Job Offer Comparison Calculator
The bigger salary isn't always the better offer. Add each offer below to estimate federal tax, state tax, and FICA, subtract rent and living costs, and see how much each one actually leaves you per year. This is an educational estimate, not tax advice.
Updated for the 2026 tax year
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Married calculations assume a single earner.
Not sure about rent? Look up typical local rents on HUD Fair Market Rents.
Where the money goes
Austin comes out ahead by $14,730 a year.
Add or remove an offer above and this updates instantly.
SF Bay Area California
Austin Texas
Where each offer's gross pay goes once taxes, rent, and expenses are taken out.
See the full breakdown
| Offer | Gross comp | Federal tax | State tax | FICA | Take-home | Rent + expenses | Disposable income / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF Bay Area California | $160,000 | $27,134 | $10,400 | $12,240 | $110,226 | $52,800 | $57,426 |
| Austin Texas | $140,000 | $22,334 | $0 | $10,710 | $106,956 | $34,800 | $72,156 |
A disposable income shown in red is negative — that offer's rent and expenses outrun its take-home pay.
How the estimate works
Salary, cash bonus, and vesting RSUs are combined as ordinary income. Federal tax uses the 2026 brackets and standard deduction for your filing status. FICA applies Social Security up to the wage base plus Medicare, including the additional 0.9 percent above $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers). State tax uses a flat effective rate you can edit. The taxes shown are dollar amounts at your effective rate — total tax divided by income — which is lower than the marginal rate on your top bracket.
How state taxes and cost of living change your take-home pay
Nine states have no income tax on wages, while others may take 6 percent or more of your pay. Rent can differ by thousands of dollars a month between metros. An offer that pays $20,000 more can still leave less once taxes and rent are subtracted.
What it leaves out
The estimate skips 401(k) and HSA contributions, itemized deductions, credits, local city taxes, and health premiums. Stock options are listed but not taxed because they generally are not taxable until exercised. Treat results as a comparison tool, not a paycheck prediction.
Salary is only part of the picture
The number on the offer letter is the easiest thing to compare, but it rarely decides how good a job feels day to day. Two offers with identical take-home can lead to very different lives depending on where and how you would be living. Once this calculator has leveled the money side, weigh the things a paycheck doesn't capture.
- Cost and quality of housing — a shorter commute or a walkable neighborhood can be worth more than a raise, and a market with cheaper rent frees up cash every month; it can also shift the math on buying versus renting.
- Benefits — a 401(k) match, health premiums, equity refreshers, and PTO can swing real compensation by thousands that the salary line never shows.
- Career trajectory — a role that grows your skills or network can out-earn a higher starting salary within a couple of years.
- Lifestyle and well-being — climate, proximity to family, remote flexibility, and workload all shape whether the money is worth it.
- Everyday costs beyond rent — sales tax, car dependence, childcare, and utilities vary widely between metros and quietly reshape a budget.
The best offer is the one that pays enough and fits the life you want. Use the take-home numbers as a floor, then let the rest tip the decision.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my salary do I actually take home?
After federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA (Social Security and Medicare), most workers keep roughly 65 to 75 percent of gross pay, though it varies by income, filing status, and state. This calculator estimates take-home for each offer using 2026 federal brackets, the standard deduction, and an editable state rate.
Which states have no income tax on wages?
Nine states levy no income tax on earned wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. A job in one of them keeps more of your paycheck, though higher rent or sales tax can offset the difference.
Can a lower salary actually leave me with more money?
Yes. A higher salary in a high-tax, high-rent metro can leave less disposable income than a smaller salary somewhere cheaper. In the seeded example, $140,000 in Texas beats $160,000 in California once state tax and rent are subtracted.
How are signing bonuses and RSUs taxed?
Cash bonuses and vesting RSUs are generally taxed as ordinary income, the same as salary. Stock options usually are not taxed until you exercise them, so this tool adds cash bonuses and vesting RSUs to gross income and lists options separately without taxing them.
What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar earned — your top bracket. Your effective rate is total tax divided by total income, which is lower because your earlier dollars are taxed in lower brackets. The take-home figures here reflect the effective rate.
Does this calculator account for cost of living?
It subtracts the rent and monthly expenses you enter, but it does not apply a cost-of-living index. Sales tax, commuting, childcare, and utilities also vary by metro and are not modeled, so treat the result as a comparison tool, not a full budget.
Add a bank bonus to your take-home
A new job almost always means setting up a fresh direct deposit, and sometimes a signing or relocation bonus on top. Many banks pay several hundred dollars for opening a checking or savings account with a qualifying direct deposit — and switching yours is easiest while you're already filling out payroll forms. Stacked over a year, those payouts can add a real chunk to the disposable income this calculator shows.
Browse current checking and savings account bonuses, estimate the tax on one with the Bank Bonus Tax Calculator, or compare a bonus against a high-yield savings account with the Bank Bonus ROI Calculator.
Tax figures are estimates based on 2026 federal brackets and simplified state rates. Your actual taxes depend on deductions, credits, filing details, and local rules. Verify anything important with a tax professional or official sources.
Sources
- IRS: 2026 tax inflation adjustments (federal brackets and standard deduction)
- Social Security Administration: 2026 Contribution and Benefit Base (wage base)
- IRS Topic No. 560: Additional Medicare Tax
- Tax Foundation: state individual income tax rates (reference for the editable state estimates)
- HUD: Fair Market Rents (rent reference)
What's changed on this page
- August 6, 2026 Updated the state rate defaults for the 2026 phase-downs: Georgia 5.1 to 4.99 percent, Indiana 3 to 2.95 percent, Mississippi 4.4 to 4 percent, and North Carolina 4.25 to 3.99 percent. When expenses outrun take-home, the chart now scales the above-zero segments so the bar still totals gross pay and plots the shortfall below zero, with tooltips showing the true dollar amounts.
- July 19, 2026 Published.