OnSumoTools

Total Compensation Calculator

Compare two job offers with salary, bonus, equity, 401(k), benefits, PTO, and commute in one year-one total.

Offer A

Offer B

Offer B winsGap: $5,700

Offer A total

$151,940

Offer B total

$157,640

Difference (A − B)

-$5,700

Comparison by category

CategoryOffer AOffer BDifference
Base salary$120,000$115,000$5,000
Annual bonus (target)$12,000$13,800-$1,800
Signing bonus (year 1)$0$5,000-$5,000
Equity (year 1 vest)$12,500$10,000$2,500
Equity (4-year grant value)$50,000$40,000$10,000
401(k) employer match$4,800$4,600$200
Benefits (employee cost)-$2,160-$2,160$0
Commute cost-$2,400-$3,000$600
PTO value$7,200$9,200-$2,000
Remote work savings$0$5,200-$5,200
Total compensation (incl. PTO & signing)$151,940$157,640-$5,700

Equity value uses the share price you enter and can change a lot. This is not financial or tax advice.

How does the Total Compensation Calculator work step by step?

Base salary is the number most candidates compare, but it rarely tells the full story. A lower base offer may come with a larger equity grant, a better 401k match, or more generous health benefits that close or reverse the gap. This calculator makes both offers comparable by converting every component to an annual dollar value: bonus target, first-year equity vest, employer 401k match, the cost of benefits you pay out of pocket, PTO value based on daily rate, and the savings from remote work days that reduce commuting costs. The side-by-side output shows where each offer wins and loses.

What does a typical Total Compensation Calculator result look like?

Offer A: $120,000 base, 10% bonus target, 1,000 RSUs at $50/share (4yr/1yr cliff), 4% 401k match up to 6%, $150/month health, $30/month dental/vision, 15 PTO days, 0 remote days, $200/month commute. Offer B: $110,000 base, 15% bonus target, 2,000 RSUs at $50/share (4yr/1yr cliff), 3% 401k match up to 5%, $80/month health, $20/month dental/vision, 20 PTO days, 4 remote days, $200/month commute. Offer A: $151,940 total. Offer B: $168,320 total. Offer B is worth approximately $16,380 more per year despite a lower base salary.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is total compensation?

    Total compensation is the complete value of what an employer pays you, including base salary, annual bonus, equity (RSUs or options), employer retirement contributions (401k match), employer-paid benefits, paid time off, and any other perks with monetary value. Comparing base salary alone can be misleading when offers differ significantly in equity, benefits, or remote work policy.

  • How do I value RSUs in a private company?

    For private company RSUs, use the most recent 409A valuation price per share (your offer letter or HR should provide this). Understand that private company shares have no liquidity until an IPO, acquisition, or secondary market transaction. The value shown is an estimate based on current valuation, not a guaranteed outcome.

  • Should I value PTO in my comparison?

    Yes. Ten additional PTO days at a $120,000 salary is worth approximately $4,800 (10 / 250 working days x $120,000). Many candidates ignore PTO value, but a difference of even 5 days is worth over $2,000 per year at median salary levels.

  • How does the 401k match calculation work?

    A '4% match up to 6% of salary' means the company matches 4 cents for every dollar you contribute, but only on up to 6% of your salary. On a $120,000 salary, the maximum match is $120,000 x 4% = $4,800, not $120,000 x 6%. The match rate (4%) applies, capped at the ceiling (6% of salary).

  • Does equity value change if the stock price moves?

    Yes. The equity value shown uses the current share price you enter. If the stock falls 50% before your shares vest, the actual value will be half what the calculator shows. The tool displays a note that equity value is based on current price and may change significantly.

  • What is the remote work savings calculation based on?

    Remote savings = remote days per week x 52 x (monthly commute cost / 5). If you commute 4 days out of 5 instead of all 5, you save 80% of your commute cost annually. This is a real economic benefit that most candidates overlook when comparing offers with different remote work policies.

Related tools

Salary is only one line of the offer

Two offers can look close on the base number and be miles apart once everything is added. One may carry stock, a bonus and a generous retirement match. The other may have a higher base and little else.

The total compensation calculator puts both offers side by side. Fill in salary, equity vesting, bonus, 401(k) match, benefits, paid time off and remote savings, and it gives one yearly figure for each.

Equity needs a careful eye

Stock grants are the hardest piece to price. Public company shares have a visible price, but it moves. Private company options may be worth a fortune or nothing at all. The calculator asks for the grant size and vesting schedule, then spreads the value across the years you'd earn it.

For private equity, many people discount the paper value heavily or even set it to zero for planning. That way, any payout later is a bonus and not something your budget depends on.

  • Check the vesting length and whether there's a one-year cliff
  • Ask what happens to your shares if you leave or the company is sold
  • Remember options cost money to exercise and may be taxed

Bonus and retirement match

A target bonus is not a guaranteed one. Enter what you'd realistically expect, not the best case. If the company has missed targets before, use a lower figure.

The 401(k) match is free money, but only if you contribute enough to get it. The tool applies the match rules you enter, such as 50 percent of the first 6 percent of pay, and adds the result to your yearly total.

Time off and benefits

Paid days off have a value. The calculator turns each extra day into money using your daily pay rate. Whether you count it is your call, and it's worth including if you'd actually take the days.

Health insurance varies a lot. Enter what the employer pays toward your premium and compare the out-of-pocket costs too. A cheap plan with a huge deductible isn't the same as a solid one.

Remote work savings

Working from home cuts commuting, fuel, parking and lunches. The tool uses the weekly commute cost and days remote you provide to estimate yearly savings. It's based on your inputs, so be honest about your own habits.

Time matters too, even if it isn't in the dollar figure. An hour a day saved is more than 200 hours a year.

Using the result

The higher total isn't automatically the better job. Growth, the team, the boss and the work itself count for a lot. Use the numbers to remove guesswork on the money, then decide on the rest.

Everything you type stays in your browser. Nothing is sent or saved.