PTO Value Calculator
Convert your PTO days into real dollars at any salary — and see whether unlimited PTO actually beats a fixed 20-day policy when you compare offers.
Vacation + personal days. Don't include sick days you only use when sick.
15 days × $327 per day
Unlimited PTO vs 20 fixed days
At $85,000 salary, here's what each policy is worth in actual usage:
Survey data consistently shows unlimited-PTO workers take 12–13 days a year; fixed-policy workers use ~90% of their allotment. The fixed policy is usually worth more in dollars actually realized.
Runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded or saved.
How to value your PTO
Paid time off is salary — you are getting paid not to work on those days. Divide your annual salary by the number of working days in a year (about 260 at standard full-time), and each PTO day is worth that figure. Ten PTO days on a $78,000 salary is about $3,000 of compensation that does not appear on the offer letter.
The PTO Value Calculator does this conversion for any salary and any PTO allotment, and shows the value per day, per week, and per hour so the number is easy to compare against another offer or against contract work.
Is unlimited PTO actually worth less?
Unlimited PTO sounds like the best policy on paper — and is often worth less than a generous fixed policy in practice. Survey data consistently shows employees with unlimited PTO take about 10 to 13 days a year, while employees on a fixed 20-day policy take 18 to 20. The dollar value of vacation actually used is what matters when you compare offers.
Toggle the 'unlimited' option in the calculator and it values the time at the real average-usage number, not the policy's headline. The result is often surprising — a job with 20 fixed days can be worth thousands more than an unlimited-PTO job at the same salary.
Use PTO value in offer comparisons
Two job offers can carry the same base salary and produce very different total compensation once PTO is priced in. Pair this calculator with the Job Offer Comparison Calculator to see PTO sitting alongside base, bonus, equity, and benefits — and to see exactly how much room you have to negotiate either side up.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a day of PTO worth?+
Divide your annual salary by the number of full-time working days in a year (about 260). A $78,000 salary makes each PTO day worth roughly $300, so 10 days is about $3,000 of pay.
Is unlimited PTO better than a fixed policy?+
Not always. Unlimited PTO typically results in 10 to 13 days actually taken per year, while a fixed 20-day policy is usually used in full. A generous fixed policy often delivers more real time off — and more real compensation — than 'unlimited'.
What is the average PTO in the US?+
Private-sector workers in the US average around 10 to 14 days of PTO after one to five years of service and 15 to 20 days at more senior tenure. Tech and finance roles tend to offer more; retail and hospitality less.
Should I include PTO in total compensation?+
Yes. PTO is paid time you are not working — it is part of your compensation. Pricing it in is what makes two offers truly comparable, especially when one offers fewer days at a higher base salary.
Is the PTO Value Calculator free?+
Yes — free, no signup, runs in your browser. Your inputs are calculated locally and never uploaded.
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