Job Offer Compare Calculator
Compare two offers on their real total yearly value, not just the salary number: 401(k) match, health cost, commute, and bonus.
How this calculator works
The salary number on an offer letter isn't the whole picture. A 401(k) match is money your employer adds on top of your pay (this calculator assumes you contribute enough to get the full match, a common assumption since most plans only match up to a certain percent of what you put in yourself). Health insurance premiums and commute costs come straight out of your pocket every month whether or not the offer mentions them. This calculator adds the match and bonus to the base salary, then subtracts a full year of health premiums and commute costs, for each offer: true yearly value = salary + 401(k) match dollars − yearly health premium − yearly commute cost + bonus. Comparing that single number side by side often tells a different story than comparing salaries alone.
Worked example
Offer A: $62,000 salary, no 401(k) match, $120/month health premium, no commute cost entered, no bonus: true value $60,560 ($62,000 minus $1,440 a year in health premiums). Offer B: $60,000 salary, a 4% 401(k) match (worth $2,400 a year), $0/month health premium, no commute cost, no bonus: true value $62,400. Even though Offer B's salary is $2,000 lower on paper, it's actually worth about $1,840 more per year once the match and health costs are counted.
Frequently asked questions
Why does this assume I get the full 401(k) match?
Most employer matches only apply up to a set percent of your own contribution (for example, "100% match up to 4% of salary"), so the match is only worth its full dollar value if you contribute at least that much yourself. If you plan to contribute less, lower the match percent you enter to reflect what you'd actually receive.
What else isn't counted here?
Paid time off, remote work flexibility, equity or stock options, signing bonuses, retirement vesting schedules, and career growth aren't dollar amounts this calculator can weigh for you. It's built for the costs and benefits that have a clear monthly or yearly dollar value.
Should commute cost include my time, not just gas and tolls?
This field is for out-of-pocket dollars (gas, tolls, parking, transit fare), not the value of your time. If commute time matters a lot to you, weigh it separately alongside the dollar numbers this calculator gives you.
Assumptions & sources
- 401(k) match dollars = salary × match percent, assuming you contribute enough yourself to receive the full match.
- Health premium and commute cost are monthly out-of-pocket dollar amounts, multiplied by 12 for the yearly total.
- No taxes are modeled on the salary, bonus, or match; this is a side-by-side comparison of gross value, not take-home pay.
Educational estimates, not financial advice.