Washington Employee Cost Calculator (2026)
Last updated: October 2026
Washington employers pay federal payroll taxes plus Washington unemployment insurance — a rate assigned individually by the state on the first $72,800.00 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
$66,595.74
1.11× salary · $6,595.74 on top of wages
Monthly cost
$5,549.65
Loaded hourly cost
$32.02
Per hour actually worked
$33.30
| Wages | $60,000.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $870.00 |
| FUTA (federal unemployment) | $42.00 |
| State unemployment (SUTA) | $1,620.00 |
| Paid family leave | $193.74 |
| Workers' comp | $150.00 |
| Total annual cost | $66,595.74 |
Estimates for planning purposes only. Not tax, legal or accounting advice. Confirm your rates with your state agency or a payroll professional.
Washington employer payroll taxes at a glance
| New employer SUTA rate | Assigned individuallyNew employers are assigned their industry's average experience rate; the 2026 published rate table spans roughly 0.27%–6.03% (experience + social cost + Employment Administration Fund). Confirm the assigned class and exact 2026 wage base with the ESD. |
| Experienced employer SUTA range | 0.27% – 6.03% |
| SUTA taxable wage base | $72,800.00The 2025 base was $72,800 and 2026 is indexed upward — verify the exact 2026 figure with ESD before relying on it. |
| Paid family/medical leave program | Yes — employer rate 0.323% |
| State income tax on wages | No |
| State minimum wage | $17.13/hour |
| Source | Washington unemployment insurance agencyVerified 2026-10-11 |
What it costs to hire in Washington
Salary
$40,000.00
Total annual cost
$51,611.16
1.29× salary · SUTA $1,080.00
Salary
$60,000.00
Total annual cost
$74,395.74
1.24× salary · SUTA $1,620.00
Salary
$90,000.00
Total annual cost
$108,108.21
1.20× salary · SUTA $1,965.60
What's different about hiring in Washington
- Washington has one of the higher SUTA wage bases in the country ($72,800.00), so unemployment tax keeps applying well into each employee's salary.
- Washington assigns new employers an individual rate rather than a single standard rate — check your rate notice before budgeting.
- Washington has a paid family and medical leave program — check whether employer contributions apply to your business size.
- Washington has no state income tax on wages, which simplifies payroll withholding (though it doesn't reduce your employer cost).
- 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
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
- Washington 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
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- District of Columbia
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- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Tax rates are approximate — always verify with your state's revenue department.