There’s no such thing as a standard salary range for a given position. Just like anything else, there’s a cost for average, and a cost for the best.
You wouldn’t say “how much does a sedan cost?”; you would understand the difference between a Nissan and a Bentley. Need top talent but not ready for Bentley prices? Here's one way.
Does this mean that candidates can set their own price if they claim to be the best? No, it means the market sets the price if they really are the best.
As a candidate, how do you raise your price? Build a track record, have a personality, establish positioning, and learn to negotiate. It must be in that order -- negotiating tactics aren't very effective without a foundation of actually being awesome. More on that here.
