Montana Employee Cost Calculator (2026)
Last updated: October 2026
Montana employers pay federal payroll taxes plus Montana unemployment insurance — a rate assigned individually by the state on the first $47,300.00 of each employee's wages. Use the calculator to see the total cost of a hire.
Your state assigns rates individually — we used 2.7% as a placeholder. Enter your rate in Advanced options.
Total annual cost
$66,059.10
1.10× salary · $6,059.10 on top of wages
Monthly cost
$5,504.93
Loaded hourly cost
$31.76
Per hour actually worked
$33.03
| Wages | $60,000.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $870.00 |
| FUTA (federal unemployment) | $42.00 |
| State unemployment (SUTA) | $1,277.10 |
| Workers' comp | $150.00 |
| Total annual cost | $66,059.10 |
Estimates for planning purposes only. Not tax, legal or accounting advice. Confirm your rates with your state agency or a payroll professional.
Montana employer payroll taxes at a glance
| New employer SUTA rate | Assigned individuallyNew-employer rates are assigned by industry classification and range from about 1% to 2% for 2026 (2% default for unclassified employers); an Administrative Fund Tax is added on top — confirm the current AFT rate with Montana DLI. |
| Experienced employer SUTA range | 0% – 6.12% |
| SUTA taxable wage base | $47,300.00Up from $45,100 in 2025; Schedule I applies to experienced employers. |
| Paid family/medical leave program | No |
| State income tax on wages | Yes — employers withhold; not an employer cost |
| State minimum wage | $10.85/hour |
| Source | Montana unemployment insurance agencyVerified 2026-10-11 |
What it costs to hire in Montana
Salary
$40,000.00
Total annual cost
$51,482.00
1.29× salary · SUTA $1,080.00
Salary
$60,000.00
Total annual cost
$73,859.10
1.23× salary · SUTA $1,277.10
Salary
$90,000.00
Total annual cost
$107,129.10
1.19× salary · SUTA $1,277.10
What's different about hiring in Montana
- Montana has one of the higher SUTA wage bases in the country ($47,300.00), so unemployment tax keeps applying well into each employee's salary.
- Montana assigns new employers an individual rate rather than a single standard rate — check your rate notice before budgeting.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | Varies | $47,300.00 | Varies |
| Idaho | 1% | $58,300.00 | $583.00 |
| Wyoming | Varies | $33,800.00 | Varies |
| South Dakota | 1.2% | $15,000.00 | $180.00 |
| North Dakota | 1% | $46,600.00 | $466.00 |
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
- Montana 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
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Tax rates are approximate — always verify with your state's revenue department.