Contractor Calculator · Labor Cost
Labor Cost Calculator
A carpenter costs about $33.98 an hour on the BLS mean wage plus federal payroll tax, before your state and comp rates. Pick a trade and this labor cost calculator adds crew, hours, and markup.
Add SimplyWise as a preferred source
Loaded hourly rate and total job cost, by trade
Pick a trade and wage basis, then enter your crew, hours, and rates.
FICA and FUTA are fixed by federal law. State UI and workers’ comp vary by state and class code, so this calculator never guesses an average; enter your own.
What is a labor cost calculator?
A labor cost calculator turns a trade wage into the real hourly cost of a worker: wage plus payroll tax plus your state and comp rates, in one loaded rate. Pick a trade above; it multiplies that rate by crew size and hours.
How does this labor cost calculator build the loaded rate?
Two inputs are fixed by federal law. Two depend on your state, so you enter them.
| Input | Rate | Fixed or entered | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| FICA (Social Security and Medicare) | 7.65 percent of wage | Fixed by federal law | IRS Topic 751. |
| FUTA | Net 0.6 percent after the state credit, on the first $7,000 of wages a year | Fixed by federal law | IRS, FUTA Credit Reduction. |
| State unemployment insurance | No single figure; state specific | You enter it | Your state’s rate notice. |
| Workers’ compensation | No single figure; class code specific | You enter it | Your policy or carrier. |
The last two rows have no honest national average.
Turn a job photo into an itemized estimate, free.
Why does FUTA add about 2 cents an hour to every trade?
FUTA is 6.0 percent, but only on the first $7,000 a worker earns in a year (IRS). Employers generally get a 5.4 percent credit for state unemployment tax, for a net 0.6 percent (IRS). That net $42 spread across a 2,080-hour year comes to about 2 cents an hour, no matter the wage. In a credit reduction state the net runs higher.
Use the calculator, step by step
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Pick your trade and wage basis
Mean and median both come from the same BLS OEWS table; median is less pulled by a few high earners.
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Let FICA and FUTA apply automatically
The calculator adds 7.65 percent FICA and the capped FUTA amount to the wage for you.
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Enter your own state UI and workers’ comp rates
Pull both from your rate notice and comp policy.
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Set crew size, hours, and markup
It multiplies the loaded rate by crew size and hours for raw labor cost, then applies your markup for a bill rate.
Wages by trade, BLS OEWS May 2025
Ten trades, mean and median hourly wage. Pick any of these above and the loaded rate updates instantly.
| Trade | SOC code | Mean hourly wage | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 47-2111 | $34.37 | $30.38. |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 47-2152 | $34.70 | $30.67. |
| Sheet Metal Workers | 47-2211 | $32.62 | $29.71. |
| Carpenters | 47-2031 | $31.55 | $29.12. |
| HVAC Mechanics and Installers | 49-9021 | $31.14 | $29.33. |
| Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | 47-2051 | $28.87 | $27.41. |
| Roofers | 47-2181 | $27.95 | $26.65. |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | 47-2141 | $26.64 | $23.75. |
| Construction Laborers | 47-2061 | $25.02 | $22.66. |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 37-3011 | $20.33 | $18.82. |
BLS OEWS national estimates, May 2025, read from the saved workbook 2026-09-26.
SimplyWise Cost Estimator for pricing labor
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job-site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Drop the loaded rate from this calculator onto the editable labor line, then send a branded quote the client signs to approve. It is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.
Keep reading
- Construction Calculators: every free takeoff calculator.
- Contractor Hourly Labor Rates by Trade: full BLS wage tables.
- Markup vs Margin in Construction: what to add on top to profit.
Sources
Government payroll tax rates
- IRS Topic 751: “The current tax rate for Social Security is 6.2% for the employer” and “the current rate for Medicare is 1.45% for the employer.” Read live 2026-09-26.
- IRS, FUTA Credit Reduction: “The standard FUTA tax rate is 6.0% on the first $7,000 of wages subject to FUTA.” Read live 2026-09-26.
Wage and product facts
- BLS OEWS, May 2025 national estimates, occupations 47-2031, 47-2111, 47-2152, 47-2181, 49-9021, 47-2141, 37-3011, 47-2051, 47-2061, and 47-2211, read from the saved BLS workbook, 2026-09-26.
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator on the App Store, 4.8 rating. SimplyWise Cost Estimator Pricing: $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, 7-day free trial.
Frequently asked questions about the labor cost calculator
The formula
How does this labor cost calculator work?
Pick a trade. It starts from a BLS OEWS wage, adds FICA and a capped FUTA amount, then adds the state UI and workers’ comp rates you enter, times crew size and hours.
What percentage should I add for FICA and FUTA?
FICA runs 7.65 percent: 6.2 percent Social Security plus 1.45 percent Medicare (IRS Topic 751). FUTA runs 6.0 percent, on the first $7,000 a worker earns, though most employers net 0.6 percent after the state credit (IRS).
Your own numbers
What should I enter for workers’ comp and state unemployment insurance?
Pull your comp rate from your policy by class code, and your state rate from your state’s notice. Both vary too much for one national number, so this calculator asks for your own instead of guessing.
Pricing the job
Can I quote a job from a photo?
Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job-site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Drop the loaded rate from this labor cost calculator onto the labor line, and every line stays editable.
Does SimplyWise Cost Estimator calculate labor cost for me?
It builds material, labor, and fee line items, each with unit, quantity, and price per unit. Enter the loaded rate you calculate here as the price per unit on each labor line. Pricing is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, with a 7-day free trial.
Turn a loaded labor rate into a bid that holds margin.
Snap a photo and get an itemized estimate with editable labor lines. Free to try, then $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr after a 7-day trial.