Example data table
| Role | Base pay | Load % | Fixed costs | Fully loaded annual | Productive hours | Cost / productive hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HR Generalist | $65,000 | 34% | $3,500 | $90,600 | 1,550 | $58.45 |
| Recruiter | $80,000 | 38% | $4,000 | $114,400 | 1,520 | $75.26 |
| People Ops Partner | $95,000 | 33% | $4,800 | $131,150 | 1,600 | $81.97 |
Example values are illustrative. Your totals depend on local taxes, plans, and overhead policies.
Formula used
1) Cash compensation
Cash = Base pay + Overtime pay + Bonus + Commission.
2) Percentage-based loads
Each load item = Cash × (Percent ÷ 100). Examples: payroll taxes, benefits, retirement match, overhead.
3) Fully loaded annual cost
Fully loaded = Cash + Sum(load items) + Fixed annual costs.
4) Productive hours and unit cost
Scheduled hours = Hours/week × Weeks/year. Worked hours = Scheduled − (PTO + Holidays + Unpaid) × Hours/day. Productive hours = Worked × Productivity factor. Cost per productive hour = Fully loaded ÷ Productive hours.
How to use this calculator
- Choose currency and pay type, then enter salary or hourly wage.
- Set work schedule, time off, and a realistic productivity factor.
- Enter employer load percentages and any fixed annual costs.
- Click Calculate to see totals, hourly unit costs, and breakdown.
- Use Download CSV or PDF to share the results.
FAQs
1) What does “fully loaded” mean?
It includes base pay plus employer costs like payroll taxes, benefits, insurance, overhead, recruiting, training, and tools. It shows the real yearly and hourly cost.
2) Why use a productivity factor?
Not every worked hour produces output. Meetings, admin work, ramp time, and context switching reduce usable hours. The factor converts annual cost into a realistic cost per productive hour.
3) Should percentages apply to salary only or total cash?
Many teams apply loads to total cash compensation, including bonus and overtime, because taxes and some benefits scale with earnings. If your policy differs, set bonus or overtime to zero.
4) How do I model contractors versus employees?
For contractors, benefits and payroll taxes may be near zero, while agency fees or markups can be placed in overhead or fixed costs. Productivity can still help estimate effective cost.
5) What’s a good benefits percentage?
It varies by country and plan design. Many employers estimate a combined benefits range, then refine it using actual plan costs per employee. Keep it conservative for budgeting.
6) How can I use this for pricing services?
Enter a billable rate to compare annual billable value against fully loaded cost. The calculator then shows a simplified margin based on productive hours.
7) Does this replace payroll or accounting systems?
No. It’s a planning model for budgeting and decisions. Use it to test scenarios, then confirm numbers with your payroll provider and finance team.