Shift Staffing Cost Calculator
Calculate the fully loaded cost of staffing a shift: workers, hours, wage, a payroll burden multiplier and overtime beyond the standard shift length.
How it works
Loaded wage = wage × (1 + burden%) · Per worker = loaded wage × hours + loaded wage × OT mult × OT hours · Total = per worker × workers
The wage on a paycheck is only part of what a shift costs — payroll taxes, benefits, workers’ comp and insurance add a burden of roughly 20–40% on top. Applying that burden multiplier before totaling gives the true cost of staffing, which is what you need for scheduling and pricing decisions. Overtime is billed at a premium multiplier on the same loaded wage, so it compounds quickly.
Worked example
5 workers on an 8-hour shift at $22/h with a 25% burden: the loaded wage is $27.50. Each worker costs 27.50 × 8 = $220, so the shift costs 220 × 5 = $1,100 — a blended $27.50 per labor hour.
Frequently asked questions
What is payroll burden?
It is everything an employer pays on top of gross wages: the employer share of payroll taxes, health and retirement benefits, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance. It commonly runs 20–40% of the base wage.
How is overtime handled?
Overtime hours are paid at the wage times the overtime multiplier — usually 1.5× ("time and a half"). This calculator applies the multiplier to the burdened wage so the premium reflects the full cost.
Why use a blended cost per hour?
When a shift mixes regular and overtime hours, the blended figure — total cost divided by total hours — is the single number to use when pricing that labor into a job or comparing shifts.
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Educational estimate, not financial advice.