Tool 24 · Salary & Compensation
Total Compensation Decoder
Convert a job offer's base / bonus / equity / benefits into a single $/year figure, with all assumptions visible. Compares apples-to-apples across very different offers.
Enter each component of the offer
$
%
$
$
%
$
$
$
Year 1 total comp
—
Includes sign-on bonus (one-time)
Year 2+ steady state
—
No sign-on, but recurring comp
Where the number comes from
The "total comp" trap
NYC tech companies love quoting "total comp" because it inflates equity-heavy offers. A $200k "total comp" offer might be $130k base + $70k equity — the equity part is at-risk, illiquid, and taxed heavily. The base salary is the only number that's guaranteed. Use this decoder to see the guaranteed cash vs. the at-risk portion.