Employee Cost Calculator
TrueHireCost analysis: the 10 U.S. states with the lowest employer payroll burden for an $80,000 employee in 2026, ranked by burden multiplier. See SUTA, workers’ comp, and loaded cost.
Open the CalculatorThese states add the least employer cost on top of an $80,000 salary, thanks to low SUTA, modest workers’ comp, and few state surcharges.
| Rank | State | SUTA | Loaded cost | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee | 1% | $100,952 | 1.26× |
| 2 | Virginia | 1% | $100,962 | 1.26× |
| 3 | South Carolina | 0.6% | $100,966 | 1.26× |
| 4 | South Dakota | 1% | $100,972 | 1.26× |
| 5 | Kansas | 1% | $101,022 | 1.26× |
| 6 | Mississippi | 1% | $101,022 | 1.26× |
| 7 | Indiana | 1.5% | $101,025 | 1.26× |
| 8 | Louisiana | 1% | $101,039 | 1.26× |
| 9 | Maryland | 1% | $101,047 | 1.26× |
| 10 | Missouri | 1% | $101,067 | 1.26× |
Low-burden states typically have low new-employer SUTA rates, no state income tax (which does not affect employer cost but signals a lean tax environment), and no mandated paid-leave programs.
Even in the lowest-burden state, an $80,000 employee still costs roughly 1.26× of salary — federal FICA alone is 7.65% everywhere.
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.