401(k) Calculator — Project Your Retirement Savings & Employer Match

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from salary, contribution rate, employer match, and expected returns — with a year-by-year breakdown.

401(k) Calculator — Project Your Retirement Savings and Employer Match
Home › Calculators › 401(k) Calculator

401(k) Calculator — See What Your Retirement Could Really Be Worth

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your salary, contribution rate, employer match and expected returns — with a year-by-year breakdown that shows exactly how much of your nest egg comes from you, your employer and investment growth.

Must be greater than your current age.

100 means your employer matches you dollar for dollar.

Example: 100% match up to 5% of salary. Check your benefits paperwork.

Many planners use 6 to 8% for a mixed stock and bond portfolio.

Expected yearly raise; your contributions grow along with your pay.

Projected 401(k) balance at retirement $0
$0Your total contributions
$0Employer match contributions
$0Investment growth

Balance growth over time

Year-by-year breakdown

This is an educational estimate, not financial advice. The model compounds monthly, applies your raise evenly across each year, and ignores fees, taxes, inflation, job changes and IRS contribution limits. Actual results will differ.

100% private

Every calculation runs in your browser. Your salary and savings numbers never leave your device.

No signup

Run unlimited projections instantly. No account, no email, no paywall.

Free forever

Every feature on this page is free, today and always.

How to use the 401(k) calculator

  1. 1Enter your starting point

    Type in your current age, planned retirement age, current 401(k) balance and annual salary.

  2. 2Set your savings rate

    Add your contribution percentage, plus your employer’s match percentage and the salary cap it applies to — for example, 100% match up to 5% of salary. Your benefits paperwork or HR portal has these figures.

  3. 3Pick your assumptions

    Choose an expected annual return and your expected yearly salary growth, then hit Calculate My Projection.

  4. 4Read your projection

    See your projected balance plus the split between your contributions, employer match and investment growth — with a chart and a year-by-year table.

What makes this calculator useful

Month-by-month simulation

Your balance compounds every month, not once a year — a closer match to how real 401(k) contributions and market returns actually work.

Employer match modeled with its cap

Enter the match rate and the salary cap separately, so a “100% match up to 5%” plan is modeled exactly the way your employer pays it.

Salary growth factored in

Your raises are spread across each year, so your contributions — and the match on them — grow along with your pay.

Three-way breakdown

See how much of your final balance came from your own contributions, from free employer-match money, and from investment growth.

Year-by-year table

Every year shows your age, that year’s contributions and match, and the running balance — great for spotting when growth starts doing the heavy lifting.

Visual growth chart

A clean line chart of your balance over time, drawn instantly in your browser with no tracking or data leaving the page.

Frequently asked questions

What is a 401(k)?
A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement savings account in the United States. Money you contribute can grow tax-deferred (traditional 401(k)) or tax-free in retirement (Roth 401(k)), and many employers add matching contributions on top of what you put in.
How does the employer match work in this calculator?
You enter two numbers: the match rate and the cap. A “100% match up to 5% of salary” means the employer adds one dollar for every dollar you contribute, but only on the first 5% of your salary. Contribute 10% of a $75,000 salary and the employer adds 5% of $75,000 — $3,750 a year of free money.
Is this projection guaranteed?
No. This is an educational estimate based on the numbers you enter. Real outcomes depend on actual market returns, fees, taxes, inflation, job changes, vesting schedules and IRS contribution limits — none of which this simple model includes.
What annual return should I assume?
The US stock market has averaged roughly 10% a year nominally over the long run, about 7% after inflation. Many financial planners use 6 to 8% nominal for a mixed stock-and-bond portfolio. This is general information, not investment advice — consider speaking with a fiduciary advisor.
Are 401(k) contribution limits included?
No. The IRS sets yearly caps on employee contributions (for example, $23,500 in 2025, plus catch-up contributions if you are 50 or older). This calculator does not enforce those limits, so check the current IRS figures if your salary and contribution rate are high.
Does the calculator adjust for inflation or taxes?
No — all figures are in nominal future dollars and ignore taxes entirely. A traditional 401(k) balance will be taxed as income when withdrawn, so your spendable amount in retirement will be lower than the headline number.
What is the difference between a traditional and a Roth 401(k)?
Traditional contributions are pre-tax: you get a tax break now and pay tax on withdrawals later. Roth contributions are after-tax: no break now, but qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. The calculator treats every contributed dollar the same, so it works as a plain-dollar projection for either type.

Related free tools

Compound Interest Calculator

See how compounding grows any savings or investment over time.

 Mortgage Calculator

Estimate monthly payments, interest and payoff schedules for a home loan.

 Salary to Hourly Calculator

Convert your annual salary into an hourly, weekly or monthly rate.

 Tip Calculator

Split bills and compute tips instantly, with per-person totals.

 Percentage Calculator

Solve everyday percentage problems — discounts, increases and more.

 BMI Calculator

Check your body mass index with US standard units.
Scroll to Top