Job Offer Comparison Calculator: Salary & Benefits
Compare two job offers side by side: base salary, bonus, 401(k) match, annual equity, health benefits and stipends. See the annual compensation difference.
Quick answer: A $100,000 offer with a 10% bonus, 4% employer match and $6,000 in health benefits totals $120,000 in modeled annual value before equity and stipends. Some of that value is not spendable cash. Use your own numbers below.
Totals combine cash, retirement, equity and benefits before tax; they are not take-home pay. Paid leave is already included in salary. Compare commute costs and working hours separately.
The full workflow lets you enter the offers alongside your working hours and costs.
When to use this tool:
- Compare job offers side-by-side
- Evaluate total compensation value
- Negotiate using data
How it's Calculated
- Total Comp = Base + Bonus + Pension Match + Annual Equity + Stipends + Health Value.
- Comparison = Difference between Offer A Total Comp and Offer B Total Comp.
Key Assumptions
Defaults are example inputs. See methodology and corrections for how to check results, or report an issue.
- Assumes bonus percent is paid out fully as expected.
- Equity should be entered as the annual portion (e.g., Total Grant / Vesting Years).
Actionable Insights
- Use the employer contribution you expect to receive, not the maximum advertised match. Check vesting and your own contribution requirements.
- Compare guaranteed compensation with a lower-bonus or zero-equity scenario before choosing an offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Put recurring compensation on the same annual basis: base pay, expected bonus, employer retirement contribution, annual vested equity, stipends and health benefits. Then compare commute, hours and paid leave separately.
Enter the employer contribution as a percentage of base salary that you expect to receive. For example, a 50% match on your first 6% contribution produces a 3% employer contribution when you contribute enough. Check the plan rules and vesting.
For RSUs, enter the value expected to vest during a year, allowing for price risk. Private stock options are not equivalent to their underlying share price: exercise cost, dilution, vesting and liquidity matter. Use zero for a conservative comparison if the value is unclear.
No. It compares gross annual compensation and selected benefits. Tax treatment differs across cash, benefits and equity. Compare after-tax outcomes separately if location or compensation structure changes.
Keep a one-time signing bonus separate from recurring compensation. For a first-year scenario, add it to that year’s stipend input and label the scenario accordingly; remove it when comparing later years. Check repayment terms.
Use a consistent annual benefit estimate for both offers, such as the employer-paid premium. Also compare your own premiums, deductibles and coverage separately; a higher employer premium does not necessarily mean a better plan for you.
No. Paid leave is normally already included in salary. Use the PTO calculator to compare paid days off and pay per hour actually worked without adding salary a second time.
Use this calculator for compensation, then estimate cash commuting costs and time with the commute calculator. For a fuller decision, the job offer decision workflow combines pay, time, costs and risk.
A higher salary does not always mean higher total compensation
This example assumes the target bonus is paid and the stated retirement match is earned. Equity and stipends are zero.
| Annual component | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $100,000 | $110,000 |
| Bonus | $10,000 | $0 |
| Employer 401(k) contribution | $4,000 | $3,300 |
| Health benefit estimate | $6,000 | $4,800 |
| Modeled annual value | $120,000 | $118,100 |
Offer A leads by $1,900 in modeled value, but depends on a bonus. With that bonus set to zero, its total falls to $110,000. The better choice depends on how you value that uncertainty and the noncash benefits.
Check the offer letter before entering numbers
- Use expected annual vesting, not an entire multi-year equity grant.
- Separate signing incentives from recurring salary and check clawbacks.
- Count the employer retirement contribution you can actually receive.
- Compare paid time off using the PTO calculator and travel using the commute calculator.
Read the worked job offer comparison guide or use the full job offer decision workflow for a more detailed decision.
Sources and scope
Examples use US dollars and US workplace terminology. Change the inputs to match your benefits and costs. These are comparison models, not tax-return or payroll calculations.