Job Offer Comparison

Which Offer Is Actually Better?

Most people compare job offers by looking at base salary. That single number ignores bonus structure, equity vesting, 401k matching, healthcare value, commute costs, and — the variable that changes everything — what that salary actually buys in the city where the job is located. A $140,000 offer in San Francisco and a $105,000 offer in Nashville are not $35,000 apart in real terms. After cost of living and state taxes, they may be nearly identical, or the Nashville offer may come out ahead.

This calculator models the complete picture across two offers simultaneously: total compensation including all benefit components, cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power by city, state and federal tax impact, and 10-year wealth accumulation based on what you actually save and invest from each offer. The output is not just which offer pays more today — it is which offer makes you wealthier over time, and at what point a lower-paying offer with better growth trajectory crosses over a higher-paying one with slower advancement. Enter both offers and let the numbers tell you which one to take.

Job Offer Comparison Calculator

Compare two offers on total compensation, cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power, and 10-year wealth accumulation

OFFER A -
Compensation
Base salaryThe guaranteed annual cash component. It is the foundation but often not the largest differentiator between competitive offers.
Target bonusAnnual bonus as a percentage of base. Enter the target payout, not the maximum. Target bonuses of 10-20% are common in corporate roles; 50-200% are common in finance, PE, and sales.
Equity / RSUsAnnual value of equity grants. For RSUs, use the current share price times shares vesting per year. For options, use a conservative estimate of current value minus strike price.
401k match & benefits401k match is dollar-for-dollar free money - a 6% match on a $100K salary is $6,000/year. Healthcare value is what you would pay out of pocket without employer coverage.
Base salary $120,000
Target bonus (% of base) 15%
Annual equity / RSU value $20,000
401k match (% of salary) 4%
Healthcare value (annual) $6,000
Annual commute cost $3,000
Location & taxes
Cost of living index100 = US national average. San Francisco: ~175. New York: ~130. Austin: ~105. Nashville: ~90. Pittsburgh: ~85. A $120K salary in SF has the same purchasing power as ~$69K in Pittsburgh.
Federal + state tax rateEnter the combined effective rate. State income tax alone ranges from 0% (TX, FL, WA, NV) to 13.3% (CA top bracket). This materially affects take-home pay on identical salaries.
Cost of living index (US avg = 100) 110
Federal + state tax rate 28%
Growth
Annual salary growth rateCompounds over the modeling period. A role paying $20K less today with 6% annual growth overtakes a flat role within 5-7 years. Company stage matters - growth-stage companies typically offer faster advancement.
Annual salary growth rate 4.0%
OFFER B -
Compensation
Base salaryThe guaranteed annual cash component. It is the foundation but often not the largest differentiator between competitive offers.
Target bonusAnnual bonus as a percentage of base. Enter the target payout, not the maximum. Target bonuses of 10-20% are common in corporate roles; 50-200% are common in finance, PE, and sales.
Equity / RSUsAnnual value of equity grants. For RSUs, use the current share price times shares vesting per year. For options, use a conservative estimate of current value minus strike price.
401k match & benefits401k match is dollar-for-dollar free money - a 6% match on a $100K salary is $6,000/year. Healthcare value is what you would pay out of pocket without employer coverage.
Base salary $105,000
Target bonus (% of base) 20%
Annual equity / RSU value $30,000
401k match (% of salary) 6%
Healthcare value (annual) $8,000
Annual commute cost $1,200
Location & taxes
Cost of living index100 = US national average. San Francisco: ~175. New York: ~130. Austin: ~105. Nashville: ~90. Pittsburgh: ~85. A $120K salary in SF has the same purchasing power as ~$69K in Pittsburgh.
Federal + state tax rateEnter the combined effective rate. State income tax alone ranges from 0% (TX, FL, WA, NV) to 13.3% (CA top bracket). This materially affects take-home pay on identical salaries.
Cost of living index (US avg = 100) 85
Federal + state tax rate 24%
Growth
Annual salary growth rateCompounds over the modeling period. A role paying $20K less today with 6% annual growth overtakes a flat role within 5-7 years. Company stage matters - growth-stage companies typically offer faster advancement.
Annual salary growth rate 6.0%
SHARED
Assumptions
Investment returnApplied to savings from each offer. Assumes you invest the same percentage of take-home pay from either offer.
Savings rate & years to modelSavings rate determines how much of after-tax income goes into investments. Longer time horizons favor the offer with higher growth rate, even if starting compensation is lower.
Investment return on savings 7.0%
Personal savings rate 15%
Years to model 10 yrs

Job Offer Comparison - Results Summary

Recommended offer
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Total comp A
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Total comp B
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After-tax take-home A
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After-tax take-home B
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CoL-adj purchasing power A
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CoL-adj purchasing power B
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Year 1 net worth
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Year 5 net worth
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Year 10 net worth
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Chart view
Offer A net worth
Offer B net worth
Disclaimer: Results are estimates based on the inputs provided. Tax calculations are simplified and do not account for deductions, filing status, FICA, or state-specific rules. Equity values assume vesting as entered and do not model liquidity risk, strike prices, or company performance. Cost of living indices are approximations. This calculator does not constitute financial or career advice. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making compensation decisions.