Staffing Bill Rate Calculator

Reviewed July 8, 2026 · Sources and editorial judgments labeled inline

The formula

Bill rate = Pay rate × (1 + Markup%)

Markup is not profit - it carries the burden first: payroll taxes, workers compensation, and unemployment insurance typically consume a large share of it, with overhead next and margin last. A 42% markup on a $21 pay rate produces a $29.82 bill rate, of which the agency keeps a fraction as gross margin after burden.

Worked examples from our benchmarks

The reverse math: pricing to a target margin

To hit a gross margin target, work backwards: required markup = (burden% + target margin%) / (1 - target margin%) is the shape of it - practically, if burden runs ~20% of pay and you need 18% gross margin on the bill, you cannot price below the low 40s in markup. Price the payment terms too: net-60 at the same markup is a materially worse deal than net-15.

Calculate yours

The interactive tool applies role-level benchmarks for 18 roles across the USA and Canada - pay, markup, and bill in one view.