Salary Comparison Calculator

Each salary’s net = gross − federal income tax − FICA − state tax. With cities set, Salary B’s net is rescaled to Salary A’s cost of living using the cost-of-living index (NYC = 100), so you compare like for like.

The bigger number isn’t always the better job

A higher salary in an expensive, high-tax city can leave you worse off than a smaller one somewhere cheaper. Two things bridge the gap between the headline and reality: tax (federal, FICA and state — and state rates range from zero to over 13%) and the cost of living (rent and everyday prices differ enormously between cities). This calculator takes each salary down to its take-home, then rescales the second into the first city’s cost of living so you’re comparing genuine spending power.

Worked example — $90,000 in Austin vs $120,000 in San Francisco: Take-home ≈ $71,700 vs $92,800. But San Francisco costs far more (index 88.5 vs Austin 58.5). That $120k take-home is worth only ≈ $61,300 in Austin’s cost of living — so the $90k Austin job is about $10,400 ahead in real terms.

Net, then cost of living

The comparison runs in two steps. First, gross to net: each salary loses federal income tax, FICA (7.65%) and any state tax you enter, so a no-income-tax state like Texas keeps more of the same headline figure than California does. Second, cost of living: the cost-of-living index (New York = 100) rescales the second take-home into the first city’s prices. Leave the cities blank — or set them the same — and it’s a pure after-tax comparison with no cost-of-living step.

What it doesn’t capture

This is a true-value snapshot of pay, not a full job-offer model. It uses a flat state-tax estimate (real state tax is progressive and varies by locality), the standard deduction, and a cost-of-living index for typical spending — your own rent, commute and lifestyle may differ. It also leaves out benefits, equity, bonus, retirement match and quality-of-life factors. Use it to cut through the headline numbers, then weigh the rest.