Hawaii Employee Cost Calculator (2026)
Last updated: October 2026
Hawaii employers pay federal payroll taxes plus Hawaii unemployment insurance — 2.4% for new employers on the first $64,500.00 of each employee's wages. Use the calculator to see the total cost of a hire.
Total annual cost
$66,222.00
1.10× salary · $6,222.00 on top of wages
Monthly cost
$5,518.50
Loaded hourly cost
$31.84
Per hour actually worked
$33.11
| Wages | $60,000.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $870.00 |
| FUTA (federal unemployment) | $42.00 |
| State unemployment (SUTA) | $1,440.00 |
| Workers' comp | $150.00 |
| Total annual cost | $66,222.00 |
Estimates for planning purposes only. Not tax, legal or accounting advice. Confirm your rates with your state agency or a payroll professional.
Hawaii employer payroll taxes at a glance
| New employer SUTA rate | 2.4%Unchanged from 2025 under Contribution Rate Schedule C. |
| Experienced employer SUTA range | 0% – 5.6% |
| SUTA taxable wage base | $64,500.00Up from $62,000 in 2025. |
| Max SUTA per employee per year | $1,548.00 |
| Paid family/medical leave program | No |
| State income tax on wages | Yes — employers withhold; not an employer cost |
| State minimum wage | $16.00/hour |
| Source | Hawaii unemployment insurance agencyVerified 2026-10-11 |
What it costs to hire in Hawaii
Salary
$40,000.00
Total annual cost
$51,362.00
1.28× salary · SUTA $960.00
Salary
$60,000.00
Total annual cost
$74,022.00
1.23× salary · SUTA $1,440.00
Salary
$90,000.00
Total annual cost
$107,400.00
1.19× salary · SUTA $1,548.00
What's different about hiring in Hawaii
- Hawaii has one of the higher SUTA wage bases in the country ($64,500.00), so unemployment tax keeps applying well into each employee's salary.
- Hiring remotely in another state? You generally owe SUTA in the state where the employee works — compare rates in neighboring states below.
Compare neighboring states
| State | New employer rate | Wage base | Max SUTA per employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 2.4% | $64,500.00 | $1,548.00 |
| California | 3.4% | $7,000.00 | $238.00 |
| Washington | Varies | $72,800.00 | Varies |
| Oregon | 2.4% | $56,700.00 | $1,360.80 |
Hiring outside the US?
Compare the cost of an international contractor or EOR employee before you commit to a US hire.
See how Deel worksPaying vendors and contractors?
Automate accounts payable and payments so contractor costs stay predictable.
See how BILL worksFrequently asked questions
Sources & methodology
- Hawaii unemployment insurance agency
- SSA — Social Security wage base
- IRS Topic 759 — FUTA
- Patriot Software — state unemployment tax rate chart
Last verified: 2026-10-11
Employee cost calculators for other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
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- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
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- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Tax rates are approximate — always verify with your state's revenue department.