Payroll Tax Calculator for Employers
Calculate employer payroll taxes including Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, SUTA, and employee benefit costs. Estimate total employer cost per employee.
Employee & Wage Information
Employee Benefits
Common match: 3% to 6% of employee salary
Payroll Tax Breakdown
Social Security (Employer):$31000.00
6.2% up to $168,600/employee
Social Security (Employee):$31000.00
6.2% withheld from wages
Medicare (Employer):$7250.00
1.45% on all wages
Medicare (Employee):$7250.00
1.45% withheld + 0.9% additional over $200K
FUTA:$420.00
0.6% on first $7,000/employee
SUTA (CA):$2380.00
3.4% on first $7000/employee
Total Employer Payroll Taxes
$41050.00
SS + Medicare + FUTA + SUTA paid by employer
Employee Benefits Cost
Health Insurance:$60000.00
401(k) Match:$15000.00
$75000.00
Total benefits paid by employer
Total Employer Cost
$116050.00
Payroll taxes + Employee benefits
Cost per Employee:$11605.00/year
Cost Ratio:23.21% of wages
Employee Payroll Deductions
$38250.00
SS + Medicare withheld from employee paychecks
Per employee: $3825.00/year
Payroll Tax Rules
- Social Security: 6.2% each (employer + employee) on wages up to $168,600 per employee in 2024.
- Medicare: 1.45% each on all wages. Employee pays extra 0.9% on wages over $200,000.
- FUTA: Federal unemployment tax. 0.6% on first $7,000 per employee after SUTA credit.
- SUTA: State unemployment tax. Rates vary by state and employer history. New employers pay fixed rate.
- Health Insurance: Employer portion deductible. Small businesses may qualify for tax credits.
- 401(k) Match: Employer contributions deductible up to 25% of total compensation.
- Total Employer Cost: Typically 15-20% above wages for taxes and benefits.
- Pay Frequency: Calculate taxes per pay period and remit to IRS/state agencies.