Compare job offers using the money you expect to keep and the total time each job requires. Salary or hourly pay is only the first line of the comparison.
Put both offers on the same timeline
Compare both offers weekly or annually. Use the same number of working weeks and the same tax assumptions unless there is a clear reason not to.
Include schedule-dependent time
Add commuting, unpaid breaks, required preparation, and recurring off-the-clock duties. A job with fewer paid hours can still consume more total time.
Keep benefits separate from cash
Health coverage, retirement contributions, paid leave, tuition support, and predictable scheduling can matter. Do not invent a precise dollar value if you cannot justify it. List the benefit separately and decide how much it matters to you.
Check the commute and recurring costs
Parking, tolls, transit, uniforms, equipment, meals, and childcare can create a steady gap between posted compensation and practical value.
Write down the nonfinancial differences
After the financial comparison, review schedule control, job security, growth, workload, physical demands, management, and whether the role supports your longer-term plans. The calculator narrows the decision; it does not make it for you.
Use the real-rate comparison for the measurable part, then make the remaining tradeoffs explicit.
A reliable way to compare them
- Enter both offers using the same assumptions.
- Compare weekly money kept, yearly value, total weekly time, and real hourly rate.
- Write down the nonfinancial advantages of each job.
- Test how the result changes if commute or costs are worse than expected.
Common questions
Should I compare salary or take-home pay?
Use estimated take-home value for the real-rate calculation, while keeping gross salary visible for reference.
How do I value benefits?
Include benefits only when you can estimate them reasonably. Otherwise list them separately and treat them as a qualitative advantage.
What if one job has better career growth?
Keep that outside the hourly calculation. A lower current rate may still be rational when the role offers credible training, advancement, or experience that matters to your plan.