Job Offer Comparison Calculator
Salary is the least honest number in an offer. This turns bonus, equity, benefits, hours, and commute into real money per year, and per real hour of your life.
Offer A
Offer B
How the math works
- Year-1 real money = base + bonus + equity/vesting-years + benefits − commute cost.
- Real hour = scheduled hours + commute hours, 47 working weeks/yr (vacation/holiday buffer).
- Effective hourly = year-1 real money ÷ (real hours × 47).
- 4-year total = (base + bonus) × 4 + full equity + benefits × 4 − commute × 4.
Bonus assumed at target; assume "at risk" if sales comp. Equity uses grant value ÷ vest years, taxes on vesting vary (RSU = income at vest; options = spread). Benefits value = employer-paid health premium + retirement match + other perks you'd otherwise buy.
Is equity in a job offer worth counting?
Count vested value at grant price as an upper bound and discount for risk: pre-IPO equity can be worth zero. A common rule: value private equity at 25–50% of grant value when comparing to cash.
What's a fair benefits value to enter?
Family health premium paid by employer ($8,000–15,000/yr typical) + 401(k) match (% of salary) + stipends. If a plan is bad, entering a lower number is exactly the point.
Why include commute?
Because $110k with 6 hrs/week commute is closer to $110k − (6h × hourly × 47) in life-time terms. The per-real-hour row makes that visible.