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    Free HR & Finance Tool

    Employee Cost Calculator

    Calculate the true, fully-loaded cost of hiring — salary, benefits, employer taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA), workers' comp, overhead, and first-year hidden costs — with a contractor comparison and sensitivity analysis.

    Quick start templates
    Select an industry template to pre-fill typical values

    Technology

    Software, SaaS, Tech startups

    Manufacturing

    Industrial, production roles

    Healthcare

    Medical, clinical positions

    Retail/Service

    Customer-facing, service roles

    Employee details
    $

    Location-adjusted: $75,000

    At least 1 — hourly cost is per employee

    %
    %
    Growth scenario
    %

    A $75K salary really costs you $143,043/year — 1.91× the base — or $69/hour fully loaded.

    That's $11,920/month, including benefits, employer taxes, overhead, and first-year hidden costs.

    • Benefits are your biggest add-on: $18,750 (13% of total cost).
    • First-year extras (recruiting, onboarding, turnover risk, ramp-up) add $21,125.
    • Most sensitive input: base salary — a ±10% change swings total cost by $24K.
    Model the cash-flow impact

    Total annual cost

    $143K

    Fully loaded, first year

    Monthly cost

    $11,920

    Total annual cost ÷ 12

    Fully-loaded hourly

    $69/hr

    Per employee, 2,080 hrs/yr

    Cost multiplier

    1.91×

    91% above base salary

    Employee vs contractor
    $143K
    Annual cost
    $12K
    Monthly cost
    $69
    Hourly cost
    150%
    Heuristic ROI target
    Cost breakdown
    SalaryBenefitsTaxesEquipmentOverheadHidden$0$20K$40K$60K$80K
    Direct costs
    Base salary (adjusted)$75,000
    Benefits$18,750
    Annual bonus$7,500
    Equity value$375
    Total direct$101,625
    Indirect costs & taxes
    FICA (employer, 7.65%)$5,738
    FUTA (max $42/employee)$42
    SUTA (CA)$238
    Workers' comp$225
    Other state taxes$1,050
    Equipment$4,500
    Office / remote stipend$6,000
    Training$2,500
    Hidden costs$21,125
    Total indirect$41,418
    Sensitivity analysis
    Impact on total annual cost when each input changes by ±10%, holding everything else constant. Longer bars = assumptions worth validating first.
    $130K$137K$143K$150K$156KBase salaryBonus %Turnover riskProductivity rampRecruitment costOnboarding cost
    input −10% input +10%Base total annual cost: $143K
    How this calculator works

    Recommended next steps

    Cash Flow Calculator

    Can your cash flow support this hire? Model the monthly impact.

    Open calculator

    Break-Even Calculator

    How many extra sales does this hire need to cover their cost?

    Open calculator

    Sales ROI Calculator

    Hiring for revenue? Check the return on a sales investment.

    Open calculator

    Need Help Understanding Your Results?

    Our expert advisors can help you interpret these calculations and create actionable strategies for your business.