Work out career break cost instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
The cost of a career break is not just the salary you do not earn. Re-entry usually happens at a discount to where you would have been, and that gap persists for years, so the five-year figure is a far better representation of the true cost than the break itself.
Earnings foregone
Foregone = Salary x Break years x (1 + Growth x Break years / 2)
Re-entry salary
Re-entry = Salary x (1 + Growth)^Break years x (1 - Re-entry discount %)
Often partly — keeping certifications current, doing part-time or project work, and returning through a returnship programme all reduce it.
Financially usually yes in the short run, but breaks taken for retraining or a qualification frequently produce a higher long-run trajectory.