OnSumo Tools

Salary Negotiation Calculator

Set a counter-offer anchor and see how much a low offer costs over your career with compound raises.

Salary negotiation is a numbers problem before it is a conversation. Candidates who know exactly how much the lifetime gap costs them negotiate more confidently because they understand the stakes. A $10,000 difference in starting salary, compounded by annual raises over 30 years, produces a six-figure lifetime earnings gap. This calculator makes that gap visible and gives you a data-backed anchor to open negotiations instead of a number pulled from intuition.

Counter-offer anchor

$103,500

Lifetime cost vs market

$784,994

Walk-away

$90,000

Offer

$90,000

Anchor

$103,500

Market target

$105,000

Lifetime gain if you reach anchor: $706,495

Negotiation script

Based on Glassdoor, the market rate for this role is $105,000. I am excited about this opportunity and was hoping we could get closer to $103,500.

Market data sourced from Glassdoor. Verify with multiple sources before negotiating.

Market figures are your inputs, not live pulls from Glassdoor or other sites. Verify with multiple sources before you negotiate.

Worked example

Current offer: $90,000. Market rate (BLS / Glassdoor): $105,000. Years until retirement: 30. Annual raise: 3%. Counter: 15% above offer. Bonus: 10% of base. Anchor: $90,000 x 1.15 = $103,500. Lifetime earnings at offer: approximately $4,230,000. Lifetime earnings at market: approximately $4,935,000. Gap: $4,935,000 - $4,230,000 = $705,000 in lifetime earnings.

Frequently asked questions

  • How much should I counter-offer?

    A common guideline is to anchor 10-20% above the initial offer. This gives enough room to negotiate down while landing above your target. Going above 25% risks appearing unreasonable with most corporate employers, though high-demand roles in competitive markets can support larger anchors. The tool defaults to 15% and lets you adjust.

  • What is the lifetime cost of a lower salary?

    Accepting $10,000 less per year with 3% annual raises compounded over 30 years results in approximately $400,000-$500,000 less in lifetime earnings, depending on bonus structure. This does not include lost retirement contributions and the investment returns on the amount you could have been saving from higher pay.

  • Should I share my current salary when asked?

    In more than 20 US states, employers are legally prohibited from asking for your salary history. Even where it is legal, you are not obligated to share it. Anchor to market data instead: 'I am looking for compensation in line with market rates, which I understand to be in the range of [market figure].'

  • What sources should I use for market rate data?

    Reliable sources include the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (bls.gov/oes), Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Levels.fyi (for tech roles), and Payscale. Use at least two sources and note when the data was last updated. Salary data can lag real market conditions by 6-12 months.

  • What if the company says the offer is non-negotiable?

    Most offers are more flexible than that statement suggests, especially on components outside base salary (signing bonus, extra PTO, earlier review date, remote work policy). If base salary is truly fixed, use the total compensation calculator to find other negotiable levers before accepting.

  • How does the COL adjustment work?

    If you are comparing an offer in San Francisco (COL index 180) to your current situation in Austin (COL index 120), the San Francisco offer is adjusted downward: $150,000 x (120/180) = $100,000 in Austin-equivalent purchasing power. This helps you compare offers across cities on equal terms.

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