Should I take this job?
Use the calculator below to compare your current job with a new offer across pay, take-home, hours, commute, stress and wellbeing — then see whether the move is really worth it.
How this calculator works
Money
We compare gross salary, bonus, benefits and estimated take-home pay after US taxes.
Time
Working hours, commute and overtime are combined into the real weekly and annual time each job takes.
Costs
Commuting and other work costs are subtracted so you see the real value, not just the sticker pay.
Wellbeing
Your stress, balance, satisfaction and security ratings are weighed by what matters most to you.
Compare your two jobs
Enter what you know — you can skip anything optional. Nothing is sent anywhere; it stays in your browser.
Your current job
Your total yearly gross pay, excluding bonus.
Hours you are typically expected to work each week.
Fuel, transit, parking and tolls per week.
Round-trip hours spent commuting per work day.
Expected yearly bonus, commission or tips.
Estimated yearly value of health, retirement and perks.
Childcare, equipment, professional dues — anything the job makes you pay for.
1 = calm and manageable, 10 = overwhelming.
1 = work dominates life, 10 = healthy balance.
How fulfilling you expect the work itself to be.
How stable you expect the role to be.
The new job offer
Your total yearly gross pay, excluding bonus.
Hours you are typically expected to work each week.
Fuel, transit, parking and tolls per week.
Round-trip hours spent commuting per work day.
Expected yearly bonus, commission or tips.
Estimated yearly value of health, retirement and perks.
Childcare, equipment, professional dues — anything the job makes you pay for.
1 = calm and manageable, 10 = overwhelming.
1 = work dominates life, 10 = healthy balance.
How fulfilling you expect the work itself to be.
How stable you expect the role to be.
Extra hours beyond your normal working week you expect to commit.
Free, no account needed. Your numbers stay on your device.
A worked example
Illustrative figures only — not a recommendation.
| Factor | Current job | New offer | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual salary | $75,000 | $92,000 | +23% |
| Weekly hours | 40 hrs | 45 hrs | +5 hrs |
| Daily commute | 1.5 hrs | 0.5 hrs | −1 hrs |
| Real annual value | $82,880 | $104,440 | +26% |
In this example the new offer pays about +26% more in real value, but adds 5 working hours and 3 hours of overtime per week, and raises stress from 6 to 8. Whether that trade-off is worth it depends on how much you weight money versus time and wellbeing — exactly what the calculator above helps you decide.
Understanding the numbers
Salary vs take-home pay
Salary is what you're promised before tax. Take-home pay is what actually lands in your account after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and (in most states) state income tax. A $20,000 raise can shrink fast once taxes and higher commute costs are subtracted. Our estimate uses current federal brackets and a simplified state rate; for a precise figure, check your offer's payroll breakdown or use the manual take-home option.
Benefits have real value
Health insurance, retirement matching, paid leave and tuition support can be worth thousands a year. A lower salary with stronger benefits can beat a higher salary with thin coverage. Estimate the yearly value of each offer's benefits and enter it so the comparison reflects total compensation, not just base pay.
Working hours change your hourly rate
A $10,000 raise that comes with 10 extra hours a week is worth far less per hour than it looks. We divide pay by your actual working hours to show the real hourly earnings — and we add commute and overtime to show the true hourly rate of your time.
Commuting is a hidden pay cut
An extra hour of commuting each day is about 250 hours a year — more than six full work weeks. Add fuel, transit, parking and tolls, and a "better" job across town can quietly cost you thousands and hundreds of hours. The calculator counts both the money and the time.