Estimate only. Tax rates and benefit costs vary by state and employer.
We add employer payroll taxes (~9.15% incl. unemployment), benefits as a percent of salary, and equipment plus overhead to base salary, then show the total and the salary multiplier.
Price your team with our free hiring-cost tools.
Hiring experts use a rule of thumb: a W-2 employee costs roughly 1.25 to 1.4 times their base salary once everything is added in. The "everything" is payroll taxes (the employer half of Social Security and Medicare, ~7.65%, plus unemployment), benefits (health, retirement match, PTO — often 20–30% of salary), and the overhead of giving someone a place to work and the tools to do it.
A $60,000 hire can easily cost $80,000+ all-in. Knowing the multiplier keeps you from under-budgeting a role or mispricing a project that depends on that person’s time. Adjust the benefit and overhead percentages to your situation — they’re the biggest swing factors.
Typically 25–40% more, all-in.
Employer payroll taxes, benefits, PTO, equipment and overhead.
It prevents under-budgeting roles and mispricing client work.
No — it's an estimate.