Rhode Island Employee Cost Calculator (2026)
Last updated: October 2026
Rhode Island employers pay federal payroll taxes plus Rhode Island unemployment insurance — 1.21% for new employers on the first $30,800.00 of each employee's wages. Use the calculator to see the total cost of a hire.
Total annual cost
$65,154.68
1.09× salary · $5,154.68 on top of wages
Monthly cost
$5,429.56
Loaded hourly cost
$31.32
Per hour actually worked
$32.58
| Wages | $60,000.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $870.00 |
| FUTA (federal unemployment) | $42.00 |
| State unemployment (SUTA) | $372.68 |
| Workers' comp | $150.00 |
| Total annual cost | $65,154.68 |
Estimates for planning purposes only. Not tax, legal or accounting advice. Confirm your rates with your state agency or a payroll professional.
Rhode Island employer payroll taxes at a glance
| New employer SUTA rate | 1.21%1.00% base + 0.21% Job Development Assessment; Tax Schedule F applies (0.90%–9.40% before the JDA offset). |
| Experienced employer SUTA range | 0.9% – 9.4% |
| SUTA taxable wage base | $30,800.00$32,300 for employers at the highest tax rate. |
| Max SUTA per employee per year | $372.68 |
| Paid family/medical leave program | Yes — employer rate 0% |
| State income tax on wages | Yes — employers withhold; not an employer cost |
| State minimum wage | $16.00/hour |
| Source | Rhode Island unemployment insurance agencyVerified 2026-10-11 |
What it costs to hire in Rhode Island
Salary
$40,000.00
Total annual cost
$50,774.68
1.27× salary · SUTA $372.68
Salary
$60,000.00
Total annual cost
$72,954.68
1.22× salary · SUTA $372.68
Salary
$90,000.00
Total annual cost
$106,224.68
1.18× salary · SUTA $372.68
What's different about hiring in Rhode Island
- Rhode Island has one of the higher SUTA wage bases in the country ($30,800.00), so unemployment tax keeps applying well into each employee's salary.
- Rhode Island has a paid family and medical leave program — check whether employer contributions apply to your business size.
- Experienced-employer SUTA rates in Rhode Island can reach 9.4% for businesses with a history of layoffs — retention directly lowers your tax bill.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 1.21% | $30,800.00 | $372.68 |
| Massachusetts | 2.42% | $15,000.00 | $363.00 |
| Connecticut | 1.9% | $27,000.00 | $513.00 |
Hiring outside the US?
Compare the cost of an international contractor or EOR employee before you commit to a US hire.
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Sources & methodology
- Rhode Island unemployment insurance agency
- SSA — Social Security wage base
- IRS Topic 759 — FUTA
- Patriot Software — state unemployment tax rate chart
Last verified: 2026-10-11
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Tax rates are approximate — always verify with your state's revenue department.