Payroll Tax Calculator
The true cost of an employee beyond salary
Employer Calculator
True Cost of an Employee
Enter the employee's salary to see the total employer-side tax burden including FICA, FUTA, and estimated state unemployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What taxes does an employer pay?
Employers pay 6.2% Social Security (on wages up to $176,100), 1.45% Medicare (no cap), 0.6% FUTA (on first $7,000), and state unemployment tax (rates and wage bases vary by state). Total employer taxes are typically 8–12% on top of salary.
What is FUTA?
Federal Unemployment Tax Act. The FUTA rate is 6.0% on the first $7,000 of wages, but employers get a 5.4% credit for paying state unemployment tax, making the effective rate 0.6% ($42 per employee per year).
How much does an employee really cost beyond salary?
A common estimate is 1.25x to 1.4x the base salary when you include employer taxes, benefits (health insurance, 401k), paid time off, and other overhead. This calculator covers the tax portion; benefits are additional.
Employer Payroll Tax Calculator
How much does an employee really cost? This calculator shows the employer-side tax burden: Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, and state unemployment tax on top of the base salary.