Calculate the full value of your pay package — base salary, bonus, equity, 401k match, health insurance, and other benefits. See your real hourly rate.
What Counts as Total Compensation?
Total compensation (TC) is the complete value of everything your employer provides in exchange for your work. It goes far beyond your base salary and can add 20-40% or more to your overall pay package.
Total Comp = Base Salary + Bonus + Equity/RSUs
+ 401k Match + Health Insurance + Other Benefits
Real Hourly Rate = Total Comp / (Actual Hours/Week x 52)
Components of Total Compensation
- Base salary — Your guaranteed fixed pay, typically the largest component at 60-80% of total comp.
- Annual bonus — Performance-based pay, usually 5-20% of base salary for most roles, higher for sales and executive positions.
- Equity / RSUs — Stock grants that vest over time (typically 4 years). At tech companies, equity can rival or exceed base salary.
- 401k match — Employer contributions to your retirement account. A 4% match on $100k salary is $4,000/year of free money.
- Health insurance — The employer's premium contribution. Family coverage can be worth $15,000-$24,000 annually.
- Other benefits — Gym memberships, education stipends, commuter benefits, wellness programs, phone allowance, etc.
Total Comp Benchmarks by Industry
| Industry | Base salary | Typical TC multiplier | Key non-cash comp |
|---|
| Big Tech (FAANG) | $150-250k | 1.5-2.5x | RSUs, bonus |
| Finance / Banking | $100-200k | 1.5-3.0x | Cash bonus |
| Consulting | $80-180k | 1.2-1.5x | Bonus, benefits |
| Healthcare | $60-150k | 1.2-1.4x | Health benefits, pension |
| General corporate | $50-120k | 1.15-1.3x | 401k, health |
Your Real Hourly Rate
Most salaried employees work more than the standard 40 hours per week. If your total compensation is $120,000 but you work 50 hours per week, your real hourly rate is about $46.15 — not the $57.69 you might calculate at 40 hours. Understanding your actual hourly rate helps you evaluate whether overtime, side projects, or job changes are worth your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I include in total compensation?
Include everything your employer provides: base salary, bonuses (cash and sign-on), equity or stock options, 401k/retirement match, health/dental/vision insurance premiums paid by employer, life insurance, disability insurance, education reimbursement, gym/wellness stipends, commuter benefits, and any other perks with monetary value.
How do I calculate the value of my health insurance benefit?
Check your benefits enrollment documents or ask HR for the employer's contribution to your premiums. For employer-sponsored plans, the company typically covers 70-85% of the total premium. For individual coverage, employer contributions average around $7,000-$8,000 per year; for family coverage, it's $15,000-$22,000 per year.
Should I count my 401k match as compensation?
Absolutely. Your employer's 401k match is real money deposited into your retirement account. However, you need to contribute enough of your own salary to receive the full match. If you're not contributing enough to get the full match, you're leaving free money on the table.
Why does my real hourly rate matter?
Your real hourly rate reflects what you actually earn per hour of work. If you're working 55 hours per week but getting paid as if you work 40, your hourly rate is 27% lower than you might think. This matters when evaluating overtime, comparing to freelance rates, or deciding if a job change is worth it.
How much of total comp is typically base salary?
For most workers, base salary makes up 65-80% of total compensation. In tech, it can drop to 40-60% when equity is significant. In finance, base may be only 30-50% with large bonuses. The lower the base percentage, the more variable and risky your total compensation is.