Type in each line of the offer — get the honest yearly total, and how much of it is guaranteed cash vs conditional.
The total comp formula
total = salary + bonus + equity/yr + match + (PTO days × daily pay) + insurance
The insight isn't the sum — it's the split. Salary pays rent; bonus needs a good year; equity needs a good stock; benefits are real but unspendable. Two offers with identical totals can differ 30% in guaranteed cash, which is why the calculator separates the buckets.
A worked example
$120,000 base, 10% bonus, $20,000/yr of RSUs, 4% match, 25 paid days, $8,000 of insurance: total comp ≈ $176,300 — 1.47× the salary. But only $120k is guaranteed monthly cash; $32k rides on performance and the market. Against a competing $145k cash-only offer, the "smaller" offer wins on total but the decision depends on your appetite for the conditional third.
Negotiating with the buckets
Companies flex different lines differently: base moves hardest, equity often moves easiest (it's budgeted long-term), sign-on bonuses exist precisely to bridge gaps without raising base. Know which bucket you're negotiating —price the equity,price the days, and anchor where they can actually say yes.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as total compensation?
Everything the employer spends that lands as value to you: base salary, target bonus, equity vesting per year, 401(k) match, the daily-pay value of PTO and holidays, and what they cover of insurance premiums. Perks like food and gym are real but small — count them last.
How much is health insurance worth in an offer?
Employers typically pay $6,000–18,000 a year toward premiums depending on plan and family size. The comparable number between two offers is YOUR monthly premium share difference plus deductible differences — often thousands, quietly.
Should equity count at face value?
Public-company RSUs: count the per-year vest at current prices, maybe with a mental haircut for volatility. Private-company options: count near zero for budgeting and as lottery upside for deciding — many never become money.
Why do companies talk total comp instead of salary?
Both honestly and strategically: benefits genuinely cost them 25–40% on top of salary, and a big total-comp number can dress up a modest base. The defense is doing this math yourself — which lines pay cash monthly, and which are conditional.