Perhaps try turning it on its head. Ask the interviewer what their salary range is, before they ask you.
The interviews are to judge skill and if everyone wants to work with one another. There are also different leveling with the title, so they won't know the range until all the interviews are finished. And while money is important, it comes off as you're only interested in the money to the interviewer.
Your statement also says interviewer instead of recruiter, was that a mistake? I have never had an interviewer discussing salary range, maybe cost of living in the area, but not salary range for the role.