Independent editorial estimates
Independent estimates of what hiring really costs.
No recruiter sponsorships, no lead resale, no referral fees. Just published assumptions, US market data and wide ranges you can defend in a budget meeting.
Three calculators
Each one runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
True cost of an employee
Base salary plus employer payroll taxes, benefits, equipment and overhead, shown as an honest annual range by state.
Contractor vs employee
Compare a day rate contractor against a salaried hire over any duration, with the point where the employee becomes cheaper.
Cost per hire
One off cost of filling a seat: agency fees, advertising, interviewer time, vacancy drag, onboarding and ramp.
Guides
Plain English explainers on payroll taxes, benefits pricing and the real gap between contractors and employees.
- How much does an employee really cost in 2026
Salary, taxes, benefits and the complete employer budget.
- How much does onboarding a new employee cost
Separate paid training, manager time and the cost of reaching useful output.
- The true cost of employee turnover
Build a replacement budget without misleading salary multiples.
- Health insurance cost per employee for small businesses
Survey premiums, employer contributions and coverage choices.
- State unemployment insurance (SUTA) rates explained
Understand wage bases, new employer rates and experience ratings.
- Hiring a remote employee in another state: the cost and compliance checklist
Registrations, payroll, insurance and a practical Pennsylvania example.
Why trust these numbers
- Every input assumption is published on the methodology page.
- Ranges are deliberately wide because real quotes vary by employer and state.
- We do not sell your data and we do not pass you to a vendor.
- Display advertising is the only way this site makes money.