# Professional Services Labor Cost Benchmarks: 2026

> Compare BLS hourly compensation, wages and benefits by establishment size, then reproduce an illustrative billable-rate model with explicit assumptions.

Canonical: https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/
Last updated: 2026-09-12

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Compare BLS hourly compensation, wages and benefits by establishment size, then reproduce an illustrative billable-rate model with explicit assumptions.

[Research and calculations by Workspace369](https://workspace369.com/about/)Published September 12, 2026Updated September 12, 2026

Measured population

U.S. private-industry professional and business services workers; establishment-size groups, not firm sizes

Observation period

June 2026

Sources checked

September 12, 2026

[Read the methodology ↗](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology)

[Download data · CSV](https://workspace369.com/downloads/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics.csv)[Source ledger · JSON](https://workspace369.com/downloads/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics.json)[Cite this report ↗](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#cite)

2026 edition

## Key takeaways

Each takeaway links to its canonical data row. Reported figures belong to their cited producer; modeled results are labeled as calculations.

1. [All sizes: total compensation cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $59.80 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-0-0)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
2. [All sizes: wages and salaries cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $41.55 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-0-1)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. [All sizes: total benefits cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $18.24 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-0-2)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. [1-49 workers: total compensation cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $51.05 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-2-0)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. [50-99 workers: total compensation cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $50.58 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-3-0)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. [100-499 workers: total compensation cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $59.73 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-5-0)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
7. [500 workers or more: total compensation cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $77.60 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-6-0)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. [All sizes: paid leave cost per hour worked in professional and business services: $5.20 (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#labor-0-3)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
9. [All sizes: employer benefit cost as a percentage of wages in professional and business services: 43.9% (June 2026).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#benefit-load-0)Workspace369 calculation
10. [All sizes: illustrative billable-rate floor at 70% utilization, 20% nonlabor overhead and 20% target margin: $128.14 (Scenario using June 2026 hourly compensation inputs).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#floor-0-70)Workspace369 calculation
11. [1-49 workers: illustrative billable-rate floor at 70% utilization, 20% nonlabor overhead and 20% target margin: $109.39 (Scenario using June 2026 hourly compensation inputs).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#floor-2-70)Workspace369 calculation
12. [500 workers or more: illustrative billable-rate floor at 70% utilization, 20% nonlabor overhead and 20% target margin: $166.29 (Scenario using June 2026 hourly compensation inputs).](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#floor-6-70)Workspace369 calculation

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![A planning sheet and pen sit beside an envelope holding a clock, coins and umbrella, illustrating the components of labor compensation.](https://workspace369.com/images/research/labor-compensation-components.webp)

AI-generated editorial illustration; not a data visualization.

## How much does an hour of professional and business services labor cost?

Total compensation includes both wages and employer-paid benefits. The BLS benchmark is a cost per hour worked, not a worker’s salary, a freelancer’s fee or a client billing rate.

Scroll horizontally to compare all columns →

**Professional-services labor costs — June 2026. United States.**

| Establishment size | Total compensation / hour | Wages and salaries / hour | Total benefits / hour |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All sizes | [$59.80](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$41.55](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$18.24](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 1-99 workers | [$50.94](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$36.52](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$14.42](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 1-49 workers | [$51.05](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$36.49](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$14.56](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 50-99 workers | [$50.58](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$36.65](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$13.93](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 100 workers or more | [$68.51](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$46.50](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$22.01](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 100-499 workers | [$59.73](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$41.90](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$17.83](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 500 workers or more | [$77.60](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$51.26](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$26.34](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |

USD per hour worked, June 2026. “Professional and business services” is a broad BLS industry grouping that includes management and administrative services. Size groups overlap and must not be added together.

Primary source: [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — September 9, 2026](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#source-bls-ecec)

## Which benefit costs are included beyond wages?

Paid leave, supplemental pay, insurance, retirement and legally required benefits are already included in total compensation. Adding them again would double-count those costs.

Scroll horizontally to compare all columns →

**Professional-services labor costs — June 2026. United States.**

| Establishment size | Paid leave / hour | Supplemental pay / hour | Insurance / hour | Retirement and savings / hour | Legally required benefits / hour |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All sizes | [$5.20](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$2.67](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$4.36](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.94](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$4.07](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 1-99 workers | [$3.87](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.92](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.52](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.38](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.72](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 1-49 workers | [$3.89](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.97](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.55](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.44](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.71](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 50-99 workers | [$3.81](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.76](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.41](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.19](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.76](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 100 workers or more | [$6.52](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.41](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$5.18](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$2.49](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$4.42](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 100-499 workers | [$5.46](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$2.28](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$4.25](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$1.84](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.99](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |
| 500 workers or more | [$7.61](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$4.57](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$6.15](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$3.16](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) | [$4.86](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm) |

Rounded components may not sum exactly to the reported totals. Paid leave is already reflected in cost per hour worked.

Primary source: [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — September 9, 2026](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#source-bls-ecec)

## How large is the benefit load relative to wages?

Benefit load compares employer benefit costs with wages, rather than with total compensation. It is a derived cost ratio, not a payroll-tax rate.

**Professional-services labor costs — June 2026. United States.**

| Establishment size | Benefits as a share of wages |
| --- | --- |
| All sizes | [43.9%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 1-99 workers | [39.49%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 1-49 workers | [39.9%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 50-99 workers | [38.01%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 100 workers or more | [47.33%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 100-499 workers | [42.55%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 500 workers or more | [51.39%](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |

Workspace369 calculation using the rounded BLS inputs. Do not interpret this as the cost of benefits for a particular employee.

Primary source: [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — September 9, 2026](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#source-bls-ecec)

## How does billable utilization change a modeled hourly rate?

Lower billable utilization spreads the same labor cost over fewer billable hours. This scenario adds nonlabor overhead and a target revenue margin to the BLS compensation benchmark.

Scroll horizontally to compare all columns →

**Professional-services labor costs — June 2026. United States.**

| Establishment size | 50% utilization | 60% utilization | 70% utilization | 80% utilization |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All sizes | [$179.40](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$149.50](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$128.14](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$112.12](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 1-99 workers | [$152.82](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$127.35](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$109.16](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$95.51](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 1-49 workers | [$153.15](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$127.62](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$109.39](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$95.72](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 50-99 workers | [$151.74](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$126.45](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$108.39](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$94.84](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 100 workers or more | [$205.53](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$171.28](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$146.81](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$128.46](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 100-499 workers | [$179.19](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$149.32](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$127.99](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$111.99](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |
| 500 workers or more | [$232.80](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$194.00](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$166.29](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) | [$145.50](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology) |

Workspace369 planning model. Nonlabor overhead is 20% of labor cost; target margin is 20% of revenue. Neither assumption is an observed industry average. This is not a recommended market price.

Primary source: [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — September 9, 2026](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#source-bls-ecec)

## What hourly rate covers your assumptions?

Workspace369 calculation · not observed data

Change the assumptions to reproduce the model. Your inputs stay in this browser; they are not submitted.

BLS establishment-size benchmark

Billable utilization (%)Nonlabor overhead (% of labor cost)Target margin (% of revenue)

Modeled billable-rate floor**$128.14 / billable hour**

Benchmark compensation per hour worked: $59.80  
This is a cost model, not a market-rate recommendation.

Enter utilization from 1–100%, overhead from 0–200%, and margin from 0–99%.

Formula: compensation × (1 + overhead) ÷ utilization ÷ (1 − margin), with percentages expressed as fractions. Paid leave is already included in compensation.

[Read the model assumptions and limitations →](https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/#methodology)

## Methodology and limitations

1. We transcribed the professional and business services rows of BLS ECEC Table 6 for June 2026, released September 9, 2026. The ledger identifies the establishment-size row and compensation column for every observation.
2. We retain published totals and components independently rather than forcing rounded numbers to reconcile. Broad size groups and their subgroups overlap; no sum or unweighted average across size groups is used.
3. Benefit load equals total benefits divided by wages and salaries. The billable-rate scenario divides loaded labor and assumed nonlabor overhead by billable utilization and one minus target margin.
4. Cost per hour worked already includes paid leave and other reported benefits. We do not deduct paid leave a second time or convert these figures to an annual salary using an invented hours assumption.

### What these numbers cannot tell you

- This is the broader professional and business services industry grouping, not an occupation-specific salary survey or a benchmark exclusively for small consulting firms.
- National averages are not a substitute for local wages, actual employee costs or a business’s own overhead and utilization data.
- The rate scenarios explain cost arithmetic only. They are not financial advice, an earnings forecast or evidence of prices customers will accept.

### Freshness and corrections

Maintained by the Workspace369 editorial team. Review each quarterly BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release. The edition date changes only when the evidence or content is substantively reviewed; it does not change the underlying observation period.

First edition: September 12, 2026. Data extraction, source attribution and arithmetic checked for this edition. No independent peer review is claimed.

Found an error or a newer primary release? [Send a correction with the source and affected statistic](mailto:support@workspace369.com?subject=Research%20correction%3A%20Professional%20Services%20Labor%20Cost%20Benchmarks%3A%202026). Confirmed corrections are recorded below before republishing.

### Revision history

Evidence dates above describe the report. Download and citation updates below do not imply that sources were checked again.

- October 10, 2026 — Versioned CSV and JSON archives, checksums and reference-manager exports added. Source observations and evidence dates are unchanged.

## Primary sources and provenance

Every reported numeric cell links directly to its producer. The downloads include exact table or workbook locators, observation periods, access dates, formulas and input references.

1. **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics**[Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, Table 6: private-industry compensation by establishment employment size ↗](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t06.htm)Published September 9, 2026. Accessed September 12, 2026.U.S. federal government data; attribution requested. No agency endorsement.
2. **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics**[Employer Costs for Employee Compensation: technical notes ↗](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.tn.htm)Publication date not recorded; see the original source. Accessed September 12, 2026.U.S. federal government data; attribution requested. No agency endorsement.

## How to cite this report

For a source-reported statistic, credit the original publisher and link to the exact row here when using our compilation. For a modeled result, cite Workspace369 and include the assumptions. Linking to this page does not make us the original producer of third-party data.

> Workspace369. (2026-09-12). Professional Services Labor Cost Benchmarks: 2026. https://workspace369.com/research/professional-services-labor-cost-statistics/. Primary sources and observation periods as listed in the report.

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### Versioned data

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