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True Employee Cost Calculator
An employee earning $25/hr actually costs you $35-45/hr. Know the real cost before you hire.
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Employer Taxes
Workers comp rates vary by trade: 3-8% for office, 5-15% for field work
Benefits
Other Annual Costs
40%Rest is travel, admin, training, etc.85%
True Annual Cost
Enter employee details to see true cost
Hourly Breakdown
Hourly breakdown will appear here
Understanding Employee Costs
The 1.25-1.4x Rule
A common rule of thumb: an employee costs 1.25x to 1.4x their base salary. For trades with high workers comp and equipment costs, it can be 1.5x or higher. Use this calculator to get your actual number.
Employer Tax Breakdown
- • FICA (Social Security/Medicare): 7.65% of wages (employer portion)
- • FUTA (Federal Unemployment): 0.6% on first $7,000
- • SUTA (State Unemployment): 2-5% on first $7,000-15,000 (varies by state)
- • Workers Comp: 1-15%+ depending on risk class
Workers Comp by Trade
- • Office/Admin: 0.5-1%
- • HVAC Technicians: 5-8%
- • Electricians: 4-7%
- • Plumbers: 4-6%
- • Roofers: 15-25%
Billable vs. Non-Billable Time
Field techs typically spend only 60-70% of their time on billable work. The rest includes:
- • Driving between jobs
- • Morning meetings and paperwork
- • Parts runs and warehouse time
- • Training and certifications
- • Callbacks and warranty work
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