About FS Career Tools
Why this exists and what we're building for the Foreign Service community.
What this is
Financial clarity for the Foreign Service community.
FS Career Tools is a suite of financial planning calculators built specifically for U.S. Foreign Service Officers. Whether you're deep in bidding season, weighing a tough hardship post, or facing a transition out of the Service, the tools here are designed to give you fast, accurate answers to complex compensation questions — no spreadsheets required.
Foreign Service compensation is uniquely complicated. Base pay, post differential, COLA, Separate Maintenance Allowance, education allowances, danger pay, hardship differential — the combinations are nearly infinite, and the official references are scattered across dense DSSR tables. Officers have historically relied on manually-maintained spreadsheets or word-of-mouth estimates. The community deserves better.
The tools
Available now, with more in development.
Post Compensation Calculator
Calculate your full compensation package for any overseas post — base pay, COLA, SMA, hardship, danger pay, allowances, and estimated net take-home. Compare your entire bid list side-by-side. Research practical living conditions, schools, and family employment status for every post. Includes a tandem calculator for dual-FS households and a Bid Strategy scoring tool.
Open Calculator →Separation Benefits Calculator
Estimate severance pay, FSPS/FSRDS annuity, and FEHB continuation options when leaving the Service — whether by choice, retirement, or involuntary separation. Entirely free, no account required.
Open Calculator →The data
Where our numbers come from.
Compensation rates
All allowances and differentials are drawn from the State Department DSSR. Rates are refreshed quarterly but may not reflect the most recent biweekly changes. Always verify with your HR office before making career decisions.
Post research
Practical post information — schools, family employment, living conditions — is sourced from State Department public resources, the TalesMag officer report database, and the Office of Overseas Schools.
Our commitment
What you can always count on.
Accuracy first
We flag what's estimated, note every data source, and always encourage you to verify rates with your HR office before making career decisions.
Your data is yours
We don't sell user data or run advertising. Saved calculations are private to your account.
Community-driven
Built by someone in the FS community, for the FS community. Feedback shapes every feature we build.
Questions or feedback?
Found a bug, spotted an outdated rate, or have an idea for a new feature? We want to hear from you.
hello@fscareer.comReady to get started?
Free to use — no account required for single-post calculations.