At least where I work (a university) salary ranges usually reflect varying degrees of experience above the minimum required for the job. For example, if the job description says it requires a BA and one year of related experience, someone with that would expect to start at the lowest end of the range. However, someone with 5 years of relevant experience may be able to negotiate to start higher in the range. The range also shows you how high you could expect to go as you aquire more experience (years on the job) before topping out for that particular job. Of course, as you get more experience you may then qualify for different jobs with higher pay ranges.