Salary Comparison Calculator
Compare two pay raises or salary offers side by side. See which one gives you more money per year, month, and paycheck.
Current Salary
Offer A
Offer B
🏆 Offer B wins by $1,500.00/year
That's $125.00/month or $57.69/paycheck more
Est. take-home difference: $1,170.00/year
New Salary
$52,500.00
Raise Amount
+$2,500.00
Raise %
+5.00%
Monthly +
$208.33
Per Paycheck +
$96.15
Est. Take-Home +
+$1,950.00/yr
$162.50/mo · $75.00/paycheck
New Salary
$54,000.00
Raise Amount
+$4,000.00
Raise %
+8.00%
Monthly +
$333.33
Per Paycheck +
$153.85
Est. Take-Home +
+$3,120.00/yr
$260.00/mo · $120.00/paycheck
Simplified US federal estimate only. Does not include state taxes, FICA, deductions, or filing status.
Estimates are for informational and planning purposes only. They do not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. See our disclaimer for details.
How to Compare Pay Raises
When evaluating two salary offers or raise proposals, the percentage number alone doesn't tell the full story. A 5% raise on $50,000 means $2,500 more per year, but a 3% raise on $80,000 means $2,400 — nearly the same dollar impact despite the percentage gap. This calculator converts both offers into real dollar amounts across every pay period so you can make an apples-to-apples comparison.
For example, if you earn $65,000 and receive two offers — a 4% raise staying at your current job vs a 7% raise by switching to a new company — the calculator shows you the exact difference in annual, monthly, and per-paycheck impact, including an estimated take-home comparison that accounts for simplified federal tax brackets.
2026 Average Raise Benchmarks
Use these reference points when evaluating whether an offer is competitive:
| Benchmark | 2026 Reference |
|---|---|
| Merit raise budgets | 3.2%–3.4% |
| Total salary increase budgets | 3.4%–3.5% |
| March 2026 CPI-U (year over year) | 3.3% |
| Promotion / job-change raises | Often higher, varies by role |
Sources: Ranges commonly reported by major compensation surveys; Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2026 CPI-U release.
What to Consider Beyond the Numbers
- 1.Compounding effect — A higher percentage raise compounds over your career. Each future raise is calculated on the higher base, so even a 1% difference grows significantly over 5-10 years. Use our annual raise calculator to see the compound growth over time.
- 2.Tax bracket impact — A larger raise may push part of your income into a higher tax bracket. The per-paycheck difference after taxes may be smaller than the gross numbers suggest. The estimated take-home row in the calculator above gives you a rough sense of this effect.
- 3.Total compensation — Salary is one piece. Consider benefits, equity, bonuses, PTO, remote flexibility, and retirement matching when comparing offers.
- 4.Inflation adjustment — The March 2026 CPI-U reading was 3.3% year over year (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Any raise below that threshold is effectively a pay cut in purchasing power. Use the pay raise calculator to check if your raise beats inflation.
What This Estimate Does Not Include
The take-home estimate uses simplified US federal effective tax brackets. Your actual take-home pay depends on additional factors:
- •State and local income taxes
- •Social Security and Medicare (FICA) withholding
- •401(k), health insurance, and other payroll deductions
- •Filing status and number of dependents
- •One-time bonuses or equity compensation