Calculate total payroll costs including super & entitlements
Estimate the total cost of an employee in Australia. This calculator includes superannuation, casual loading and paid leave to give indicative weekly, monthly and annual payroll costs from your inputs.
This calculator provides general estimates only and doesn't constitute legal or payroll advice. Actual employment costs depend on the applicable award, penalties, enterprise agreements and individual circumstances — always verify with official sources. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Payroll cost calculator
Enter the base rate and hours. Add leave and super assumptions in the advanced options.
Estimated payroll cost
Estimates only — verify before making decisions.
What's included in payroll costs?
The headline hourly rate is only part of the story. This calculator factors in the on-costs that make up an employee’s true cost.
Superannuation
Employers contribute to an employee’s super fund on top of wages. The Superannuation Guarantee rate is 12% (from 1 July 2025) for most employees.
Casual loading
Casual employees receive a loading (typically 25%) on their base hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave. The exact rate varies by award.
Paid leave
Part-time and full-time staff accrue paid leave under the NES — 4 weeks annual leave, 10 days personal/carer’s leave, and paid public holidays — all adding to your total cost.
Why true employee cost is often higher than hourly pay
Hiring someone at $25 an hour isn’t what they actually cost your business. The true cost adds superannuation (12%+) and, for permanent staff, the value of paid leave — time you pay for but isn’t worked.
Knowing your real employment costs makes budgeting, pricing your products or services, and casual-vs-permanent decisions far more accurate.
Worked example · full-time @ $25/hr
Base wage (38 hrs × 52 wks): $49,400
+ Superannuation (12%): ~$5,900
+ Paid leave & on-costs: ~$3,700–6,700
True annual cost: $59,000–$62,000
Roughly 20–25% above the base wage. Indicative only — actual figures depend on the award and circumstances.
Choosing casual, part-time or full-time
Each employment type has a different cost profile. Here’s when each one tends to make sense.
Casual
Best for: variable demand, seasonal work and irregular hours. Cost: higher hourly rate (25% loading) but no paid-leave obligations.
Part-time
Best for: ongoing roles with consistent but reduced hours. Cost: lower hourly rate than casual, plus pro-rata paid leave.
Full-time
Best for: core team members in ongoing roles. Cost: highest total cost from full leave entitlements, but stability and no loading.
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Frequently asked questions
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Yes. Superannuation is included using the rate you enter (default 12%). The calculator adds super on top of gross wages to show your total employment cost.
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For part-time and full-time employees, yes. The calculator includes annual leave (4 weeks), personal/carer’s leave (10 days) and public holidays (10 days) based on standard NES entitlements. You can adjust these in the advanced settings.
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Yes, if you select casual employment type. The default casual loading is 25%, which applies to most modern awards. You can adjust this percentage if your award specifies a different rate.
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No. This calculator estimates base payroll costs only. Penalty rates for weekends, public holidays, evenings and overtime would increase the actual cost. Use this as a baseline estimate.