Total Rewards Package Calculator

What 'Total Rewards' Actually Means

Total Rewards is the full economic value of your employment package — not just what hits your bank account. The five components: (1) Cash compensation — base salary, bonus, sign-on. (2) Equity — RSU, stock options, ESPP value. (3) Retirement — 401(k) match, profit-sharing, pension. (4) Benefits — health, dental, vision, disability, life insurance. (5) Perks — free food, gym, commuter, education stipend, sabbatical eligibility.

Industry data (Bureau of Labor Statistics, ECEC March 2025) shows employer cost above base salary averages 30-40% — benefits and equity nearly double the cost of payroll vs base alone. Source: BLS ECEC March 2025, Mercer 2026 Total Rewards Survey. Last updated: May 2026.

Apples-to-Apples Job Offer Comparison

The biggest mistake comparing job offers: focusing on base salary alone. A $180K base + $50K RSU + 6% 401k match + $20K health is roughly equivalent to a $220K base + $0 equity + 3% match + $12K health — sometimes the second offer is BETTER depending on equity volatility risk and benefit value.

Standard professional benchmark: use Total Comp (TC) = base + bonus target + average annual equity vest as your primary number. Benefits typically vary by 3-5% in value across major US employers — important but not deal-breaking. Use Levels.fyi for software/tech roles ($300K-$2M TC) and Glassdoor for general roles.

Equity Risk Adjustment

$100K in RSU at a stable public company (Microsoft, Apple) is worth roughly $100K — predictable. $100K in RSU at an early-stage private company is theoretical until liquidity event — could be $0 or $300K. Apply a risk discount when comparing: discount private-company equity 30-70% depending on stage, founder vision, and recent funding. Don't compare $300K TC at startup to $300K TC at FAANG one-to-one.

Benefits That Add Up