Budgeting & Income
Job Offer Comparison Calculator
Base salary is the number recruiters lead with and the worst one to decide on. Bonus, equity, the 401(k) match and what you pay for health cover routinely move total compensation by tens of thousands — and a move between cities can undo the whole difference.
Tested against worked examplesHow we verify
Grant value ÷ vesting years, at today's price.
100 is the national average. San Francisco is around 180, Austin around 105.
Offer B is ahead by: $51,082
Offer B is ahead by
$51,082
In purchasing power — total compensation restated at the same cost of living.
Offer A pays more on paper, but cost of living reverses the ranking. Index numbers are broad averages — housing is where most of the difference actually lands, so check rents for the neighbourhood you would live in.
- Offer A total compensation
- $188,600
- Offer B total compensation
- $155,860
- Offer A adjusted for cost of living
- $104,778
- Offer B adjusted for cost of living
- $155,860
- Offer A — PTO value
- $8,654
- Offer B — PTO value
- $12,500
Compensation breakdown
| Component | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $150,000 | $130,000 |
| Target bonus | $15,000 | $19,500 |
| Equity per year | $20,000 | $0 |
| Employer 401(k) match | $6,000 | $7,800 |
| Health premium | -$2,400 | -$1,440 |
| Total compensation | $188,600 | $155,860 |
Compare scenariosTry three values of one input
| Offer A — base salary | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Offer B is ahead by | $60,582 | $51,082−$9,500 | $41,582−$19,000 |
| Offer A total compensation | $171,500 | $188,600+$17,100 | $205,700+$34,200 |
| Offer A adjusted for cost of living | $95,278 | $104,778+$9,500 | $114,278+$19,000 |
| Offer A — PTO value | $7,788 | $8,654+$865 | $9,519+$1,731 |
Every other input stays at the value you set above — currently $150,000 for offer a — base salary. Differences are measured against the first column.
Saved scenariosSave this calculation
Saved in this browser only — no account, and nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data deletes them.
How this calculator works
Total compensation is base plus bonus plus annual equity plus employer match, less the annual health premium you pay. Each total is then divided by its cost-of-living index and multiplied by 100, restating both offers in national-average purchasing power. PTO is valued at base salary ÷ 260 weekdays × days and reported alongside rather than added, since it is time rather than cash.
Cost-of-living indices are yours to supply — figures from a published index are broad city averages that lean heavily on housing. Taxes are not modelled, and state income tax alone can outweigh several of the components here. Equity is taken at the value you enter, with no attempt to discount for risk or vesting schedule.
What this assumes
- Total compensation as entered, including the employer retirement match and the value of benefits where you supply them.
- Equity is valued at the figure you enter, which for private company shares is a hope rather than a price.
- Cost-of-living differences between locations are not applied unless you adjust the salaries yourself.
What changes this number
- Employer benefits
- Health premiums and retirement match routinely swing the comparison by more than the salary difference.
- Equity and vesting
- A grant that vests over four years is not compensation until it does, and private shares may never be sellable.
- Location
- A higher salary in a more expensive city can be a pay cut in real terms.
A worked example
Take the sf at $150k vs austin at $130k scenario. These figures are produced by the calculator above, not written alongside it, so they always match what the tool returns.
What you enter
- Offer A — base salary
- $150,000
- Offer A — cost of living index
- 180
- Offer B — base salary
- $130,000
- Offer B — cost of living index
- 100
What it returns
- Offer B is ahead by
- $51,082
- Offer A total compensation
- $188,600
- Offer B total compensation
- $155,860
- Offer A adjusted for cost of living
- $104,778
- Offer B adjusted for cost of living
- $155,860
Offer A pays more on paper, but cost of living reverses the ranking. Index numbers are broad averages — housing is where most of the difference actually lands, so check rents for the neighbourhood you would live in.
Try an example
Frequently asked questions
What counts as total compensation?
Base salary, bonus, equity, employer retirement contributions, and the value of benefits, less what you pay for them. Health premiums alone can differ by $3,000 a year between employers, and a 6% match against a 3% match is worth another 3% of salary.
How should I value equity?
Public-company RSUs are worth roughly their grant value divided by the vesting years, at today's price — real money, if volatile. Private-company options are not; they are a claim on an uncertain outcome, and valuing them at the last funding round's price overstates them badly. Many people count them at zero and treat any payout as upside.
How much does cost of living really matter?
Enough to reverse most offers. A $150,000 salary in San Francisco is roughly $83,000 of purchasing power at the national average. The index is dominated by housing, so if your housing plans differ from the average — a roommate, a paid-off home — the adjustment overstates the gap.
Is PTO worth counting?
It is worth knowing, though this calculator reports it separately rather than folding it into the total. Ten extra days on a $130,000 salary is about $5,000 at the daily rate. Whether that is real depends on the culture: unlimited PTO policies often mean fewer days taken, not more.
What does this leave out?
State income tax, which can be a 10% swing on its own; commute cost and time; the quality of the health plan behind the premium; vesting cliffs; job security; and how much you will learn. The arithmetic narrows the decision, it does not make it.
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Disclaimer: DayCents provides this calculator for educational purposes only. Results are estimates based on your inputs and the stated assumptions — they are not financial advice, a quote, or an offer of credit. Consult a qualified financial professional before making major money decisions.