the corporate level and then lower at each business).

All I can suggest is to write down all that you do for the company and sit down and ask what you can do to receive a higher bonus/raise. What goals in the coming year to get there? Try to get those in writing.

Robert Half might have the info you are looking for, given your position.

I'd stop focusing on salary data and make my argument based on your specific contributions, unless you work for a manager that is particularly moved by comparable market data. (In my HR experience, that is rare.) I've seen far better responses and salary adjustments when you can demonstrate where you have created efficiency, developed solutions, etc. than by using the underpaid argument. By the way, it does not mean that argument is invalid, just rarely successful in my experience.
To truly see jumps in salary, you do have to move to different companies, not job hopping, but every 2-5 years depending on your role. Internal equity is incredibly difficult to achieve, and that is unfortunate, but it is reality.