Calculate your client billing rate based on pay, overhead, and margin.
The raw hourly wage paid to the employee or contractor.
Percentage for taxes, benefits, insurance, and operational costs.
The percentage of the total bill rate you want to keep as profit.
Please enter valid numeric values. Margin must be less than 100%.
Calculation Results
Base Hourly Pay:–
Burden Cost (Overhead):–
Total Cost to Company:–
Gross Profit Per Hour:–
Recommended Bill Rate:–
function calculateBillRate() {
var payRateInput = document.getElementById('hourlyPayRate').value;
var burdenInput = document.getElementById('burdenPercent').value;
var marginInput = document.getElementById('targetMargin').value;
var errorDiv = document.getElementById('errorMessage');
var resultsDiv = document.getElementById('resultsArea');
// Validation
if (payRateInput === "" || burdenInput === "" || marginInput === "") {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
resultsDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
var payRate = parseFloat(payRateInput);
var burdenPercent = parseFloat(burdenInput);
var marginPercent = parseFloat(marginInput);
if (isNaN(payRate) || isNaN(burdenPercent) || isNaN(marginPercent)) {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
errorDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers.";
resultsDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
if (marginPercent >= 100 || marginPercent < 0) {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
errorDiv.innerHTML = "Gross Margin must be between 0 and 99.9%.";
resultsDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
// Reset error
errorDiv.style.display = 'none';
// 1. Calculate Burden Amount
// Burden is a percentage of the Pay Rate added on top.
var burdenAmount = payRate * (burdenPercent / 100);
// 2. Calculate Total Cost
var totalCost = payRate + burdenAmount;
// 3. Calculate Bill Rate based on Gross Margin
// Formula: Bill Rate = Total Cost / (1 – Margin%)
// Example: Cost $100, Margin 20%. Bill Rate = 100 / 0.8 = 125.
// Profit = 25. Margin = 25/125 = 20%.
var marginDecimal = marginPercent / 100;
var billRate = totalCost / (1 – marginDecimal);
// 4. Calculate Gross Profit
var grossProfit = billRate – totalCost;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('displayBasePay').innerHTML = "$" + payRate.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('displayBurdenCost').innerHTML = "$" + burdenAmount.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('displayTotalCost').innerHTML = "$" + totalCost.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('displayGrossProfit').innerHTML = "$" + grossProfit.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('displayBillRate').innerHTML = "$" + billRate.toFixed(2);
resultsDiv.style.display = 'block';
}
How to Calculate Bill Rate: A Comprehensive Guide
Determining the correct bill rate is one of the most critical financial decisions for staffing agencies, independent consultants, and service-based businesses. A properly calculated bill rate ensures that you not only cover the employee's salary but also account for overhead costs (the burden) and secure a sustainable profit margin.
The Core Components of a Bill Rate
To calculate a bill rate accurately, you must understand the three distinct financial layers involved:
Pay Rate: This is the raw hourly wage paid directly to the employee or contractor. It acts as the base for all subsequent calculations.
Labor Burden (Overhead): This represents the hidden costs of employment. It typically includes payroll taxes (Social Security, Medicare), unemployment insurance, worker's compensation, health benefits, paid time off, and equipment costs. In many industries, this ranges from 15% to 25% of the pay rate.
Gross Margin: This is the profit portion of the bill rate. It is calculated as a percentage of the final bill rate (revenue), not just a markup on the cost.
The Bill Rate Formulas
While many people confuse "Markup" with "Margin," the industry standard for calculating bill rates, especially in staffing, relies on the Gross Margin formula to ensure profitability targets are met relative to revenue.
Step 1: Calculate Total Cost
First, determine the fully burdened cost of the resource.
Total Cost = Pay Rate + (Pay Rate × Burden %)
Step 2: Calculate Bill Rate (Using Gross Margin)
To find the bill rate that yields a specific profit margin percentage:
Bill Rate = Total Cost / (1 – Target Margin %)
Example Calculation
Let's say you are placing a consultant with an hourly pay rate of $50.00. Your company has a labor burden (taxes and benefits) of 20%, and you aim for a 30% gross margin.
At a bill rate of $85.71, your profit is $25.71 per hour. When you divide the profit ($25.71) by the revenue ($85.71), you get exactly 30% margin.
Markup vs. Margin: Don't Get Confused
If you used a 30% "Markup" instead of "Margin," you would simply multiply the cost by 1.30 ($60 × 1.30 = $78.00). However, your profit margin on $78.00 would only be 23%. Using the Margin formula provided in the calculator above safeguards your profitability by pricing correctly from the top down.
Factors Influencing Your Bill Rate
When setting your final rate, consider market conditions beyond just the math: