<prompt> Human: According to all the salary sites listed in the title, Im making at least 10k under the average for my area. Im damn good at what I do, and the CEO knows it. Ive gotten annual COLA raises, but other than that I havent gotten any pay raises since I was promoted to my current position back in September of 2013.When I was promoted, I researched the salary comparison sites for what I should be asking for, even creating a sexy graph that made reading the comparisons easy. During my meeting with him, the CEO glanced at it, and then completely disregarded it, just straight saying no when I tried to negotiate up from his first salary offer. So it was less negotiation and more take it or leave it, I suppose. Turns out, he used information from a group called Mountain States Employers Council to determine my salary, and since I dont have access to the same information, Im stuck for having data in-hand when I try to renegotiate.As an aside, I did a bit of research on RSEC and apparently they are apparently a terrible company to work for and pay their employees really poorly... this may mean nothing, but it certainly doesnt do anything for their ethos.No one else in my company does what I do - Im the only person in my department, so I have no one to compare notes with.I plan on: Bringing a detailed list of my accomplishments Pointing out that the cost of living in my area has skyrocketed in the past few years without any kind of match in income Pointing out that my workload has steadily increased over this timespan also without compensationBeyond that, Im at a loss. Any advice would be deeply appreciated!Assistant: During my meeting with him, the CEO glanced at it, and then completely disregarded it, just straight saying no when I tried to negotiate up from his first salary offer.Thats when you stand up and say:Then I guess were done talking. Thank you for your time. Pick up your stuff and walk out of the meeting and go back to work. Offer no other information if your boss or anyone else asks about your conversation. Or if pressed simply say Im evaluating my options. Then take the time you need to get a new job while maintaining the current one.Human: I wish I had been in a position to do that. No experience in that particular job, no certifications, an irrelevant college degree - theres no way I wouldve found a similar position elsewhere. More, the promotion was from an eh job to a dream job. Im doing what what fits my personality perfectly.Eighteen months of experience, two statenational certifications half a dozen government trainings, and several projects in which I single-handedly saved both my companys reputation and my boss ass later this isnt hyperbole, she regularly brags about me on this, I feel like I could potentially find a similar job elsewhere, but finding one is like finding a unicorn. Ive found only a handful of equivalent positions advertised, all requiring a cross-country move, which I dont know if Im willing to make.I should note that my boss agrees with me that I need more appropriate compensation, but its all about convincing the CEO. Im hopeful that with my boss arguing my points alongside me that this will work out better than the first time around.Thanks so much for the advice - ifwhen I seriously begin to search for another job, Ill absolutely keep in mind the ability to just walk away if what they offer doesnt suit me.  <response>: Then you dont actually have any leverage. For the purposes of salary negotiations, you arent being underpaid unless you could get paid more elsewhere. If you cant get a job elsewhere, you certainly cant get paid more elsewhere. 