403(b) Calculator
Enter your age, salary, contribution percentage and employer match to see what your 403(b) could be worth when you retire, year by year.
Free, no sign-upRuns in your browserHow we calculate
Gross pay before taxes.
Percent of salary you defer each paycheck.
7% is a common long-run assumption for a stock-heavy mix.
E.g. 50 = employer adds 50¢ per $1 you contribute.
…on contributions up to this % of salary (e.g. 6).
- Starting balance
- $25,000
- Total you contributed
- $362,772
- Total employer match
- $136,040
- Total investment growth
- $1,416,182
- Year-1 contribution (you + employer)
- $8,250
- Final-year salary
- $204,893
| Age | Salary | You | Employer | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | $75,000 | $6,000 | $2,250 | $2,011 | $35,261 |
| 31 | $77,250 | $6,180 | $2,318 | $2,738 | $46,497 |
| 32 | $79,568 | $6,365 | $2,387 | $3,532 | $58,781 |
| 33 | $81,955 | $6,556 | $2,459 | $4,400 | $72,196 |
| 34 | $84,413 | $6,753 | $2,532 | $5,348 | $86,830 |
| 35 | $86,946 | $6,956 | $2,608 | $6,381 | $102,775 |
| 36 | $89,554 | $7,164 | $2,687 | $7,506 | $120,133 |
| 37 | $92,241 | $7,379 | $2,767 | $8,731 | $139,010 |
| 38 | $95,008 | $7,601 | $2,850 | $10,062 | $159,523 |
| 39 | $97,858 | $7,829 | $2,936 | $11,508 | $181,795 |
| 40 | $100,794 | $8,063 | $3,024 | $13,077 | $205,959 |
| 41 | $103,818 | $8,305 | $3,115 | $14,779 | $232,158 |
| 42 | $106,932 | $8,555 | $3,208 | $16,624 | $260,544 |
| 43 | $110,140 | $8,811 | $3,304 | $18,622 | $291,282 |
| 44 | $113,444 | $9,076 | $3,403 | $20,785 | $324,546 |
| 45 | $116,848 | $9,348 | $3,505 | $23,126 | $360,525 |
| 46 | $120,353 | $9,628 | $3,611 | $25,656 | $399,420 |
| 47 | $123,964 | $9,917 | $3,719 | $28,392 | $441,447 |
| 48 | $127,682 | $10,215 | $3,830 | $31,346 | $486,839 |
| 49 | $131,513 | $10,521 | $3,945 | $34,537 | $535,842 |
| 50 | $135,458 | $10,837 | $4,064 | $37,981 | $588,724 |
| 51 | $139,522 | $11,162 | $4,186 | $41,697 | $645,768 |
| 52 | $143,708 | $11,497 | $4,311 | $45,705 | $707,281 |
| 53 | $148,019 | $11,842 | $4,441 | $50,026 | $773,589 |
| 54 | $152,460 | $12,197 | $4,574 | $54,683 | $845,042 |
| 55 | $157,033 | $12,563 | $4,711 | $59,700 | $922,016 |
| 56 | $161,744 | $12,940 | $4,852 | $65,105 | $1,004,913 |
| 57 | $166,597 | $13,328 | $4,998 | $70,925 | $1,094,163 |
| 58 | $171,595 | $13,728 | $5,148 | $77,190 | $1,190,228 |
| 59 | $176,742 | $14,139 | $5,302 | $83,932 | $1,293,602 |
| 60 | $182,045 | $14,564 | $5,461 | $91,187 | $1,404,814 |
| 61 | $187,506 | $15,000 | $5,625 | $98,991 | $1,524,430 |
| 62 | $193,131 | $15,450 | $5,794 | $107,383 | $1,653,058 |
| 63 | $198,925 | $15,914 | $5,968 | $116,408 | $1,791,347 |
| 64 | $204,893 | $16,391 | $6,147 | $126,109 | $1,939,994 |
How this was calculated
- Year 1 salary: $75,000. Your contribution: 8% × $75,000 = $6,000.
- Employer match: 50% of your contributions, on contributions up to 6% of salary → $75,000 × 6% × 50% = $2,250.
- Growth: the balance earns 7% a year, applied monthly as one twelfth of the year's contributions is added. Year 1 growth = $2,011, ending balance $35,261.
- Each following year, salary rises 3% and the same percentages are applied to the new salary, for 35 years until age 65.
- At retirement: $25,000 starting balance + $362,772 from you + $136,040 from your employer + $1,416,182 growth = $1,939,994.
35 years at a constant 7% return. Real markets do not move in straight lines; try 5% and 9% to see the range.
Estimates only. Ignores taxes, fees, plan rules, vesting schedules and the compensation limit. Not financial advice.
How this 403(b) calculator projects your balance
A 403(b) is the retirement plan offered by public schools, hospitals, universities and nonprofits. It works like a 401(k): you defer part of each paycheck, your employer may match some of it, and the money grows until you retire. This 403(b) calculator projects that balance year by year. It caps your contribution at the IRS employee deferral limit ($24,500 for 2026, the same limit as a 401(k), plus $8,000 catch-up from the year you turn 50), adds the employer match, and grows the balance at your expected return with contributions added monthly.
Worked example
A teacher earns $60,000 and contributes 8%. That is $4,800 a year, or $400 a month. If the district matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of salary, it adds $1,800 a year. With a 6% return, no salary growth and no starting balance, 25 years of $6,600 a year (your $4,800 plus the $1,800 match) grows to about $372,000, of which only $165,000 was contributed. The rest is investment growth.
403(b) vs 401(k): what is different
- Same deferral limit. Both plans share the IRS limit on employee deferrals, so this projection uses the same numbers.
- 15-year service catch-up. Some 403(b) employees with 15 or more years at the same employer (schools, hospitals, churches) may defer up to $3,000 a year extra, to a lifetime maximum of $15,000. The calculator does not model it, so add it by hand if your plan allows it.
- Investments. Many 403(b) plans offer annuity contracts or mutual funds with higher fees than typical 401(k) funds. Fees reduce your real return, so use a lower expected return if yours are high.
- Match and vesting. Employer money often vests over several years. Leave early and you may keep only part of it; the projection assumes you stay.
Common mistakes
Skipping the match is the biggest one: a 50% match up to 6% is an immediate 50% return on the first 6% of your salary. Another is treating the return as guaranteed. Try 5% and 9% to see the range. Sources: IRS Publication 571 (Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans) and the IRS retirement plan contribution limits.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 403(b) contribution limit for 2026?
$24,500 in employee deferrals, plus an $8,000 catch-up if you are 50 or older. It is the same limit as a 401(k) because both fall under IRC section 402(g).
Who can have a 403(b)?
Employees of public schools, colleges, hospitals, churches and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Private companies offer 401(k) plans instead.
What is the 15-year rule for a 403(b)?
An employee with 15 or more years at the same eligible employer can defer up to $3,000 a year above the normal limit, to a lifetime maximum of $15,000. Not every plan allows it, and this calculator does not model it.
How does an employer match work in a 403(b)?
A match of 50% up to 6% means the employer adds 50 cents per dollar you contribute, on the first 6% of salary only. On $60,000 that is up to $1,800 a year.
What return should I assume for a 403(b)?
7% is a common long-run assumption for a stock-heavy mix. Use a lower number, such as 5%, if your plan holds mostly bonds or charges high fees, and compare the results.