Job Offer Bump Multiplier Calculator
Recruiters quote you a base salary bump but the true bump after RSUs vest, signing bonus amortizes, and 401(k) match changes is often half the headline number. Calculate the real multi-year multiplier.
| Current total annual comp | — |
| Offer year-1 total (with sign-on + 1/4 RSU) | — |
| Offer steady state (year 5, RSU only on refreshes) | — |
| Year-1 dollar bump | — |
| Year-1 % bump | — |
| 4-year avg % bump | — |
| Steady-state % bump (year 5) | — |
Recruiters quote a base salary number but your true offer bump depends on bonus, equity vesting schedule, signing bonus amortization, 401(k) match, and equity refresh policy. The headline base bump and the 4-year-average bump can differ by 15 points or more. This calculator normalizes both offers to year-1, 4-year-average, and steady-state (year 5) compensation so you can compare apples to apples.
Why the Headline Number Lies
Three structural quirks distort job offer math. Signing bonus amortization: a $30K sign-on looks like a $30K boost but it only counts once — your year-2 comp is $30K lower than year-1. RSU front-loading vs back-loading: Amazon-style back-loaded (5-15-40-40) understates year-1 and overstates year-4; standard (25-25-25-25) is even but exposes you to a year-5 cliff if refresh grants are modest. Bonus target vs actual: a 20% target bonus pays 0-150% depending on company performance — use the 3-year average, not the target.
The Year-5 Cliff Most Engineers Miss
Most initial RSU grants vest over 4 years. Without aggressive refresh grants, your year-5 comp drops back to base + bonus + match — which is often 25-40% below your year-4 peak. Before signing, ask: (1) What’s the typical refresh grant for someone at my level after year 4? (2) Are refreshes performance-gated or automatic? (3) Do refreshes vest 4 years from grant or accelerate to align with original schedule? FAANG companies typically refresh at 30-60% of the initial annual rate — Adam Levitan’s data on Levels.fyi confirms this pattern. If refreshes are vague, model your year-5 comp at base + bonus only and decide if you’d still take the offer.
Last updated May 2026. Sources: Levels.fyi, BLS Wage Data.