Salary Comparison Calculator

Convert both offers to the same pay basis — usually annual — then compare the totals. Add any guaranteed bonus to each side so you are comparing total cash compensation, not just base pay. This calculator normalizes both salaries to a yearly figure and shows the exact dollar and percentage difference across annual, monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, and hourly pay.

Start with gross (pre-tax) to get a like-for-like baseline, since taxes depend on where you live and your filing status. Then, if the two offers are in different states, compare net (take-home) pay using a state-specific paycheck calculator — a state with no income tax can make a lower gross offer worth more in your pocket.

Multiply the hourly rate by the number of hours worked per year. For full-time work that is 40 hours × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours. So $30/hour equals $30 × 2,080 = $62,400 per year. This calculator does the conversion automatically — set one side to "Per hour" and the other to "Per year" to compare them directly.

Total compensation is base salary plus bonus, commission, equity, retirement match, health insurance value, and other benefits. Two offers with the same base can differ by tens of thousands of dollars once benefits are counted. This tool compares base plus bonus; weigh non-cash benefits (PTO, 401(k) match, healthcare premiums) separately before deciding.

A common rule of thumb is that a job change should come with at least a 10–20% total-compensation increase to offset the risk, ramp-up time, and loss of tenure. Below ~10%, the raise may be eroded by benefit differences, a higher cost of living, or restarting vesting on equity and PTO accrual. Always compare total comp, not just base.

A salary only tells you what you earn, not what it buys. A $90,000 offer in a low-cost city can leave you with more disposable income than $120,000 in an expensive metro once rent, taxes, and everyday costs are counted. Compare the gross difference here first, then adjust for cost of living using a cost-of-living index for each location.

Not necessarily. Take-home pay depends on state income tax, local taxes, benefit deductions, and 401(k) contributions. A higher gross salary in a high-tax state can yield similar or even lower net pay than a smaller offer in a no-income-tax state. Use gross for the headline comparison, then check net pay per state.

Only count bonus that is guaranteed or highly likely. Add a signing bonus as a one-time amount separately, and treat a target/variable bonus at a realistic expected value rather than the maximum. Enter the reliable annual bonus for each offer here so the comparison reflects dependable cash, not best-case numbers.