TrueHireCost

True Cost of Hiring Calculator

Calculate Consulting Industry Hiring Costs

Estimate the fully loaded cost of a Consulting hire — including $0.50/$100 workers’ comp, a $70,000–$220,000 salary range, $750/mo benefits, and a 1.35× burden multiplier.

Open the Calculator

True Cost of Hiring Calculator

Pre-configured with your state tax rates and Consulting benchmarks. Adjust salary, benefits, and overhead to model your specific hire.

Your Inputs

Annual Base Salary$120,000
Stateyour state
Industry / Workers’ Comp ClassConsulting
Monthly Benefits$750
401(k) Employer Match4%
SUTA Rate2.7%
Workers’ Comp (per $100)$0.50
Annual Overhead$4,500

Total Annual Cost

$148,527

Loaded multiplier: 1.24× base salary

Cost ComponentAnnual
Base Salary$120,000
Employer Taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA)$9,627
Workers’ Comp$600
Benefits + 401(k) Match$13,800
Overhead$4,500

Open the interactive calculator to adjust every input and export a PDF report.

Consulting Hiring Cost & Benchmark Data

Representative Consulting salary, benefits, and workers’ comp figures for 2026.

MetricValue
Typical Salary Range$70,000 – $220,000
Median Salary$120,000
Workers’ Comp Class Rate$0.50 per $100 payroll
Typical Monthly Benefits$750
401(k) Employer Match4%
Annual Overhead per Employee$4,500
Loaded-Cost Multiplier1.35×
Annual Turnover Rate17%
Average Time to Hire38 days
Annual Employment Growth2.6%

Every Consulting benchmark, traced to its source

Each figure is classified and cited below. Published benchmarks come from BLS and SHRM; representative estimates vary by employer; and TrueHireCost modeling assumptions are editable defaults.

MetricValueTypeSourceLast verified
Median salary$120,000Published benchmarkBLS Occupational Employment & Wage StatisticsAug 2026
Salary range$70,000 – $220,000Representative estimateBLS Occupational Employment & Wage StatisticsAug 2026
Workers’ comp rate0.5 / $100 payrollRepresentative estimateDOL Office of Workers’ Compensation ProgramsAug 2026
Monthly benefits$750Representative estimateBLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC)Aug 2026
401(k) employer match4%TrueHireCost modeling assumptionTrueHireCost methodologyAug 2026
Annual overhead$4,500TrueHireCost modeling assumptionTrueHireCost methodologyAug 2026
Annual turnover rate17%Published benchmarkBLS Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)Aug 2026
Time to fill38 daysPublished benchmarkSHRM Human Capital Benchmarking & Talent AcquisitionAug 2026
Employment growth2.6%Published benchmarkBLS Employment ProjectionsAug 2026
Loaded-cost multiplier1.35×TrueHireCost modeling assumptionTrueHireCost methodologyAug 2026

How to read this table

  • Official statutory figures are set by law.
  • Published benchmarks come from BLS and SHRM.
  • Representative estimates vary by employer and carrier.
  • TrueHireCost modeling assumptions are editable defaults — see the methodology page.

Hiring Cost Example: Consulting at $120,000 Salary

A Consulting hire at the median $120,000 salary costs approximately $148,527 fully loaded — a 1.24× burden multiplier including $0.50/$100 workers’ comp, $750/mo benefits, and overhead.

ComponentAnnual Cost
Base Salary$120,000
Employer FICA (7.65%)$9,180
SUTA (2.7%) + FUTA$447
Workers’ Comp ($0.50/$100)$600
Benefits + 401(k) (4%)$13,800
Overhead$4,500
Total Loaded Cost$148,527

Hiring Landscape in Consulting

Consulting hiring is steady, led by digital transformation, cybersecurity, and ESG advisory practices. Selective hiring of consultants and analysts tied to client demand, with high travel and utilization pressure.

Consulting Payroll Tax Considerations

  • • Per-diem & travel reimbursement (accountable plan)
  • • High salaries exceed SS wage base
  • • Bonus-heavy comp

Consulting Employer Compliance Checklist

  • Professional liability insurance
  • Client NDAs & data security
  • Independent contractor vs employee for subconsultants
  • Billable-hour tracking

Consulting Industry Resources

BLS Industry Data

Consulting wages & turnover

IRS Pub 15

Federal employer tax guide

DOL Workplace

Department of Labor compliance

AMCF

Consulting industry resource

Explore More Hiring Costs

Consulting by State

Browse all 51 states →

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Editorial Standards

Maintained by the TrueHireCost editorial team

TrueHireCost is an independent research and tooling project. Our content is written and maintained by the TrueHireCost editorial team — not by a licensed CPA, attorney, or HR certificant, and no named professional endorses or "verifies" these pages. Rates, wage bases, and benchmarks are collected from official public sources (IRS, U.S. Department of Labor, state workforce agencies, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics) and labeled with their source and last-reviewed date. State SUTA, workers’ comp, and minimum-wage figures are representative new-employer estimates and should be confirmed with the agency for your specific situation.

Found an outdated rate or a calculation that looks wrong? Email editorial@truehirecost.com and we’ll review and correct it. TrueHireCost is an informational tool, not professional tax, legal, or HR advice — consult a qualified professional before making hiring or payroll decisions.

Last updated 2026-08-24

Data Sources & Methodology

Every rate and formula is checked against the issuing agency before publication. Last updated 2026-08-24.

IRS

FICA, FUTA tax rate & wage base

U.S. DOL

FUTA credit, federal wage & hour

State Workforce Agencies

SUTA rates, wage bases, new-employer rates

BLS

Industry salary benchmarks & turnover

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hire in the Consulting industry?

The fully loaded cost of a Consulting hire combines a typical $70,000–$220,000 salary with $0.50/$100 workers’ comp, $750/month benefits, a 4% 401(k) match, and overhead — yielding roughly a 1.35× burden multiplier.

What is the typical salary range in Consulting?

Consulting roles typically pay $70,000 to $220,000 per year, with a median around $120,000. Use the calculator’s salary input to model your specific role.

Are Consulting workers’ comp rates high?

The representative Consulting workers’ comp class rate is $0.50 per $100 of payroll. Bonus-heavy comp

For Estimation Purposes Only

TrueHireCost provides hiring cost estimates for informational purposes only and is not professional tax, legal, or HR advice. Actual employer costs vary by experience rating, industry classification, carrier, and jurisdiction. Consult a qualified CPA, tax advisor, or HR professional before making hiring or payroll decisions.