Salary expectations: how do you answer? - 9 months and counting

A recruiter asked for my salary expectations on a first call as I look for work as a welding apprentice. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I looked up ranges in Chicago and they vary a lot.

Benefits matter too. A slightly lower rate with better coverage was better for me.

I gave a range based on local postings and said I was flexible depending on the whole package. They did not push back.