Employee Cost Calculator
TrueHireCost analysis: how each $100/month of employer-paid benefits changes the fully loaded employee cost and burden multiplier. A benefits sweep from $0 to $2,500/month for a representative $80,000 employee.
Open the CalculatorHolding salary, taxes, and overhead constant at the representative state; varying only the monthly employer benefits contribution.
| Monthly benefits | Loaded cost | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $93,582 | 1.17× |
| $250 | $96,582 | 1.21× |
| $500 | $99,582 | 1.24× |
| $650 | $101,382 | 1.27× |
| $900 | $104,382 | 1.30× |
| $1,500 | $111,582 | 1.39× |
| $2,500 | $123,582 | 1.54× |
Benefits are a fixed dollar amount, so they shift the loaded cost by a constant dollar value but a declining percentage as salary rises.
Moving from $0 to $650/month in benefits (the calculator default) raises the fully loaded cost by $7,800/year and lifts the multiplier by roughly 0.10× for an $80,000 role. Health insurance is usually the largest single benefit line.
Every rate and formula is checked against the issuing agency before publication. Last updated 2026-08-24.
IRS
FICA, FUTA tax rate & wage base
U.S. DOL
FUTA credit, federal wage & hour
State Workforce Agencies
SUTA rates, wage bases, new-employer rates
BLS
Industry salary benchmarks & turnover
The fully loaded cost of an employee is the total annual cost to employ them: base salary plus employer payroll taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA), workers’ compensation, benefits, and overhead. Using TrueHireCost’s current default assumptions, an $80,000 employee has an estimated annual employer cost of approximately $101,207. Actual costs vary by state, benefits, workers’ compensation, retirement contributions, and overhead. Under those defaults the loaded multiplier is about 1.27× base salary ($101,207).
TrueHireCost adds employer FICA (7.65%), federal and state unemployment tax, workers’ comp (varies by state and industry), benefits, and overhead to the base salary. You can adjust each input for any U.S. state and industry.
Employers pay 7.65% FICA (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare), FUTA (up to 0.6% on the first $7,000), state unemployment (SUTA), and state disability insurance where applicable.
Yes. The TrueHireCost employee cost calculator is free to use, requires no sign-up, and works for all 50 U.S. states and 20 major industries.
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.