Tool

Labor Burden Calculator

The wage you pay isn’t the wage it costs you. Payroll taxes, workers’ comp, benefits, and paid time that never gets billed to a job all ride on top of it. Enter your real numbers below to see what an hour of this employee’s time actually costs your business.

1. Wage & Payroll Cost

What you pay this person, and what the government and your insurer add on top.

Base hourly wage (required)

Payroll tax rate

Default is 7.65% FICA plus a 3% estimated SUTA/FUTA blend. Your actual combined rate depends on your state and your SUTA experience rating. Edit this field to match your real numbers.

Workers' comp rate

8% is a rough trades-industry placeholder. Your real rate depends on your trade classification code and your state. Check your policy for the actual number.

2. Benefits & Non-Billable Time

What you spend on benefits, and how many paid hours a year this person isn’t on a billable job.

Benefits cost

Benefits cost per hour

Non-billable hours per year

PTO, training, drive time, and any other paid hours that aren't billed to a job.

Fully-Loaded Hourly Cost

Enter a base hourly wage above to see the fully-loaded cost.