How this calculator works
Every part of your pay is turned into a yearly dollar amount: bonus as a share of base, paid time off as days of base pay (base ÷ 260 working days), plus benefits and equity. The total divided by 2,080 working hours gives your effective hourly rate.
Worked example
With the example values below: Total compensation, $174,231 (45% above base salary). Change any number above to run your own.
What you enter
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Base salary | $120,000 |
| Target bonus | 10% |
| Retirement match / yr | $6,000 |
| Employer health premiums / yr | $9,000 |
| HSA or FSA contribution | $1,000 |
| Equity vesting / yr | $15,000 |
| Paid days off | 20 |
| Other perks / yrStipends, tuition, commuter | $2,000 |
What total compensation includes
Benefits make up about 30% of total compensation for the average US worker, so comparing salary alone can be misleading.
- Base salary or hourly wages.
- Bonuses and commissions, using a realistic expected amount.
- Retirement contributions from your employer, such as a 401(k) match.
- Health, dental and vision premiums your employer pays.
- Equity: RSUs, stock options or an employee stock purchase discount.
- Paid time off, valued at your daily rate.
- Perks: stipends, tuition help, commuter benefits, life and disability insurance.
Comparing job offers
Put both offers into the calculator and compare the totals. A $110,000 salary with a 6% match and fully paid family health coverage can be worth more than $120,000 with no match and high premiums. Equity deserves a discount for risk, especially at private companies where shares may not be sellable for years.
Also compare commute costs, remote-work flexibility, vesting schedules and how bonuses have actually paid out.
Effective hourly rate
Dividing total compensation by about 2,080 working hours a year gives an effective hourly rate. If you regularly work 50 hours a week, divide by about 2,600 instead to see what your time is really worth. The RSU calculator and ESPP tax calculator help value equity on its own.
Frequently asked questions
What is total compensation?
Everything your employer provides in exchange for your work: salary, bonuses, retirement contributions, health benefits, equity, paid time off and other perks, expressed as a yearly dollar amount.
How do I calculate total compensation?
Add base pay, expected bonus, employer retirement contributions, employer-paid insurance premiums, the yearly value of equity that vests and the value of paid time off and perks.
How much are benefits worth as a percentage of salary?
On average, benefits account for about 30% of total compensation for US workers, or roughly 40% on top of wages. Generous employers can exceed that.
How should I value stock options or RSUs in an offer?
Value RSUs at the current share price times the shares that vest each year, then discount for risk. Value options at the expected share price minus the strike price. Private-company equity deserves a larger discount because it may be illiquid for years.
Is a higher salary always the better offer?
No. Differences in retirement match, health premiums, bonus, equity and time off can easily outweigh a salary gap of 10% or more.
Grow what this calculator projects.
TruthSayer AI sends quantitative stock signals across valuations, earnings and dark-pool activity, each one traded in its own funded account first.
Estimates for planning only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Tax tools use 2026 federal figures (brackets, $16,100 / $32,200 standard deduction, $19,000 gift exclusion, $15M lifetime exemption). Rates shown as defaults are examples; replace them with quotes you actually receive.