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Cleaning Labor Cost Calculator

Know your true labor cost per job — including wages, payroll burden, drive time, and downtime. Stop underpricing because you forgot the real cost of an hour.

Labor Cost Calculator

Enter wage and job details to see your true cost per cleaner.

True Cost per Job

$123
Burdened Hourly Rate$20.48
Total Crew Cost / Job$123
Drive Time Cost$20
Labor Cost / Sq Ft$0.06
Track Labor Costs in ServiceHub

Estimates are for planning only. Actual pricing depends on site conditions.

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What you’ll get from this calculator

  • Your true labor cost per hour is 25–40% higher than the base wage after payroll taxes, insurance, and benefits.
  • A $16/hr cleaner really costs $20–$22/hr once you add payroll burden.
  • Drive time is unpaid labor — include it in your cost-per-job calculation.
  • Use this calculator to see your actual cost per cleaner per job.

Why Your Labor Cost Is Higher Than You Think

Most cleaning business owners look at their cleaner's hourly wage and think that's the cost. It is not. Once you add payroll taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA), workers' compensation insurance, and any benefits, the true cost per hour jumps 25–40% above the base wage.

A cleaner earning $16/hour really costs you $20–$22/hour. Multiply that by a 2-person crew on a 3-hour job with 30 minutes of drive time, and the labor cost alone is $130–$150 before supplies or overhead.

Cleaning Labor Cost Formula

Labor Cost per Job = (Base Wage × Payroll Burden Multiplier × Crew Size × On-Site Hours) + Paid Drive Time

Payroll Burden Multiplier = 1 + (burden percentage ÷ 100). For example, a 28% burden means multiply by 1.28. Paid Drive Time = round-trip drive minutes ÷ 60 × burdened hourly rate × crew size. This gives you the complete picture of what each job costs in labor before supplies and overhead.

Labor Cost FAQs

How much does it really cost to employ a cleaner?▼
A cleaner earning $16/hour typically costs the business $20–$22/hour after payroll taxes, workers' comp, and basic benefits. That 25–40% payroll burden is the most commonly underestimated cost in cleaning businesses.
Should I include drive time in my labor cost?▼
Yes. Drive time is real labor cost — your crew is on the clock but not generating revenue. Include round-trip drive time in your per-job cost calculation.
What is payroll burden for cleaning businesses?▼
Payroll burden includes FICA (7.65%), federal and state unemployment taxes, workers' compensation insurance, and any benefits. For cleaning businesses, total burden is typically 25–35% above base wages.
How do I reduce labor cost per job?▼
Cluster jobs geographically to reduce drive time, improve crew efficiency through checklists and training, right-size crews for job scope, and reduce unbillable time between jobs.
What should my labor cost percentage be?▼
Labor should be 35–50% of revenue for most cleaning businesses. If labor exceeds 55% of revenue, your pricing is likely too low or your crews are not efficient enough.

Stop Guessing Labor Costs

ServiceHub tracks time per job and per crew member so you can see actual labor cost vs. quoted price on every job.

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Related Resources

📝How to Manage Cleaning Staff Schedules🧮Cleaning Profit Margin Calculator🧮Janitorial Bid Calculator⚖️Maid Service Scheduling Software📖Cleaning Subscription Plans Guide⚖️ServiceHub vs ZenMaid