New York vs Oklahoma: Business Hiring Cost Comparison (2026)
A $60K employee costs $65,942 in New York and $65,715 in Oklahoma. Oklahoma saves $227/year per hire.
Oklahoma is $227 per year cheaper than New York for a $60,000 employee in 2026, with total employer costs of $65,715 vs $65,942 including all mandatory payroll taxes.
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At a $60,000 salary
Oklahoma saves $227/employee/year
$65,942 in New York vs $65,715 in Oklahoma
New York
$65,942
1.1x salary
Oklahoma
$65,715
1.1x salary
Shareable Insights
New York adds $60 in mandatory programs
Disability insurance and paid family leave that Oklahoma doesn't require.
Cost Breakdown Comparison
Based on $60,000 annual salary
| Cost Component | NY | OK | 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) | $440 | $375 | +$65 |
| Workers' Compensation | $810 | $708 | +$102 |
| State-Mandated Insurance | $60 | $0 | +$60 |
| Total Employer Cost | $65,942 | $65,715 | +$227 |
Tax Rate Comparison
| Rate | New York | Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| SUTA Rate Range | 0.13% – 8.9% | 0.1% – 5.5% |
| SUTA Typical Rate | 2.5% | 1.5% |
| SUTA Wage Base | $17,600 | $25,000 |
| Workers' Comp Rate | 1.35% | 1.18% |
| State Income Tax | Yes | Yes |
| Disability Insurance | 0.1% | Not required |
What This Means for Employers
For a business hiring at a $60,000 salary, choosing Oklahoma over New York saves $227 per employee per year in employer-side payroll costs alone. For a team of 10, that's $2,270 annually — enough to fund an additional hire or significantly offset operating costs.
The biggest difference comes from workers' compensation rates — New York charges 1.35% of payroll vs Oklahoma's 1.18%. 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.
A notable difference between these states is mandatory benefit programs. New York requires employer contributions to disability insurance programs that Oklahoma does not mandate — adding $60 per employee annually.
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 New York and Oklahoma?
Cost alone favors Oklahoma: At a $60K salary, you save $227 per employee — a real number that compounds across a growing team. At 20 employees, that's $4,540/year before factoring in any raises.
When New York might still make sense: If your business depends on talent concentrated in New York — tech workers, finance professionals, specialized trades — the labor market access may outweigh the payroll cost premium. Remote-friendly roles, however, make the $227/employee savings a strong argument for Oklahoma-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. New York has state income tax; Oklahoma has state income tax. This affects what salary you need to offer to attract equivalent candidates.
State Employment Profiles
New York
New York has a high employer tax profile with a $17,600 SUTA wage base, disability insurance contributions, and among the highest workers' compensation costs of any major state.
financial services, healthcare, technology & media
New York City employers face additional local taxes and mandatory benefits not captured in state-level SUTA figures; real hiring costs in NYC are materially higher than upstate New York.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma has a moderate $25,000 SUTA wage base and reasonable workers' compensation costs, with no paid family leave mandate, making it competitive for regional operations.
oil & gas (Devon Energy HQ), aerospace & aviation, agriculture
Oklahoma's aerospace maintenance and repair industry is one of the largest MRO centers in North America; American Airlines' Tulsa facility employs thousands of skilled trades workers.
Employer Environment in Each State
Key factors that shape employer costs beyond the numbers above
- State income tax applies — factor into total compensation packages
- Above-average SUTA rate (2.5% on $17,600 wage base) — one of the higher state unemployment rates nationally
- Workers' comp rate 1.35% — near national average, varies by industry classification
- Mandatory disability insurance (0.1%) — required employer contribution on top of federal obligations
- State income tax applies — factor into total compensation packages
- SUTA rate 1.5% (wage base $25,000) — in line with national average
- Workers' comp rate 1.18% — near national average, varies by industry classification
Hiring Strategy Takeaway
The $227 per-employee cost gap at $60K salary is primarily driven by workers' compensation rates (NY: 1.35% vs OK: 1.18%). For a growing business, this difference compounds quickly — a 10-person team in Oklahoma costs $2,270 less annually than the same team in New York, 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 | NY Total | OK Total | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $33,212 | $33,066 | +$146 |
| $40,000 | $44,122 | $43,949 | +$173 |
| $50,000 | $55,032 | $54,832 | +$200 |
| $60,000 | $65,942 | $65,715 | +$227 |
| $75,000 | $82,307 | $82,040 | +$268 |
| $100,000 | $109,582 | $109,247 | +$335 |
| $125,000 | $136,857 | $136,455 | +$403 |
| $150,000 | $164,132 | $163,662 | +$470 |
Click any amount to see the full cost breakdown for that salary and state. Amounts shown from the perspective of NY.
What About Startup Costs?
Hiring is one piece. See what it costs to actually open in these states.
New York
Oklahoma
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