Fill in at least one base salary to see a comparison.
Score your fit before you accept
ShouldApply shows how well you match each role before you commit.
Most job offer comparisons stop at base salary. That misses up to 40% of your actual compensation. This calculator adds ten components to give you a true total value score.
Bonuses are annualized by frequency — a $4,000 quarterly bonus equals a $16,000 annual bonus. Signing bonuses are amortized over four years so they do not inflate year-one numbers. Equity is discounted based on vesting schedule and company stage risk.
PTO is converted to dollar value at your daily rate. Commute costs are subtracted as a real annual expense. Remote work value reflects commute elimination and flexibility premium. Career growth and work-life balance add long-term weighting that compounds over time.
The score sums base salary, all bonus payments annualized by frequency, signing bonus amortized over 4 years, equity adjusted for vesting risk, PTO value at your daily rate, 401k match, health insurance savings, remote work value, minus annual commute costs, plus a career growth and work-life balance weighting.
Equity is discounted based on vesting risk. A 1-year cliff grant is valued at 100%. A standard 4-year vest is discounted to 85%. A 5-year back-loaded schedule is discounted to 70%. Pre-Series B startup equity is discounted to 50% to reflect dilution and exit uncertainty.
Signing bonuses are one-time payments. Amortizing over 4 years prevents them from artificially inflating year-one comparisons and reflects the true multi-year value.
Enter your estimated monthly commute cost including gas, transit, or parking. This is multiplied by 12 and subtracted from total value. A $300/mo commute costs $3,600/yr — the same as losing a $3,600 raise.
The score is a starting point, not a final answer. It does not capture manager quality, team culture, job security, or company trajectory. Use it to make sure you are not leaving significant money on the table, then weigh the qualitative factors separately.