Decision toolkit

Job offer comparison calculator

Compare what lands in your life after approximate taxes, benefits, commuting costs, and the time each job asks of you. Your inputs stay in this browser.

Your decision snapshot

Add the basics for both offers

We’ll show the estimated cash, time, and trade-offs—not just the salary headline.

Side-by-side value

See where each offer goes

Money values change with the view. Time stays in annual hours so it is never mistaken for cash.

Comparison of the estimated cash, retirement value, costs, and time for both job offers
Measure	Offer A	Offer B
Spendable cash after modeled taxes, your 401(k), health, and commute · annual	Offer A—	Offer B—
Total compensation salary, bonus, and employer match	Offer A—	Offer B—
Retirement value
Your 401(k) contribution saved for later, not spendable today	Offer A—	Offer B—
Employer 401(k) match subject to each plan's rules and vesting	Offer A—	Offer B—
Costs
Modeled taxes	Offer A—	Offer B—
Health cost	Offer A—	Offer B—
Commute cost	Offer A—	Offer B—
Time — always shown in annual hours
Commute time	Offer A—	Offer B—
Work + commute time	Offer A—	Offer B—
True hourly value cash + retirement divided by time	Offer A—	Offer B—

How to compare two job offers beyond salary

Start with each offer's annual base salary and a realistic bonus estimate. Then enter your own health premium, retirement contribution and employer match, weekly hours, paid time off, and commute. Compare spendable cash separately from retirement benefits: money contributed to a retirement account is valuable, but it is not available to cover this month's bills.

Worked example: the cost of a hybrid commute

Suppose an office role requires three commute days a week, with a 24-mile round trip and 35 minutes each way. With 15 PTO days, the calculator models 49 working weeks and 147 commute days. At an illustrative $0.50 per mile, that is $1,764 a year in vehicle costs and 171.5 hours in travel time. A fully remote role avoids those modeled commute costs, assuming no work travel.

These are separate measures: the calculator does not subtract a dollar value for travel time from spendable cash. Instead, it includes commute hours in true hourly value. A higher salary can still win; compare the estimated after-tax difference with the added costs, then consider the time commitment.

What should you check in the offer letter?

Confirm whether a bonus is guaranteed, how the retirement match and vesting work, what health coverage costs you, and whether remote arrangements can change. Equity, signing-bonus repayment clauses, relocation, and career growth need a separate review; this calculator does not price them.

For another angle, use the true hourly wage calculator, compare take-home pay by state, or plan a move from employment to freelance work.

What this estimate assumes

2026 federal and modeled state tax rules; it uses the standard deduction and does not model credits, deductions, local taxes, equity, or plan limits.
Your employee 401(k) percentage is treated as a traditional contribution for federal/state income-tax purposes; it is still subject to payroll taxes in this estimate. True hourly value includes that saved amount plus employer match, while spendable cash excludes both.
Employer match is shown as compensation, not spendable cash. Actual matching formulas and vesting rules vary.
The $0.76/mile default is an editable vehicle-cost proxy based on the July–December 2026 IRS mileage reference; it is not a commuting deduction or tax rule.
PTO reduces modeled work and commute time using a five-day workweek assumption; it does not reduce annual salary.
Health cost is subtracted from spendable cash. Whether your premium is actually pre-tax depends on the employer's plan.

Last reviewed September 3, 2026. Read the site methodology. For a compensation decision with equity, relocation, complex taxes, or a specific benefits plan, verify the details with HR or a qualified tax professional.