How much does it cost to hire an employee in District of Columbia?

On a $50,000 salary, employer payroll taxes and insurance add about $4,868 (9.7%), before benefits, for a total of $54,868.

What is the District of Columbia SUTA rate for new employers?

New employers generally pay 2.9% on the first $9,000 of each employee's wages. Experienced employers pay between 2.1% and 7.6%.

Do District of Columbia employers pay FUTA?

Yes. Employers pay 6.0% on the first $7,000 of wages, reduced to 0.6% with the state unemployment credit.

Cost to hire an employee in District of Columbia

On top of a $50,000 salary, a District of Columbia employer pays roughly $4,868 in payroll taxes and insurance before benefits, about 9.7% of wages.

Last verified November 2, 2026. Sources: news.bloombergtax.com, onpay.com, legal500.com, oregon.gov.

What a District of Columbia employer pays

Cost	Rate	Applies to
Social Security	6.2%	Wages up to $184,500
Medicare	1.45%	All wages
Federal unemployment (FUTA)	0.6% net	First $7,000
District of Columbia unemployment (SUTA)	2.9% new employer 2.1%–7.6% experienced	First $9,000
Universal Paid Leave	0.75%	All wages
Workers' compensation	~$0.73 per $100	Varies by job class

Administrative assessment 0.2%, included in the rates. Universal Paid Leave employer tax is 0.75% of all wages (separate program).

Total cost at different salaries

Salary	Employer taxes & insurance	% of salary	Total cost
$35,000	$3,499	10%	$38,499
$50,000	$4,868	9.7%	$54,868
$75,000	$7,151	9.5%	$82,151
$100,000	$9,433	9.4%	$109,433
$150,000	$13,998	9.3%	$163,998

Benefits usually cost more than taxes. The BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation survey puts benefits at roughly 30% of total compensation in private industry. Add your health plan cost in the calculator to include it.

District of Columbia vs. neighboring states

State	SUTA wage base	New-employer rate	Cost on $50,000
District of Columbia	$9,000	2.9%	$4,868
Maryland	$8,500	2.6%	$4,533
Virginia	$8,000	2.5%	$4,432

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire an employee in District of Columbia?: On a $50,000 salary, employer payroll taxes and insurance add about $4,868 (9.7%), before benefits, for a total of $54,868.
What is the District of Columbia SUTA rate for new employers?: New employers generally pay 2.9% on the first $9,000 of each employee's wages. Experienced employers pay between 2.1% and 7.6%.
Do District of Columbia employers pay FUTA?: Yes. Employers pay 6.0% on the first $7,000 of wages, reduced to 0.6% with the state unemployment credit.