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Raise vs New Job Calculator

Compare staying for a raise versus taking a new job offer. Factor in salary, benefits, commute, PTO, and total compensation.

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Current Job (with raise)

New Job Offer

How to Compare Job Offers Beyond Salary

Salary is just one component of total compensation. A comprehensive comparison includes: Base salary, bonus structure (discount performance bonuses by 50-70%), 401K/retirement match (a 6% match on $90K = $5,400/year free), health insurance (employer premium worth $5,000-$15,000/year), PTO value (each day = ~$350-$500 for a $90K salary), and commute costs (30 min longer commute costs $3,000-$5,000/year in time and gas). Compare hourly rates with our Salary to Hourly Calculator.

People Also Ask

How much raise to stay?
With a competitive offer, ask for 10-20% above current salary. Companies save $15K-$30K in recruiting by retaining you.
Signing bonus vs salary increase?
Salary compounds yearly. $5K bonus < $3K/year raise after 2 years. Negotiate base salary first.
How to value PTO?
Daily rate = salary / 260. Five extra PTO days at $90K = $1,731 value.
Take a pay cut for growth?
If better career trajectory, 5-10% temporary cut can yield higher lifetime earnings. Beyond 10%, be cautious.

The Hidden Value of Staying vs Moving

Beyond raw compensation, consider institutional knowledge — your understanding of company processes, relationships with colleagues, and political capital built over time. These intangible assets have real value: a new hire typically takes 6-12 months to reach full productivity (Society for Human Resource Management data). During that ramp-up period, you may earn more on paper but deliver less impact, potentially affecting performance bonuses and promotion timelines.

Job tenure also affects future earning power. Hiring managers view candidates who change jobs every 1-2 years skeptically ("job hopper" stigma). Staying 3-5 years at each role signals reliability and depth of expertise. However, workers who stay at the same company for 10+ years without promotions often earn 15-20% less than their market value — internal raises rarely keep pace with external offers. The optimal strategy for most careers: stay 3-5 years, then evaluate. Use our Salary to Hourly Calculator and Take-Home Pay Calculator to compare real earnings after taxes.