Should I take this job?
A total-comp comparison calculator that nets salary, benefits, 401k match, commute, and equity vesting across your current job and a new offer.
How this works
Most people compare offers by base salary alone. That's a mistake — wages and salaries are only about 70% of total compensation (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation); the rest is benefits. The real comparison is the net annual value of each job, including:
- Base + bonus: cash compensation per year
- 401k match: deferred but real ($1 match = $1 in your future net worth, full-stop)
- Health insurance differential: the share you pay, monthly × 12
- Commute cost: gas/transit/parking out of pocket
- Commute time: hours/week × what you value your time at × 50 weeks/year
- Equity: annualized over the vesting schedule (4-year default)
- One-time money: the signing bonus, minus any unvested equity or bonus you walk away from, counts in year 1 only — the verdict is based on what every year looks like, not the first one
The hourly-value input is the most contested. Most people pick something between their hourly wage and 1.5× that — but the right answer is "what would you pay to get an extra hour of your life back?" If the answer is "more than my wage," you under-charge for your time.
If the new job is in a different state, run the cost-of-living comparison to see whether the salary bump survives the move. If you're thinking about quitting without a new offer lined up, the runway calculator tells you how many months you can afford.
Common questions
How much is my commute actually costing me?
More than you think. A 5-hour/week commute at $35/hour time-value costs $8,750/year in lost time alone, plus gas/transit. This calculator puts a dollar value on commute time so you can compare fairly against remote offers.
How should I value stock options or RSUs?
For public companies, use the grant's current market value ÷ vesting years. For pre-IPO startups, discount by at least 50% before you enter it — most startup equity never pays out. This calculator annualizes whatever value you enter over a 4-year vest.
What if the new job is a lower title but higher pay?
This calculator measures financial value, not career trajectory. If the title difference gates future earnings growth, factor that into your decision separately — the math here is the floor, not the ceiling.