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Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Small manufacturer · Lesson 6
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Small manufacturer · 14 min

Your shop rate

In the first Manufacturer lesson, the shop rate was just a number. Here's where it comes from: the person, the machine, the floor and the hours nobody pays for. Then you'll price a whole job with it.

Ticket 01 · The guess

What does an hour of a worker cost?

In June 2026, US manufacturers paid their workers wages of $32.50/hourbls.gov ·2026 for every hour worked, on average. Counting benefits too (paid leave, insurance, retirement and the payroll taxes the law requires), what did each hour worked cost them in all?

$40/hour
$30/hour$100/hour
Words to know

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Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

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Sources and every number (1)

Sources

  • Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 4: Private industry workers by occupational and industry group · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026

Every number

  • $32.50/hourbls.gov ·2026 · BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026: wages and salaries per hour worked, private industry manufacturing workers.
  • $48.62/hourbls.gov ·2026 · BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026: total compensation (wages, salaries and benefits) per hour worked, private industry manufacturing workers.
  • $16.12/hourbls.gov ·2026 · BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026: benefits, including paid leave, insurance, retirement and legally required benefits such as Social Security per hour worked, private industry manufacturing workers.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Industries›
  3. Small manufacturer
  • ·Before this: Make or buy
  • ·Free guide: How small manufacturers make money
Skip to the lesson
Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Small manufacturer · Lesson 6
Part 1 of 2Part 1 of 2, 0 done

Small manufacturer · 14 min

Your shop rate

In the first Manufacturer lesson, the shop rate was just a number. Here's where it comes from: the person, the machine, the floor and the hours nobody pays for. Then you'll price a whole job with it.

Ticket 01 · The guess

What does an hour of a worker cost?

In June 2026, US manufacturers paid their workers wages of $32.50/hourbls.gov ·2026 for every hour worked, on average. Counting benefits too (paid leave, insurance, retirement and the payroll taxes the law requires), what did each hour worked cost them in all?

$40/hour
$30/hour$100/hour
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (1)

Sources

  • Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, Table 4: Private industry workers by occupational and industry group · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026

Every number

  • $32.50/hourbls.gov ·2026 · BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026: wages and salaries per hour worked, private industry manufacturing workers.
  • $48.62/hourbls.gov ·2026 · BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026: total compensation (wages, salaries and benefits) per hour worked, private industry manufacturing workers.
  • $16.12/hourbls.gov ·2026 · BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026: benefits, including paid leave, insurance, retirement and legally required benefits such as Social Security per hour worked, private industry manufacturing workers.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Industries›
  3. Small manufacturer
  • ·Before this: Make or buy
  • ·Free guide: How small manufacturers make money