Employee Cost Calculator

TrueHireCost Resource Directory

A searchable directory of every TrueHireCost resource — 6 calculators, 5 guides, research and indexes, payroll tools, all 50 states + DC, 20 industries, and 1,020 state + industry combinations.

The TrueHireCost resource directory is a complete index of every public page on the site — 35 calculators, guides, research articles, and support pages, plus all 51 state guides, 20 industry guides, and 1,020 state + industry combination pages. Use it to find a specific resource, then jump straight to a pre-configured calculator. This page is a navigation hub; it does not re-run the calculator itself — open the Employee Cost Calculator for that.

Calculators

• Employee Cost CalculatorThe main fully loaded cost calculator — salary, taxes, benefits, and overhead across all 50 states.
• Hiring Cost CalculatorCalculate the one-time cost of recruiting, hiring, and onboarding a new employee.
• Bad Hire Cost CalculatorEstimate the total cost of a failed hire, from lost productivity to replacement.
• Employee Turnover Cost CalculatorCalculate the cost of losing and replacing an employee.
• Employer Payroll Tax CalculatorFocus on FICA, FUTA, and SUTA with a state-by-state payroll tax example.
• Employee Burden Rate CalculatorTurn salary into a loaded-cost multiplier for budgeting and pricing.

Guides

• Employee Cost Calculator GuideThe full formula and a worked example for fully loaded employee cost.
• True Cost of Employing an EmployeeEvery component beyond base salary and why employers underestimate employment costs.
• W-2 vs. 1099 Cost ComparisonBreak-even analysis between employees and contractors, plus classification risk.
• Employee Benefits Cost GuideCategory-by-category benefit costs — health, dental, vision, life, disability, 401(k).
• Employer Payroll Tax GuidePlain-English reference for FICA, FUTA, SUTA, and workers’ comp with 2026 rates.

Research & indexes

• 2026 Employee Cost IndexOriginal research: the fully loaded cost of an $80,000 employee in every US state, with charts and CSV.
• What an $80,000 Employee Costs in Every StateAll 51 jurisdictions ranked by fully loaded cost for the same $80,000 role.
• How Much More Does an Employee Cost Than Salary?The national-average burden multiplier, where the extra money goes, and how it varies by state.
• States With the Highest Employer Payroll BurdenThe 10 states where an $80,000 employee costs the employer the most above salary.
• States With the Lowest Employer Payroll BurdenThe 10 states where the same role costs the employer the least.
• How SUTA Changes Employer Cost Across StatesThe SUTA line item isolated and ranked — the biggest source of state-to-state variation.
• How Benefits Change Total Employer CostA benefits sweep showing how each $100/month moves the loaded cost and multiplier.
• Employee Cost vs Hiring CostThe difference between recurring annual employee cost and one-time hiring cost.
• Cost Per Hire vs Fully Loaded Employee CostHow SHRM’s ~$4,700 cost-per-hire benchmark relates to the ~$100k+ annual loaded cost.
• Vacancy and Ramp-Up Costs ExplainedThe two largest hidden hiring costs — empty-seat vacancy and new-hire ramp-up.
• Employee Turnover Cost ExplainedThe four turnover cost components and a full worked $80,000 example.
• Compare Employee Costs by StateSortable 50-state + DC comparison table with side-by-side comparison and CSV export.

Methodology, sources & trust

• MethodologyEvery modeling assumption, default value, formula, and rationale behind the calculators.
• SourcesEvery authoritative benchmark source — IRS, SSA, DOL, BLS, SHRM, LinkedIn, and state agencies.
• About TrueHireCostWhat the site does, who it is for, why it was built, and the limitations of every estimate.
• Editorial StandardsHow statutory values are sourced, benchmarks selected, assumptions labeled, and corrections handled.
• ContactReport a correction, ask a data question, send a business inquiry, or give feedback.

Tools & support

• Payroll Tools & Provider ComparisonsSide-by-side comparison of Gusto, ADP, and QuickBooks Payroll with a how-to-choose guide.
• Embed ToolEmbed the employee cost calculator on your own website with an iframe.
• Embed the CalculatorHow to embed the free calculator — code, terms, and attribution requirements.
• Frequently Asked QuestionsCentral FAQ hub: employee costs, payroll taxes, benefits, burden rates, and W-2 vs. 1099.

Legal

• Privacy PolicyHow we collect, use, and protect your data.
• Terms of ServiceThe legal terms governing your use of TrueHireCost.
• Financial DisclaimerMethodology, data sources, and planning-estimate disclaimer.

State resources

A pre-configured employee cost calculator and full guide for every U.S. state and DC, with SUTA rates, wage bases, workers’ comp, minimum wage, and compliance checklists.

AlabamaSUTA 2.7% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25AlaskaSUTA 1.7% · WC $1.60/$100 · Min wage $11.91ArizonaSUTA 2% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $14.70ArkansasSUTA 3.1% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $11CaliforniaSUTA 3.4% · WC $1.20/$100 · Min wage $16.90ColoradoSUTA 3.05% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $15.16ConnecticutSUTA 1.9% · WC $1.30/$100 · Min wage $16.35DelawareSUTA 1.8% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $15.20District of ColumbiaSUTA 2.7% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $17.50FloridaSUTA 2.7% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $13GeorgiaSUTA 2.7% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $7.25HawaiiSUTA 1.7% · WC $1.20/$100 · Min wage $14.50IdahoSUTA 1% · WC $0.80/$100 · Min wage $7.25IllinoisSUTA 3.9% · WC $1.30/$100 · Min wage $15IndianaSUTA 1.5% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25IowaSUTA 1% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $7.25KansasSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25KentuckySUTA 2.7% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $7.25LouisianaSUTA 1% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $7.25MaineSUTA 1% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $14.65MarylandSUTA 1% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $15MassachusettsSUTA 2.4% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $15MichiganSUTA 2.7% · WC $1.20/$100 · Min wage $10.56MinnesotaSUTA 1% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $11.13MississippiSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25MissouriSUTA 1% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $13.75MontanaSUTA 1% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $10.55NebraskaSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $13.50NevadaSUTA 2.95% · WC $1.20/$100 · Min wage $12New HampshireSUTA 2.7% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $7.25New JerseySUTA 1.9% · WC $1.30/$100 · Min wage $15.49New MexicoSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $12New YorkSUTA 4.1% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $16.50North CarolinaSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25North DakotaSUTA 1% · WC $0.80/$100 · Min wage $7.25OhioSUTA 2.7% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $10.45OklahomaSUTA 1.5% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $7.25OregonSUTA 2.6% · WC $1.20/$100 · Min wage $14.70PennsylvaniaSUTA 3.7% · WC $1.20/$100 · Min wage $7.25Rhode IslandSUTA 1% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $15.26South CarolinaSUTA 0.6% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25South DakotaSUTA 1% · WC $0.80/$100 · Min wage $11.50TennesseeSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25TexasSUTA 2.7% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $7.25UtahSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $7.25VermontSUTA 1% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $14.01VirginiaSUTA 1% · WC $0.90/$100 · Min wage $12.41WashingtonSUTA 3.4% · WC $1.40/$100 · Min wage $16.66West VirginiaSUTA 1.5% · WC $1/$100 · Min wage $8.75WisconsinSUTA 3.05% · WC $1.10/$100 · Min wage $7.25WyomingSUTA 1% · WC $0.80/$100 · Min wage $7.25

Industry resources

A guide for each of 20 major U.S. industries, with workers’ comp class rates, salary ranges, benefit benchmarks, and burden multipliers.

Technology & SoftwareMedian $120,000 · 1.35× loadedHealthcareMedian $85,000 · 1.32× loadedConstructionMedian $65,000 · 1.45× loadedRetailMedian $38,000 · 1.25× loadedManufacturingMedian $62,000 · 1.4× loadedFinance & BankingMedian $95,000 · 1.38× loadedEducationMedian $60,000 · 1.28× loadedHospitalityMedian $42,000 · 1.27× loadedTransportation & LogisticsMedian $68,000 · 1.34× loadedProfessional ServicesMedian $100,000 · 1.33× loadedReal EstateMedian $65,000 · 1.3× loadedAgricultureMedian $45,000 · 1.31× loadedEnergyMedian $90,000 · 1.36× loadedTelecommunicationsMedian $85,000 · 1.33× loadedMedia & EntertainmentMedian $75,000 · 1.31× loadedNonprofitMedian $55,000 · 1.27× loadedGovernment & Public SectorMedian $65,000 · 1.3× loadedLegal ServicesMedian $115,000 · 1.34× loadedConsultingMedian $120,000 · 1.35× loadedE-commerceMedian $80,000 · 1.33× loaded

Directory of 1126 pages. State and industry data updated 2026-08-24; rates are representative 2026 new-employer figures — verify with your state agency and carrier.

Frequently Asked Questions

For Estimation Purposes Only

TrueHireCost provides cost estimates for informational purposes only and is not professional tax, legal, or HR advice. Actual employer costs vary by experience rating, industry classification, carrier, and jurisdiction. Consult a qualified CPA, tax advisor, or HR professional before making hiring or payroll decisions.