Workforce cost calculator
Add up a year’s employment cost for your whole team, role by role: wages, leave loading, super, workers compensation and payroll tax for 2026–27.
Figures checked 5 November 2026. Free to use, no sign-in.
Your estimate
Estimated annual workforce cost
$725,447
11 people. On-costs add 14.4% to wages.
- Wages
- $634,400
- On-costs
- $91,047
- Cost per person
- $65,950
Annual cost
- Wages
- $634,400.00
- Annual leave loading
- $4,760.00
- Super guarantee (12%)
- $76,699.20
- Workers compensation (1.5%)
- $9,587.40
- Payroll tax (New South Wales)
- $0.00
- Total
- $725,446.60
By role
- Manager × 1
- $119,629
- Customer service × 4
- $287,110
- Casual support × 6
- $318,708
Role totals exclude payroll tax, which is worked out on the whole payroll.
- Annual and personal leave are paid out of the 52 weeks’ wages, so they are not added again. If you pay for cover while people are on leave, add that separately.
- Super guarantee is 12% of each person’s pay plus leave loading, capped at the 2026–27 maximum contribution base.
- Payroll tax: total wages and super of $715,859 are under the New South Wales threshold.
- Not included: overtime, penalty rates and allowances (unless in the weekly pay), recruitment, training, equipment, long service leave and payroll tax in other states.
An estimate for budgeting, not tax or financial advice.
How this works
For each role, the calculator multiplies the number of people by their average weekly pay and 52 weeks, then adds on-costs.
- Pay rise: wages × (1 + rise × months ÷ 12).
- Annual leave loading: permanent staff only, weekly pay × 4 weeks × the loading.
- Super guarantee: 12% of pay plus leave loading for each person, capped at the 2026–27 maximum contribution base of $270,830 a year.
- Workers compensation: wages plus leave loading × your premium rate.
- Payroll tax: the state’s 2026–27 rules applied to total wages, leave loading and super.
Not included: overtime and penalty rates not already in the weekly pay, long service leave, recruitment, training, equipment, cover for staff on leave, and payroll tax in other states.
Legal basis
- Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth)
- ATO: super guarantee percentage and maximum contribution base
- Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 87 and 96: annual and personal/carer’s leave
- State and territory payroll tax Acts (see the payroll tax calculator)
Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Tell us.
Questions
What on-costs should a workforce budget include?
At minimum: super guarantee (12% of qualifying earnings in 2026–27), workers compensation premiums, payroll tax once total wages pass your state’s threshold, and annual leave loading where the award or agreement pays it. Recruitment, training, equipment and cover for staff on leave come on top.
Should I add the cost of annual leave and sick leave?
Not as extra cash if you have budgeted 52 weeks of pay. Permanent staff are paid for their 4 weeks of annual leave and their personal leave out of that pay. The extra cost is any leave loading, and any cover you pay for while they are away.
How is payroll tax worked out here?
On total wages plus super for the year, using the 2026–27 threshold, taper and rates for the state you pick. It assumes all wages are paid in that state and the business isn’t grouped with related businesses. Use the payroll tax calculator for more detail.
How do I include a pay rise that starts part-way through the year?
Enter the rise and the number of months it applies. A 4% rise for the last 6 months adds 2% to the year’s wages.
Related tools
All toolsQuestions the calculator can’t answer?
Workfloor answers pay, award, leave and termination questions for your team, with the Fair Work Act section or award clause behind each answer.