Job Offer Value Calculator

What formula adds up the total compensation?

For each offer: total = base salary + bonus + health insurance value + retirement match + PTO value. The retirement match is salary × the match percentage. The PTO value is PTO days × (salary ÷ 260). With the defaults, Offer 1 comes to $80,000 + $5,000 + $6,000 + $4,000 + $6,153.85 = $101,154.

Does the PTO value double count the salary?

In effect, yes, and it is worth understanding. The salary you are paid already covers the days you take off, but this tool adds PTO on top as a value. The result behaves as a weighting that favours offers with more days, not as extra cash in hand. If two offers have the same salary and 15 extra PTO days, the difference in total is those 15 days at the daily rate.

How is the daily rate worked out?

Salary divided by 260, which is 52 weeks × 5 days. For an $80,000 salary that is $307.69 a day. The same 260-day figure is used for both offers, so a higher salary produces a higher value per PTO day.

Which salary does the retirement match apply to?

Base salary only. A 5% match on $80,000 is $4,000. The bonus is excluded, vesting schedules are ignored, and the whole match is counted as if you receive it in full. If the employer matches only up to a cap, enter the effective percentage you expect to receive.

How should I enter the health insurance value?

As the annual dollar amount you believe the employer’s coverage is worth to you. The tool does not estimate it. Any figure is accepted, such as the amount you would otherwise have to pay for similar cover; zero is allowed and is the default for Offer 2.

What happens when the totals are equal?

The comparison uses greater-than-or-equal, so an exact tie is recommended as Offer 1. The recommendation line also states the dollar difference between the totals, rounded to whole dollars.

What if I clear the salary box or enter 0?

A salary of 0, which is also what a cleared box becomes, is used as 0, so it contributes nothing to total, retirement match or PTO value. The totals then reflect only the bonus and health value you entered. Negative entries are raised to 0.

What is not included?

Taxes, equity, commute cost, cost of living, and non-financial factors such as role, culture and growth are all outside the calculation. The tool compares only the five components listed above, in the dollars you supply.