Total Compensation Calculator
Your base salary is only part of the picture. Calculate the full value of your compensation package — including bonus, equity, retirement matching, insurance, and PTO — to understand what you truly earn.
Compensation Details
Valued at your daily rate ($327/day)
Total Compensation
Manage compensation for your entire team
Stop using spreadsheets to track compensation. tinyteam gives you one place to manage salaries, benefits, and total rewards for every employee — with built-in benchmarking and reporting.
Understanding Total Compensation: More Than Just Your Salary
When most people think about their pay, they focus on base salary — the number that appears on their offer letter or W-2. But base salary is only one piece of the compensation puzzle. Total compensation encompasses every form of value your employer provides, from cash payments to retirement contributions to insurance premiums. For many workers, benefits add 20–40% or more on top of base pay, which means understanding your full package is essential for evaluating job offers, planning finances, and negotiating raises.
Components of a Total Compensation Package
Base Salary: This is your fixed annual pay before taxes — the foundation of every compensation package. It is the most predictable component and usually the largest single item.
Annual Bonus: Many companies offer performance-based or guaranteed bonuses expressed as a percentage of base salary. A 10% bonus on an $85,000 salary adds $8,500 to your total comp. Keep in mind that discretionary bonuses are not guaranteed and may vary year to year.
Stock Options and Equity: Startups and tech companies frequently include equity grants — stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), or profit-sharing. The value can be significant but is often subject to vesting schedules (commonly four years with a one-year cliff) and market fluctuations.
401(k) Employer Match: A 401(k) match is one of the most valuable benefits because it is essentially free retirement money. If your employer matches 4% of your salary and you contribute at least that much, you receive an additional $3,400 on an $85,000 salary — money that grows tax-deferred over decades.
Health Insurance: Employer-sponsored health insurance is the single largest non-cash benefit for most workers. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average employer contribution for a single employee was roughly $6,500 in 2024, and family coverage averaged over $16,000. This is money you would otherwise pay yourself.
Other Benefits: Dental insurance, vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, and wellness stipends all have real dollar values. While each may seem small individually, they add up — often $1,500–$3,000 or more per year.
PTO Value: Paid time off has a concrete monetary value. If you earn $85,000 and receive 15 PTO days, those days are worth roughly $4,904 (your daily rate × days). Companies that offer more PTO are effectively paying you more, even if the base salary looks the same.
Why Total Compensation Matters for Job Seekers
Comparing two job offers based on base salary alone can be misleading. An offer with a lower salary but generous equity, strong 401(k) matching, and comprehensive insurance may be worth significantly more overall. Our total compensation calculator helps you quantify every component so you can make apples-to-apples comparisons.
Consider this scenario: Company A offers $95,000 base with no bonus and minimal benefits. Company B offers $85,000 base with a 10% bonus, $5,000 in RSUs, 4% 401(k) match, and full health coverage. Company B's total compensation is actually higher — and the retirement and insurance benefits carry long-term value that raw salary cannot match.
Total Compensation From the Employer's Perspective
For HR teams and small business owners, understanding total compensation is critical for budgeting, benchmarking, and retention. The true cost of an employee is far higher than their base salary once you factor in payroll taxes, insurance premiums, retirement contributions, and other benefits. A clear total-comp framework helps you:
- Set competitive compensation packages that attract top talent
- Communicate the full value of employment to employees
- Budget accurately for headcount growth
- Create transparent total rewards statements
- Benchmark against industry and geographic norms
tinyteam's compensation management tools help small teams track every component of employee pay in one place — from salary and bonus to benefits and equity — so you can create competitive packages without enterprise-level complexity.
Tips for Maximizing Your Total Compensation
- Always contribute enough to get the full 401(k) match — leaving match money on the table is the same as declining a raise.
- Negotiate beyond salary. If base pay is firm, ask for a higher bonus target, additional equity, extra PTO, or a signing bonus.
- Understand vesting schedules. Equity that vests over four years is worth less in year one than it appears on paper.
- Review benefits during open enrollment. Switching to a high-deductible plan with an HSA can unlock tax savings and employer contributions.
- Ask for a total rewards statement. Many employers will provide one that shows the full dollar value of your package — use it for financial planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is total compensation?
Total compensation is the full value of everything you receive from your employer, including base salary, bonuses, equity or stock grants, retirement contributions like 401k matching, health insurance, other benefits, and the monetary value of paid time off. It represents the true cost an employer pays and the true value an employee receives.
How do I calculate the value of my PTO?
To calculate PTO value, divide your annual base salary by 260 (working days per year) to get your daily rate, then multiply by the number of PTO days you receive. For example, if you earn $80,000 and get 15 PTO days, each day is worth $307.69, making your PTO worth $4,615 annually.
Should I include employer-paid health insurance in total comp?
Yes. The employer portion of health insurance premiums is a significant part of total compensation. On average, employers pay $6,000–$16,000 per year for employee health coverage. This is money your employer spends on your behalf that you would otherwise need to pay out of pocket.
What is a typical 401k employer match?
The most common 401k match is dollar-for-dollar up to 3–6% of salary, or 50 cents on the dollar up to 6%. For an employee earning $85,000, a 4% match equals $3,400 in free retirement contributions per year. Always contribute enough to get the full match — it is essentially free money.
How much more is total comp than base salary?
Total compensation is typically 20–40% higher than base salary for most full-time employees. At tech companies with significant equity packages, total comp can be 50–100% or more above base salary. Understanding this gap helps you accurately compare job offers and negotiate effectively.
How do I compare two job offers using total compensation?
List every component for each offer — base salary, bonus, equity, 401k match, insurance premiums paid by employer, other perks, and PTO value. Sum them for each offer. Also consider vesting schedules for equity, bonus guarantees, and the likelihood of hitting performance targets. A lower base with better benefits may be worth more overall.
