401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your contributions, employer match, salary raises and investment returns.
About this calculator
This free 401(k) calculator projects how large your retirement balance could grow by combining your contributions, your employer's match, annual raises and compounding investment returns — so you can see the long-term payoff of contributing a little more today.
How it works
Each year you contribute your chosen percent of salary, the employer adds its match (up to what you contribute), and the balance compounds monthly at your expected return. Your salary grows by the annual raise you enter, so contributions rise over time too.
Worked example
Starting at age 30 with $25,000 saved, a $70,000 salary, contributing 6% with a 4% employer match, a 7% return and a 2% annual raise, the balance grows to roughly $1.6 million by age 65 — most of it investment growth rather than the contributions themselves.
Comparing lump-sum growth? See the compound interest calculator, or plan monthly investing with the SIP calculator.
Why use this 401(k) calculator
Match and raises included
It layers in your employer match and annual salary raises, not just your own flat contribution, for a realistic long-term projection.
See the power of compounding
The result splits out your contributions, the employer match and investment growth so you can see how much comes from each.
Test different choices
Nudge your contribution up a percent or two and watch how much larger the balance grows by retirement.
Common use cases
- Check if you're contributing enough to capture the full employer match
- See how retiring a few years later changes your balance
- Compare a 5%, 7% and 9% return to bracket a realistic range
- Estimate your nest egg from your current age and salary
Frequently asked questions
Each year you and your employer contribute a share of your salary, and the balance earns a compounding return. This calculator compounds monthly, grows your salary by your expected annual raise, and adds the employer match on top of your own contributions.
Many employers match your contributions up to a set percentage of salary — for example '50% of the first 6%.' In this calculator, enter the employer's match as a percent of salary; it's applied up to what you contribute, since employers never match more than you put in.
Historical long-run stock-market returns have averaged around 7% a year after inflation, but returns vary widely and aren't guaranteed. Try a few rates (e.g. 5%, 7%, 9%) to see a realistic range rather than a single number.
Effectively, yes — it's part of your compensation. Contributing at least enough to get the full match is one of the highest-return moves available, because you get an immediate matched contribution before any market growth.
Yes. All projections run in your browser and nothing you enter is uploaded or stored.
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