Certainly AL doesn't control what companies offer. I can't comment on "so many applicants". It is entirely subjective and without context (e.g. for quality of applicant, on any scale you choose). All I can say about it is this: when I narrow the region to my region and the compensation range so that my current compensation is the low end of the bar, the pickings are very, very thin (and I'm pretty sure I'm being paid less than similarly experienced and capable engineers can command, for a variety of reasons). I have a hard time picturing anybody but a desperate or naive person taking most of the listings seriously.