Employee Cost Calculator
See the full cost of an employee, including salary, payroll taxes, benefits, workers’ comp, paid time off, and overhead. The workbook calculates the fully loaded annual cost, monthly cost, and real hourly rate.
These previews show pages from the files you receive.
HR calculator
Labor Burden Rate Calculator
Know what each productive hour costs before pricing work or preparing a bid. The workbook combines salary and employer costs, then divides the total by productive hours to calculate your fully burdened hourly cost and multiplier on base pay.
Try the free browser version for a quick calculation. The Excel workbook includes a Rate Card that applies your burden across several roles at once and a Benchmark tab that checks each component.
$29
- One-time purchase. Editable Excel workbook.
- Your download link appears on the confirmation screen and in your receipt. No account needed.
- Request a full refund within 30 days with one email.
- Licensed for one company's internal HR use. Resale and redistribution are not permitted. Read the license.
Checkout takes place on our store at shop.truestephr.com. Any applicable sales tax appears at checkout before you pay. These files provide general HR information, not legal advice.
Need approval first?
Ready to put your tool to work?
Add a one hour Setup Session, $149
Bring your purchased tool and the situation you are working through. A TrueStep HR practitioner will help you set the inputs, make the first decisions, and identify a practical next step.
See the Setup Session →Where to start
Start with one base wage.
The workbook calculates your fully burdened hourly cost and multiplier on base pay for pricing work and preparing bids.
DecisionControl labor cost
IndustryCross-industry
Files4 PDF guides, 1 Excel workbook
ReviewRead our published standard for how we develop our tools, and what we cover for their scope and limits.
Research and standardsRelated reference note: The fully loaded cost of an employee: what the salary number leaves out
Fit
Is this the right fit for your work?
A good fit
- You need to control labor cost.
- You want an Excel workbook you can run again as your figures change.
- You will enter your own figures and want each tab explained.
When to consider another option
- For a quick estimate, use the free browser version.
- For legal or tax advice about your result, consult a qualified adviser.
- For help running the analysis, explore our advisory services.
What is inside
Every file in the download, by name.
Taken from the kit’s own Start Here guide, so what you see here is what you open after checkout.
PDF · readStart Here: a guide to every file and the order to use them.
PDF · printQuick Reference: the whole workbook on one page, including what each tab does, what to enter, and how to read the result.
PDF · readTrueStep HR Product License: what you may and may not do with your purchased files.
PDF · readUsing This Workbook in Google Sheets: how to upload the file and what to check afterward.
Excel · useLabor Burden Rate Calculator: 6 tabs: Start Here, Burden Rate, Rate Card, Benchmark, Summary, and Notes.
How to use it
What this workbook does
The workbook combines base wages with payroll taxes, health and retirement, paid time not worked, workers compensation, training, equipment, and overhead. It divides the total cost by productive hours to calculate the fully burdened hourly cost and burden multiplier on base pay. Use those figures to price work, bid jobs, and cost projects. The Rate Card tab applies your burden across several roles at once. The Benchmark tab checks each component against current published figures, and the Summary gives you the board-ready multiplier and rate. Most office and professional roles land 25 to 45% above base pay, a multiplier of about 1.25 to 1.45; trades, healthcare, and government run higher.
Your first 15 minutesOpen the Labor Burden Rate Calculator workbook in Microsoft Excel or a free equivalent such as LibreOffice. Start Here explains each tab. On the Burden Rate tab, enter the role’s annual salary and expected productive hours. Set each burden component as a percent of base pay using your own figures. The fully burdened hourly cost, multiplier, and full component breakdown calculate below. Enter your figures only in the amber cells; the white cells calculate automatically.
Before you buy
Questions about your purchase
Find details about file formats, delivery, licensing, and refunds.
What exactly do I receive?
You receive 4 PDF guides and 1 Excel workbook, all named in the What is inside section above. This is a one time purchase, delivered as a download, not a subscription.
Are these the real screenshots?
Yes. The first image shows the file set, and the second and third show actual pages from the current download.
Can I use the files in my business?
Yes. You can fill in the Excel workbook for your own internal operations and read or print the PDF guides.
What if I need help applying it?
For help implementing this tool, book a one hour Setup Session for $149. For broader HR support, advisory begins with a short request and a written scope at truestephr.com/pages/advisory. For legal questions, consult qualified counsel.
How do I get the files?
Right after payment, your download link appears on the confirmation screen and again in your email receipt. All files arrive as one ZIP. No account is needed.
What do I need to open them?
You can use Excel, LibreOffice on a computer, or Google Sheets in a browser. LibreOffice and Google Sheets are free alternatives. Any PDF reader opens the guides. See download help.
What if it is not right for us?
Email support@truestephr.com within 30 days for a full refund. No form or explanation is required. The full terms are in the refund policy.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general HR information and a working method. It is not written to any one state unless the page says so. Where a decision turns on the law, use qualified counsel. See what we cover, and what we do not.
Who may use the files?
One license covers the internal HR work of one legal entity. You may edit the files, brand them, and issue them to your employees. Consultants and groups with several entities need the extended license. See the license.
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