A sign-on bonus is a one-time payment that you get when you join a company. It's usually paid in addition to your regular salary, and it's usually used as an incentive for you to accept the job. Sign-on bonuses typically range from 5% to 25% of your annual salary, depending on the industry and how competitive it is. The average sign-on bonus for technical positions is around 10% of annual salary, while sales positions tend to have larger bonuses—sometimes as high as 30%.