Cost of an employee in Washington
For a new employer in Washington, payroll taxes on a $50,000 salary come to about $4,029 a year (8.1% of wages), before state unemployment tax (new employers pay their industry average). Add workers' comp and benefits below to see the full cost.
Cost of an employee in Washington
Workers' comp rates depend on your job class and insurer; enter your quoted rate. Results are estimates for one full-year employee and exclude local taxes.
Rates used
- Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500; Medicare 1.45% (employer shares, 2026)
- FUTA 0.6% on the first $7,000
- Washington SUTA: industry-average rate for new employers on the first $78,200. Washington payroll taxes
- Paid Family and Medical Leave: employer share 0.323%. Employers with fewer than 50 employees in Washington do not pay the employer share.
Running payroll in Washington?
Sources
- US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (Significant Provisions of State UI Laws, July 2026) · data as of July 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
- wacaresfund.wa.gov · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
- paidleave.wa.gov · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), 2026 · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.