Free Tool
Free labor burden calculator
Find what an employee really costs you per hour once taxes, workers comp, insurance, and benefits are in. Bill the wage and you lose money on every hour. Free, no signup.
FICA is 7.65%; add SUTA/FUTA
Varies by trade & state
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The wage is not the cost
A tech makes $28 an hour. That is not what the hour costs you. Add payroll taxes, workers comp, liability, and benefits and the real number is often over $40.
The gap between the two is the burden. Most contractors know it exists but never put a number on it. So they bill off the wage, or add a round guess, and the margin quietly disappears.
Workers comp alone can run 8% to 20% depending on your trade and state. Add FICA, unemployment, insurance, and the truck and phone the tech carries, and the burden adds up fast.
Put your numbers in above. Once you know the true cost per hour, you can price labor to actually make money on it, not just cover the paycheck.
Questions
What is labor burden?
It is everything you pay for an employee on top of their wage: payroll taxes, workers comp, liability insurance, benefits, and overhead like tools and vehicles. The fully burdened rate is the wage plus all of that.
What is a typical burden rate?
Often 30% to 50% on top of the base wage, but it swings a lot by trade and state, mostly from workers comp. Use your real numbers above.
Is this really free?
Yes. No email, no signup, and nothing you type leaves your browser.
Cost every hour at its true rate
Werx costs every tracked hour at its burdened rate, so job costs are real numbers, not guesses. You see which jobs make money while there is still time to fix it. 14-day free trial, no credit card.
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Disclaimer: These free tools and templates are provided for general information and estimating purposes only. All results — including quantities, material and cost estimates, load, sizing, and span figures, scores, and any guidance or warnings — are rough approximations that may not fit your specific project, site conditions, local building codes, or current prices. They are not engineering, architectural, structural, legal, financial, or other professional advice, and are not a substitute for a licensed engineer, architect, contractor, or other qualified professional. Always confirm quantities, sizing, and structural, electrical, mechanical, and code requirements with a licensed professional and your local authority having jurisdiction before purchasing materials or performing any work. Werx makes no warranty as to accuracy and accepts no liability for any decision made using these tools. Use at your own risk. See our Terms of Service.