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Job Offer Comparison Calculator

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Compare two job offers side by side - base salary, bonus, and the dollar value of benefits - to see total compensation.

Job Offer Comparison Calculator

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Offer A
Offer B
Higher total compensation
Offer B, by $1,000
Offer A total
$98,000
Offer B total
$99,000
Consider cost of living, growth potential, and job satisfaction too - total compensation is one important factor, not the only one.

The formula

Total compensation = Base salary + Annual bonus + Benefits value
Example

Offer A: $85,000 + $5,000 + $8,000 = $98,000. Offer B: $95,000 + $0 + $4,000 = $99,000. Offer B wins by $1,000, despite Offer A's bonus.

Step-by-step guide

  1. Enter each offer's base salary, expected annual bonus, and estimated benefits value.
  2. Read the total for each offer and which one comes out ahead.

Estimating "benefits value" - the trickiest number here

Benefits value should capture the real dollar worth of everything beyond salary: your employer's 401(k) match (if they match 4% of a $90,000 salary, that's $3,600/year), the difference in what you'd pay out-of-pocket for health insurance premiums between plans, HSA contributions, stock grants (vested value, not just the grant), and similar. It's an estimate by nature, but even a rough figure captures a real part of compensation that comparing base salaries alone would miss entirely - a lower salary with a strong 401(k) match and cheaper health coverage can genuinely outweigh a higher salary with weak benefits.

Common mistakes

Comparing base salaries alone and ignoring benefits entirely - a strong benefits package can be worth thousands of dollars a year in real terms.
Treating a "target bonus" as guaranteed income - many bonuses are discretionary or tied to performance targets that aren't always met.

Frequently asked questions

Should I factor in cost of living if the jobs are in different cities?

Absolutely - a higher total compensation number in an expensive city can still leave you with less real purchasing power than a lower offer somewhere more affordable. This calculator compares raw dollar totals; adjust the numbers yourself first if cost of living differs meaningfully.

How do I value stock options or equity?

This is genuinely difficult, especially for private companies - a reasonable approach is to use the current estimated value of what would vest in the first year, treated conservatively, and include that in the benefits field.

What about non-financial factors like career growth?

Those matter too, and this calculator intentionally doesn't try to quantify them - use the total compensation number as one input alongside your own judgment about growth potential, work-life balance, and job satisfaction.

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