Job Offer Comparison Calculator
Compare two job offers side by side. Most people only look at base salary — that's how they leave $20,000+ on the table.
Offer A
Cash compensation
Based on company history. 70–90% is typical.
Equity
RSUs: total grant ÷ vesting years. Options: conservative gain estimate per year.
Retirement
Cliff vesting means you forfeit the match if you leave before the cliff.
Benefits
What comes out of your paycheck. Lower is better.
Work arrangement
Offer B
Cash compensation
Based on company history. 70–90% is typical.
Equity
RSUs: total grant ÷ vesting years. Options: conservative gain estimate per year.
Retirement
Cliff vesting means you forfeit the match if you leave before the cliff.
Benefits
What comes out of your paycheck. Lower is better.
Work arrangement
Offer A
Year 1 Total Comp
$85,975
Offer B
Year 1 Total Comp
$158,385
5-Year cumulative difference
+$322,050
Offer B comes out ahead by $322,050 over 5 years (sign-on and relocation count year 1 only).
Offer B is meaningfully better on total comp by $72,410/year.
| Component | Offer A | Offer B | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $85,000 | $110,000 | +$25,000 |
| Realized bonus | $6,800 | $13,200 | +$6,400 |
| Sign-on (year 1 only) | $0 | $10,000 | +$10,000 |
| Annual equity vest | $0 | $20,000 | +$20,000 |
| 401k match | $3,400 | $6,600 | +$3,200 |
| Remote work value | $0 | $4,000 | +$4,000 |
| Health insurance cost | -$4,200 | -$2,400 | +$1,800 |
| Commute cost | -$5,025 | -$3,015 | +$2,010 |
| Relocation cost | $0 | $0 | +$0 |
| YEAR 1 TOTAL | $85,975 | $158,385 | +$72,410 |
Frequently asked questions
How we model the trickiest inputs — equity, 401k match, commute, and remote work value. Read the full guide →
How should I value equity (RSUs or stock options)?
For public-company RSUs, divide the total grant by the vesting period (usually 4 years).
For startup options, be conservative — most are worth $0 at exit. If there's no real valuation, enter $0.
If you'll likely leave before the 1-year cliff, set equity to $0.
Example: $80,000 RSU grant ÷ 4 years = $20,000/year equity.
What does the 401k match field mean?
The percentage of your salary the company contributes to your 401k (e.g. a '6% match' usually means up to 6% of base).
Matches often vest over time — leave early and you may forfeit part of it.
Example: $100,000 base × 6% match = $6,000/year of free money.
How is the commute cost calculated?
We use the IRS rate of $0.67/mile (2026), covering gas, depreciation, insurance, and maintenance.
Round trip × 250 days for full in-office, or × (days in office × 50 weeks) for hybrid. Tolls, parking, and time aren't included.
Example: 15 miles one-way × 2 × 250 days × $0.67 ≈ $5,025/year.
Why does remote work get an $8,000/year value?
Multiple 2026 studies (WFH Research, Stanford, Owl Labs) find workers value full remote at ~8% of salary.
We use a flat $8,000 for full remote and $4,000 for hybrid — covering time saved, lunch, and wardrobe. If it's not worth that to you, mentally subtract it.
Why is realistic bonus payout separate from target bonus?
Target is what's on the offer letter. Realistic payout is what the company actually pays — usually 70–90% of target.
Ask the recruiter for the last 2–3 years of payout history. If they refuse, treat the bonus as upside, not base comp.
Why isn't PTO added to total compensation?
PTO is already paid by your salary — adding it would double-count. We show it for context only.
What's not included in this calculator?
Cost of living, state taxes, healthcare quality beyond premium, career trajectory, manager, and layoff risk.
These often matter more than the dollar delta — use the calculator to settle comp, then judge the rest qualitatively.
Data & assumptions
Sources behind the defaults used in this calculator.
- Mileage rate — $0.67/mile. Based on the IRS standard business mileage rate (covers gas, depreciation, insurance, maintenance). IRS standard mileage rates ↗
- Remote work value — $8,000/yr full remote, $4,000/yr hybrid. Workers value the option to WFH at roughly 8% of pay. WFH Research (Barrero, Bloom, Davis) ↗ · The Evolution of Work from Home (PDF) ↗
- 401k match — typical 4–6% of salary, often with multi-year vesting. Median employer match is ~4.5%; most plans use cliff or graded vesting over 3–6 years. Vanguard, How America Saves ↗ · Vanguard 401(k) match research (PDF) ↗
- Working days — 250/year. 260 weekdays minus ~10 federal holidays. PTO is not subtracted from the commute math.
Negotiating one of these offers?
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