401(k) Match Calculator
See how much employer match you earn, whether you are leaving any free money on the table, and how it grows over time.
How it's calculated
An employer 401(k) match is the closest thing to free money in personal finance. Your employer adds to your account based on what you put in, usually a set share of your contribution up to a cap. Contribute at least up to the cap and you capture all of it. Contribute less and you leave part of it behind.
Take the default. On an $80,000 salary, contributing 6 percent puts in $4,800 a year. With a 50 percent match up to 6 percent of pay, your employer adds $2,400, so $7,200 goes in each year with a third of it free. Drop your contribution to 3 percent and the match falls to $1,200, so you would leave $1,200 a year behind.
That match is an instant return you cannot get anywhere else, a guaranteed 50 percent here before the market does anything. Captured every year and left to grow at 7 percent for 30 years, the full $7,200 annual contribution builds a balance of about $732,000. Always contribute at least enough to earn the full match before putting money anywhere else.
Assumptions
- The match is your employer match rate applied to your contribution, capped at the match limit as a percent of salary.
- The projected balance grows the total annual contribution at the return you set, with monthly compounding. It does not raise contributions with future pay.
Last updated: 2026-08-08
These assumptions follow our general methodology.
Frequently asked questions
How does a 401(k) match work?
Your employer contributes based on what you put in, up to a limit. A common formula is 50 percent of your contribution up to 6 percent of your salary, sometimes written as 50 cents on the dollar up to 6 percent. Contribute at least to that cap to get all of it.
How much should I contribute to get the full match?
At least up to the match cap. If your employer matches up to 6 percent of pay, contribute 6 percent. Anything less leaves free money behind, which this calculator shows as the match left on the table.
Is the employer match part of my contribution limit?
No. The employee contribution limit, $24,500 in 2026, applies only to your own money. The employer match is on top, within a much higher total-additions limit. The Mega Backdoor Roth calculator covers that larger limit.
What if I cannot afford the full match?
Contribute what you can and raise it over time, ideally with each pay rise. Even a partial match is worth capturing, and getting to the full match is one of the highest-return moves available to you.