401(k) Growth Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance including employer match contributions. Enter salary, contribution percentage, employer match, and years to see how your retirement account grows with a year-by-year bar chart.
How to use this tool
- Enter annual salary, your contribution, employer match rate, match cap (% of salary), expected annual return and years to grow in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your projected 401(k) balance and the full breakdown beneath it.
A 401(k) offers tax-deferred growth and often free money via employer match. Contributing at least enough to capture the full match is generally the highest guaranteed return available to most investors.
⚠ This tool provides general estimates for education only and is not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures may not reflect your situation — verify with a qualified professional.
Formula
Combined monthly contribution: Ctotal = (salary × contrib%) / 12 + (salary × min(contrib%, matchCap%) × matchRate%) / 12
Future value (monthly compounding, no starting balance): FV = Ctotal × ((1 + i)m − 1) / i, where i = annual rate / 12 and m = years × 12. At zero rate: FV = Ctotal × m.
How it works
This calculator combines your own pre-tax 401(k) contributions with the employer match (capped at a percentage of salary) into a single monthly deposit, then compounds that deposit forward over the specified number of years using a fixed expected annual return rate.
The model assumes a constant salary, steady contribution percentage, and that the employer always contributes the full match up to the cap. It does not account for IRS contribution limits (other than what you enter), salary increases, or vesting schedules; actual balances will vary.
Worked example
- Inputs: $60,000 salary, 10% your contribution, 50% employer match, 6% match cap, 0% return, 1 year.
- Your monthly contribution = $60,000 × 10% / 12 = $500.
- Employer monthly match = $60,000 × min(10%, 6%) × 50% / 12 = $60,000 × 6% × 50% / 12 = $150.
- Total monthly = $650; at 0% return over 12 months: FV = $650 × 12 = $7,800.
- Your total contributions = $500 × 12 = $6,000; employer match total = $150 × 12 = $1,800; investment growth = $0.
Projected 401(k) balance: $7,800 | Your contributions: $6,000 | Employer match: $1,800 | Investment growth: $0
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the employer match grows proportionally beyond the match cap — most plans cap the match at a fixed salary percentage regardless of how much more you contribute.
- Ignoring the IRS annual contribution limit ($23,500 for 2025); a high salary percentage can push the raw calculation over the cap, inflating projections.
- Assuming a 100% employer match rate when many plans match 50 cents on the dollar — check your Summary Plan Description before entering the match rate.
Key terms
- Employer match
- Contributions your employer adds to your 401(k) based on a percentage of your own contributions, up to a defined cap of your salary.
- Match cap
- The maximum portion of your salary (as a percentage) that qualifies for the employer match; contributions beyond this percentage are not matched.
- Pre-tax contribution
- Money contributed to a traditional 401(k) before income tax is applied, reducing your taxable income in the contribution year.
- Vesting schedule
- The timeline over which employer match contributions become fully yours; this calculator assumes full immediate vesting.
- Tax-deferred growth
- Investment gains inside a 401(k) are not taxed until withdrawal, allowing the full balance to compound without annual tax drag.
Frequently asked questions
- What is employer match?
- Employers commonly match 50% of your contributions up to 6% of salary. If you earn $60,000 and contribute $6,000 (10%), they add $1,800. That's an instant 30% return on the matched portion.
- Is this pre-tax or Roth 401(k)?
- This calculator models tax-deferred (traditional) 401(k) growth. The balance shown is before taxes on withdrawal. For after-tax (Roth) comparison, use the Roth IRA Calculator.