Pay Comparison
1099 vs W2 calculator for comparing real take-home pay
A contractor rate can look higher than a W2 salary, but taxes, benefits, unpaid time, and business expenses can change the real value. Use this page to understand the comparison, then open the live calculator.
What to compare
Federal, state, Social Security, and Medicare tax treatment
Health insurance, retirement match, PTO, and other W2 benefits
Contractor expenses such as equipment, software, insurance, and unpaid downtime
Hourly rate, annual salary, expected weekly hours, and weeks worked per year
1099 contractor
You usually handle self-employment taxes, estimated payments, business expenses, and your own benefits.
W2 employee
Your employer usually withholds payroll taxes and may provide benefits such as health insurance, PTO, and retirement matching.
Offer decision
The better choice depends on net pay, benefits, stability, flexibility, and how much administrative work you want to handle.
Run the numbers before you accept
The live YouGotJobs calculator already supports salary and hourly inputs, filing status, dependents, and state tax assumptions. This page exists to route searchers to that tool and help them understand what matters.