Salaries · United States · Updated October 2026
What an employee really costs in the US
Benefits cost US private employers another $14.07 per hour worked in June 2026 (BLS), or 30.0% of total compensation. Payroll taxes and recruiting come on top, with SHRM's 2025 survey putting the average nonexecutive hire at $5,475.
Example: one virtual / administrative assistant, full-time
173 hours a month, across the published wage range
Per month
- Wages1173 hrs × $18.67–$27.89/hr$3,230–$4,825
- Paid leave2$270–$404
- Supplemental pay (overtime, bonuses)2$144–$215
- Health and other insurance2$275–$410
- Retirement plans2$100–$150
- Payroll taxes and required insurance2$344–$514
Monthly total$4,363–$6,518
One-time
- Average cost per hire3$5,475
First year$57,834–$83,690
- Benefit costs are the average for private employers with 1–49 workers; your own package may differ.
- United States pay: O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-6014, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 6. Checked Oct 2026.
- SHRM, 'SHRM Releases 2025 Benchmarking Reports' press release (Oct 15, 2025). Checked Oct 2026.
Wages and total employer cost by role
Wages are the published range for full-time employees. The total adds the employer costs listed below, worked out the same way as in the calculator.
| Role | Wage per hour | Wages per year | Total cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual / administrative assistant | $18.67–$27.89 | $38,759–$57,900 | $57,834–$83,690 |
| Customer support / call center agent | $17.72–$24.89 | $36,787–$51,672 | $55,169–$75,277 |
| Bookkeeper / accounting clerk | $20.92–$29.55 | $43,430–$61,346 | $64,143–$88,346 |
| Digital marketing specialist | $28.05–$52.07 | $58,232–$108,097 | $84,139–$151,501 |
| Social media manager | $27.05–$48.25 | $56,156–$100,167 | $81,335–$140,788 |
| Graphic designer | $23.58–$39.34 | $48,952–$81,670 | $71,603–$115,801 |
| Web developer | $30.88–$60.69 | $64,107–$125,992 | $92,076–$175,675 |
| Software developer | $50.58–$82.68 | $105,004–$171,644 | $147,323–$237,345 |
What employers pay on top of wages
The line items in our numbers, and how each one is worked out:
| Item | How it's worked out | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Paid leave | +8.4% of wages (6.2% of total compensation) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 6. Checked Oct 2026. |
| Supplemental pay (overtime, bonuses) | +4.5% of wages (3.3% of total compensation) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 6. Checked Oct 2026. |
| Health and other insurance | +8.5% of wages (6.3% of total compensation) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 6. Checked Oct 2026. |
| Retirement plans | +3.1% of wages (2.3% of total compensation) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 6. Checked Oct 2026. |
| Payroll taxes and required insurance | +10.7% of wages (7.9% of total compensation) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 6. Checked Oct 2026. |
| Average cost per hire | $5,475 | SHRM, 'SHRM Releases 2025 Benchmarking Reports' press release (Oct 15, 2025). Checked Oct 2026. |
Other employer costs and rules
- Social Security (OASDI), employer share, % of wages6.2%each employee's wages up to the annual contribution and benefit base. 184500. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 'Contribution and Benefit Base'. Checked Oct 2026.
- Medicare (HI), employer share, % of wages1.45%all wages. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Tax Topic 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates. Checked Oct 2026.
- Federal unemployment tax (FUTA), % of wages after the maximum state credit0.6%first $7,000 of each employee's wages per year. 7000. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Tax Topic 759, Form 940 and FUTA tax. Checked Oct 2026.
- State unemployment tax (SUTA)Variesstate taxable wage base, set by each state. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 'Unemployment Insurance Tax Topic'. Checked Oct 2026.
- Median cost per hire, nonexecutive positions (USD)$1,300per hire. Source: SHRM, '2026 Recruiting Executives Benchmarking' full data brief. Checked Oct 2026.
- Median time to fill, nonexecutive positions (calendar days)39 dayscalendar days. Source: SHRM, '2026 Recruiting Executives Benchmarking' page. Checked Oct 2026.
Wages by role, as published
| Role | Per hour (USD) | Per month, full-time | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual / administrative assistant | $18.67–$27.89 | $3,236–$4,834 | 3 published figures |
| Customer support / call center agent | $17.72–$24.89 | $3,071–$4,314 | 3 published figures |
| Bookkeeper / accounting clerk | $20.92–$29.55 | $3,626–$5,122 | 3 published figures |
| Digital marketing specialist | $28.05–$52.07 | $4,862–$9,025 | 3 published figures |
| Social media manager | $27.05–$48.25 | $4,689–$8,363 | 3 published figures |
| Graphic designer | $23.58–$39.34 | $4,087–$6,819 | 3 published figures |
| Web developer | $30.88–$60.69 | $5,353–$10,520 | 3 published figures |
| Software developer | $50.58–$82.68 | $8,767–$14,331 | 3 published figures |
Every figure behind the United States numbers
Virtual / administrative assistant
- middle 50% · local employers$18.67–$27.89/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-6014, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 43-6014 Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$47,540/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-6014, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 43-6014 Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- median · local employers$22.86/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive' (BLS's own table; matches the O*NET figures above)
BLS has no separate 'virtual assistant' code; 43-6014 is the closest. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (SOC 43-6011) earn more: $29.52-$45.38 an hour (25th-75th percentile), median $76,590 a year (see extra).
Customer support / call center agent
- middle 50% · local employers$17.72–$24.89/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-4051, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 43-4051 Customer service representatives. Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$44,770/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-4051, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 43-4051 Customer service representatives
- median · local employers$21.53/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Customer service representatives' (BLS's own table)
Bookkeeper / accounting clerk
- middle 50% · local employers$20.92–$29.55/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-3031, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 43-3031 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks. Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$50,670/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 43-3031, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 43-3031 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- median · local employers$24.36/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks' (BLS's own table)
Digital marketing specialist
- middle 50% · local employers$28.05–$52.07/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 13-1161, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 13-1161 Market research analysts and marketing specialists. Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$78,760/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 13-1161, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 13-1161 Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- median · local employers$37.87/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Market research analysts and marketing specialists' (BLS's own table)
The BLS code groups marketing specialists with market research analysts, so it is not limited to digital marketing roles.
Social media manager
- middle 50% · local employers$27.05–$48.25/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 27-3031, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 27-3031 Public relations specialists (closest code: its definition says the job 'May specialize in using social media'). Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$74,750/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 27-3031, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 27-3031 Public relations specialists (closest code for social media roles)
- median · local employers$35.94/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Public relations specialists' (BLS's own table)
BLS has no social media code. 27-3031 is the closest: the occupation description says it 'May specialize in using social media' and lists posting to company social media as a task (O*NET summary for 27-3031.00). Social media marketing done inside a marketing team can also fall under 13-1161 (see marketing-specialist).
Graphic designer
- middle 50% · local employers$23.58–$39.34/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 27-1024, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 27-1024 Graphic designers. Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$62,960/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 27-1024, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 27-1024 Graphic designers
- median · local employers$30.27/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Graphic designers' (BLS's own table)
Web developer
- middle 50% · local employers$30.88–$60.69/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 15-1254, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 15-1254 Web developers. Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$92,650/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 15-1254, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 15-1254 Web developers
- median · local employers$44.54/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Web developers' (BLS's own table)
Web and digital interface designers are a separate BLS code (15-1255) and are not included here.
Software developer
- middle 50% · local employers$50.58–$82.68/hr O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 15-1252, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. 25th-75th percentile hourly wage, national, SOC 15-1252 Software developers, all experience levels (OEWS doesn't split by seniority). Straight-time gross pay, excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefit costs
- median · local employers$135,980/year O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor), national wages for SOC 15-1252, BLS OEWS May 2025 (May 2025 (BLS 2025 wage data)). Checked Oct 2026. Median annual wage, national, SOC 15-1252 Software developers
- median · local employers$65.38/hr U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1 (May 2025). Checked Oct 2026. Median hourly wage, national, 'Software developers' (BLS's own table)
For reference
- Federal minimum wage (covered nonexempt employees), effective July 24, 2009$7.25/hourU.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 'Minimum Wage' page. Checked Oct 2026.
- Median hourly wage, all occupations (BLS OEWS, May 2025)$24.51/hourU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, news release Table 1. Checked Oct 2026.
Why an employee costs more than the salary
- Benefits: paid leave, health and other insurance, retirement plans and supplemental pay such as overtime and bonuses. BLS counts them at 30.0% of total compensation in private industry, and 25.9% at establishments with 1-49 workers.
- Payroll taxes: Social Security (6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026), Medicare (1.45% of all wages), federal unemployment tax (usually 0.6% of the first $7,000) and a state unemployment tax that each state sets.
- Hiring itself: ads, recruiter time and agency fees. SHRM's 2025 survey averaged $5,475 per nonexecutive hire, and a median nonexecutive role took 39 calendar days to fill in SHRM's 2026 data.
- Role, experience and location: national figures hide wide spreads. For software developers the middle half of earners makes $50.58 to $82.68 an hour (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and pay also differs by state and metro area.
FAQ
How much does it cost to hire an employee in the US?
Wages, plus benefits, payroll taxes and recruiting. Private employers spent $14.07 per hour worked on benefits in June 2026, 30.0% of total compensation (BLS), and SHRM's 2025 survey puts recruiting at $5,475 per nonexecutive hire. Wages depend on the role: BLS's May 2025 median is $22.86 an hour for administrative assistants and $65.38 for software developers.
What percentage of salary do benefits add in the US?
Benefits were 30.0% of total compensation in private industry in June 2026, or $14.07 per hour worked next to $32.82 in wages and salaries (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation). BLS measures them against total compensation, not salary, and the share was 25.9% at establishments with 1-49 workers.
How much are employer payroll taxes in the US?
Employers pay 6.2% Social Security on each employee's wages up to $184,500 in 2026 (SSA) and 1.45% Medicare on all wages (IRS), plus federal unemployment tax (FUTA), usually 0.6% of the first $7,000 of each employee's wages after a credit (IRS). State unemployment tax comes on top and is set by each state. These are cost figures, not tax advice.
How long does it take to fill a job in the US?
A median of 39 calendar days for nonexecutive positions, per SHRM's 2026 benchmarking data.
Run your own numbers
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