Salary Comparison Calculator
Compare two job offers by gross pay, estimated take-home pay, monthly net, bonuses, benefits, pension contributions, hours and commuting costs — with US federal, state and FICA estimates.
How it works
Enter the details of two offers. The calculator estimates each one's take-home pay using the selected state, filing status and tax year, then compares gross pay, monthly take-home, total compensation and the real annual value after commuting and work costs. The "real annual value" figure is usually the most useful — it's what you effectively keep before income tax, after the costs of doing the job.
Offer A
Base yearly gross pay.
Bonus, commission or tips.
Estimated yearly value of health, retirement match, etc.
Your pre-tax contribution as a % of salary.
Childcare, parking, equipment, etc.
Offer B
Base yearly gross pay.
Bonus, commission or tips.
Estimated yearly value of health, retirement match, etc.
Your pre-tax contribution as a % of salary.
Childcare, parking, equipment, etc.
Tax & location settings
Used to estimate take-home pay for both offers.
Salary comparison
Gross annual pay
$75,000
Offer B
$95,000
Difference
+$20,000
Monthly take-home
$4,165
Offer B
$4,687
Difference
+$521
Annual take-home
$49,982
Offer B
$56,239
Difference
+$6,257
Total compensation
$81,000
Offer B
$102,000
Difference
+$21,000
Annual commute cost
$2,600
Offer B
$1,560
Difference
−$1,040
Real annual value
$78,400
Offer B
$100,440
Difference
+$22,040
Hourly earnings
$36
Offer B
$43
Difference
+$7
Offer B is worth +$22,040 per year in real value — about +28%.
Estimates use 2025 federal brackets, the standard deduction, FICA and a simplified CA state rate. They exclude most credits, local taxes and detailed deductions. Verify with a tax professional before deciding.
Understanding US take-home pay
Your take-home pay is your gross salary minus three main deductions: federal income tax, FICA (Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%), and state income tax where it applies. Pre-tax contributions to a traditional 401(k) or health savings account reduce your taxable income, lowering federal (and usually state) tax but also lowering take-home.
Federal income tax is progressive — you pay 10% on your first dollars of taxable income and higher rates only on the dollars above each bracket threshold, not on your whole salary. The standard deduction ($15,000 for single filers in 2025) is subtracted before tax is calculated. State income tax varies widely, from 0% in states like Texas and Florida to over 9% in California and Oregon at the top rates.
When you compare two offers, look beyond gross salary. A $95,000 offer with a 6% 401(k) match and strong health benefits can beat a $100,000 offer with no match and thin coverage. And if the higher-paying job adds a long commute, the extra fuel, tolls and time can erase much of the raise.