Georgia vs Ohio: Business Hiring Cost Comparison (2026)
A $60K employee costs $65,446 in Georgia and $65,337 in Ohio. Ohio saves $109/year per hire.
Ohio is $109 per year cheaper than Georgia for a $60,000 employee in 2026, with total employer costs of $65,337 vs $65,446 including all mandatory payroll taxes.
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At a $60,000 salary
Ohio saves $109/employee/year
$65,446 in Georgia vs $65,337 in Ohio
Georgia
$65,446
1.09x salary
Ohio
$65,337
1.09x salary
Cost Breakdown Comparison
Based on $60,000 annual salary
| Cost Component | GA | OH | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $60,000 | $60,000 | — |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $3,720 | $3,720 | — |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $870 | $870 | — |
| FUTA (0.6%) | $42 | $42 | — |
| SUTA (State Unemployment) | $166 | $117 | +$49 |
| Workers' Compensation | $648 | $588 | +$60 |
| Total Employer Cost | $65,446 | $65,337 | +$109 |
Tax Rate Comparison
| Rate | Georgia | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| SUTA Rate Range | 0.4% – 5.4% | 0.1% – 6.5% |
| SUTA Typical Rate | 1.75% | 1.3% |
| SUTA Wage Base | $9,500 | $9,000 |
| Workers' Comp Rate | 1.08% | 0.98% |
| State Income Tax | Yes | Yes |
What This Means for Employers
For a business hiring at a $60,000 salary, choosing Ohio over Georgia saves $109 per employee per year in employer-side payroll costs alone. For a team of 10, that's $1,093 annually — enough to fund an additional hire or significantly offset operating costs.
The biggest difference comes from workers' compensation rates — Georgia charges 1.08% of payroll vs Ohio's 0.98%. Workers' comp rates vary by industry within each state, so high-risk industries (construction, manufacturing) will see larger absolute dollar differences. Federal taxes — Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and FUTA (0.6%) — are identical in both states and account for the majority of employer tax burden.
These numbers reflect employer-side costs only and don't include benefits, overhead, or the employee's own tax burden. Use the interactive Employee Cost Calculator to model different salary levels and benefits packages.
Choosing Between Georgia and Ohio?
Cost alone favors Ohio: At a $60K salary, you save $109 per employee — a real number that compounds across a growing team. At 20 employees, that's $2,185/year before factoring in any raises.
When Georgia might still make sense: If your business depends on talent concentrated in Georgia — tech workers, finance professionals, specialized trades — the labor market access may outweigh the payroll cost premium. Remote-friendly roles, however, make the $109/employee savings a strong argument for Ohio-based registration.
What this comparison doesn't capture: State income tax (employee side) affects your offer competitiveness — employees in high-tax states need higher gross pay to net the same take-home. Georgia has state income tax; Ohio has state income tax. This affects what salary you need to offer to attract equivalent candidates.
State Employment Profiles
Georgia
Georgia offers moderate employer taxes with a $9,500 SUTA wage base and competitive workers' compensation rates, anchored by Atlanta's large white-collar workforce.
film & media production, logistics (Delta hub), financial technology
Atlanta's 'Hollywood of the South' film tax credits attract production companies, but these bring largely project-based rather than permanent employee relationships.
Ohio
Ohio's $9,000 SUTA wage base is among the lowest in the Midwest, and it operates a state-managed workers' compensation bureau (BWC) that provides stable — though sometimes higher — rates.
healthcare, automotive manufacturing, financial services
Ohio's Bureau of Workers' Compensation charges industry-rated premiums; employers can earn group rating discounts through industry associations, sometimes reducing rates significantly.
Employer Environment in Each State
Key factors that shape employer costs beyond the numbers above
- State income tax applies — factor into total compensation packages
- SUTA rate 1.75% (wage base $9,500) — in line with national average
- Workers' comp rate 1.08% — near national average, varies by industry classification
- State income tax applies — factor into total compensation packages
- SUTA rate 1.3% (wage base $9,000) — in line with national average
- Workers' comp rate 0.98% — near national average, varies by industry classification
Hiring Strategy Takeaway
The $109 per-employee cost gap at $60K salary is primarily driven by workers' compensation rates (GA: 1.08% vs OH: 0.98%). For a growing business, this difference compounds quickly — a 10-person team in Ohio costs $1,093 less annually than the same team in Georgia, before accounting for benefits, overhead, or salary-level differences.
Explore Each State
Cost Comparison at Different Salary Levels
How the gap changes from $30K to $150K
| Salary | GA Total | OH Total | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $32,827 | $32,748 | +$79 |
| $40,000 | $43,700 | $43,611 | +$89 |
| $50,000 | $54,573 | $54,474 | +$99 |
| $60,000 | $65,446 | $65,337 | +$109 |
| $75,000 | $81,756 | $81,632 | +$124 |
| $100,000 | $108,938 | $108,789 | +$149 |
| $125,000 | $136,121 | $135,947 | +$174 |
| $150,000 | $163,303 | $163,104 | +$199 |
Click any amount to see the full cost breakdown for that salary and state. Amounts shown from the perspective of GA.
What About Startup Costs?
Hiring is one piece. See what it costs to actually open in these states.
Simplify Payroll in Georgia and Ohio
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