Career ROI Calculator
Not all career moves are equal. See the 10-year earnings impact of staying put vs. negotiating, switching jobs, or earning a promotion.
The 4 career paths we compare
Stay & No Raise
+3%/yrCurrent salary with standard 3%/yr cost-of-living adjustments
Negotiate This Year
+15% this yearNegotiate a raise now, then grow from the higher base
Job Switch
+18% this yearSwitch to a higher-paying role, then grow from the new base
Promotion Path
+25% over 1–2 yrsEarn a promotion to the next career level
Why 10 years?
Salary decisions compound over time. A 15% raise today means your Year 2 salary — and every subsequent raise — is calculated from a higher base. Over 10 years, the difference between staying flat and negotiating aggressively can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cumulative earnings. Our Career ROI section shows you the exact numbers.
The opportunity cost of staying underpaid
Our tool calculates the opportunity cost — the difference between the highest-growth path and the current-pace path over 10 years. For many professionals, this number is $200,000 or more. Seeing that figure is often the motivation needed to take action.
See your 10-year career ROI comparison