EC EmployerCostUS
2026 planning calculator

Estimate the real cost of hiring a W-2 employee in the US

Enter salary, state, benefits level, and risk profile to get a transparent employer cost range.

Estimated annual cost

$0 - $0

CA
Base salary$0
Burden above salary0%
Monthly equivalent$0
Confidence profile

Federal payroll taxes are high-confidence. SUTA and workers compensation are planning estimates unless you enter assigned rates.

Example estimate shown. Enter your inputs and select Calculate to create a current result.

Next step: compare payroll providers

Use this estimate to decide whether payroll software, a PEO, or an HRIS platform fits the hire.

Compare providers
IRS FICA/FUTA SUTA configurable Workers comp range BLS benefits benchmark

General planning estimate only. Not payroll, tax, legal, insurance, or HR compliance advice.

State-specific planning

Calculate for any US state; read dedicated pages where the data supports them

The calculator covers all 50 states and DC. Dedicated pages are published only where current search demand and official data support a useful, specific answer.

State employer cost band visualization
WAWashington2026 UI range and $78,200 wage base TXTexas2.70% new-employer rate on $9,000 CACaliforniaOpen the state-prefilled calculator FLFloridaOpen the state-prefilled calculator
Explore state planning

Provider short-list

Compare payroll, PEO, HRIS, and global hiring options after the estimate

Gusto US payroll software for first W-2 hires, multi-state payroll, benefits, and workers comp add-ons. Justworks Payroll and PEO path for teams that want HR support, compliance workflows, and benefits access. Deel Global payroll and EOR comparison when hiring outside the US or across multiple countries. Rippling HRIS, payroll, IT, and finance consolidation for teams that need connected workflows.

Provider comparisons are informational. Tracked partner links will appear only after a program approves EmployerCost; a click is never presented as revenue.

Strong disclaimer posture

Clear enough to be useful, careful enough to survive payroll reality

Federal tax components can be modeled directly from IRS rules. SUTA, workers compensation, benefits, and state programs vary by employer, industry, class code, carrier, and annual notices. The product should show ranges by default and invite custom inputs when users have real assigned rates.

total = salary + FICA + FUTA + SUTA + workers_comp + benefits + admin workers_comp = (salary / 100) * rate_per_100 suta = min(salary, wage_base) * employer_rate