401(k) Match Calculator

Enter your salary, contribution, and your plan's match formula — see the match in dollars, whether you're capturing all of it, and what it compounds to.

e.g. 50 = 50 cents per dollar you contribute.

Employer match per year
—
Your contribution—
Free money left on the table—
Contribution needed for full match—
Match compounded over 20 yrs (7%/yr)—

Ignores IRS contribution limits and vesting schedules — check your plan.

401(k) Match Calculator — free from paycheckkit.com

</> Embed this calculator

Copy this code into your page. Free to use with the credit link.

advertisement

How the match formula works

matched portion = min(your %, cap %) × salary
employer match = matched portion × match rate

Every plan's formula has those two numbers — the rate and the cap — and they're both in your plan documents or a two-minute HR question. The calculator's most important line is "free money left on the table": match dollars your employer would pay but doesn't, because your contribution is below the cap.

A worked example

$75,000 salary, contributing 4%, with a 50% match on the first 6%: your $3,000 contribution draws a $1,500 match. But the plan would match up to 6% — contributing 2% more ($1,500, about $58 per biweekly check) earns another $750 of free money every year. Over 20 years at 7% growth, just the annual match compounds to roughly $65,000.

The match in job-change math

When comparing offers, a match difference is a straight salary difference in disguise — a 4% match versus none on a $90,000 offer is $3,600 a year (see our job offer comparison calculator). And before you resign, check your vesting schedule: leaving two months before a vesting cliff can forfeit thousands of matched dollars.

Frequently asked questions

How does a 401(k) employer match work?

Your employer contributes based on what you contribute, up to a cap. 'A 50% match on the first 6%' means: contribute 6% of salary and they add 3%. Contribute less, and the match shrinks proportionally — contribute more, and the extra gets no match.

What is a typical 401(k) match?

The most common formulas are 50% of the first 6% of pay (net 3%) and 100% of the first 3-4%. Averaged across US plans, employers contribute around 4-5% of salary for employees who contribute enough to get the full match.

Should I always contribute enough to get the full match?

Almost always yes — it's an instant 50-100% return on that money before any market growth, the highest guaranteed return most people will ever see. It generally makes sense to capture the full match even before paying down moderate-interest debt.

What does vesting mean for my match?

Your own contributions are always yours. Employer match money may vest over time — e.g., 20% per year of service. Leave before fully vested and you forfeit the unvested portion, which matters when timing a job change.

Related calculators

RSU CalculatorYour stock grant in per-vest, after-withholding dollars.ESPP CalculatorThe discount + lookback math on your stock purchase plan.FIRE CalculatorYour FI number and how many years until work is optional.Second Earner CalculatorWhat the household's second income really nets after everything.