Index
Employer payroll cost tools
Every calculator on this list uses the same 2026 employer FICA model and the same rule for unemployment tax: you type the rate or the dollar amount. None of these pages estimate take-home pay. If you want one sitting, start with the desk worksheet.
Tax-year assumptions: 2026.
Desk worksheet
Walk one salary through a role, a budget, a first-year sheet, and a raise.
Cost of one employee
Turn a salary or an hourly figure into a loaded employer cost for the year.
Annual payroll budget
Add two to eight roles and read the year total, the average, and each share.
Payroll burden rate
See the add-on percent and what each $1.00 of wages costs the business.
New-hire first-year cost
Keep recurring payroll cost apart from recruiting, equipment, training, and relocation.
Employee vs contractor cost
Compare a W-2 column with a 1099 column. Classification is not computed.
Overtime cost to the employer
Split regular and overtime wages, then apply burden to overtime if you choose.
Headcount and raise planner
Compare scenario A with scenario B. The figure is B minus A in employer cost.