{
 "@context": "https://schema.org",
 "@type": "Dataset",
 "name": "Qualia Cost Index",
 "description": "Fully-loaded monthly US employer cost for nine business operations roles across five US markets, compared with Qualia Solutions' published floor price. Derived from published BLS data.",
 "url": "https://qualiasolutions.io/data/cost-index.json",
 "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
 "creator": {
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Qualia Solutions",
  "url": "https://qualiasolutions.io/"
 },
 "dateModified": "2026-07-28",
 "isAccessibleForFree": true,
 "citation": [
  "U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release.",
  "U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, latest release."
 ],
 "measurementTechnique": "national_median_hourly x (regional_wage / 32.60) x 2080 / (1 - regional_benefit_share) / 12",
 "note": "Qualia prices are floors; roles are priced by seniority and quoted exactly before engagement.",
 "markets": [
  {
   "id": "east",
   "label": "East",
   "covers": "New York, the Mid-Atlantic",
   "wage_per_hour": 37.3,
   "benefit_share": 0.317,
   "wage_index": 1.1442
  },
  {
   "id": "west",
   "label": "West",
   "covers": "California, the Pacific Coast",
   "wage_per_hour": 37.78,
   "benefit_share": 0.315,
   "wage_index": 1.1589
  },
  {
   "id": "central",
   "label": "Central",
   "covers": "St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago",
   "wage_per_hour": 30.52,
   "benefit_share": 0.306,
   "wage_index": 0.9362
  },
  {
   "id": "mountain",
   "label": "Mountain",
   "covers": "Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver",
   "wage_per_hour": 31.78,
   "benefit_share": 0.279,
   "wage_index": 0.9748
  },
  {
   "id": "south",
   "label": "South",
   "covers": "Texas, Florida, the Southeast",
   "wage_per_hour": 29.95,
   "benefit_share": 0.286,
   "wage_index": 0.9187
  }
 ],
 "roles": [
  {
   "id": "executive-assistant",
   "label": "Executive assistant",
   "bls_occupation": "Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants",
   "soc": "43-6011",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 35.7,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 84962,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10366,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 8866
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 86055,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10469,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 8969
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 69518,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 8348,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 6848
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 72388,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 8367,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 6867
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 68220,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 7962,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 6462
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "project-manager",
   "label": "Project manager",
   "bls_occupation": "Project management specialists",
   "soc": "13-1082",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 48.44,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 115281,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 14066,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 12566
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 116765,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 14205,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 12705
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 94327,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 11326,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 9826
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 98221,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 11352,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 9852
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 92565,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10804,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 9304
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "sales-development-rep",
   "label": "Sales development rep",
   "bls_occupation": "Sales representatives of services",
   "soc": "41-3091",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 31.86,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 75823,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 9251,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7751
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 76799,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 9343,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7843
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 62041,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 7450,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 5950
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 64602,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 7467,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 5967
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 60882,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 7106,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 5606
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "data-analyst",
   "label": "Data analyst",
   "bls_occupation": "Operations research analysts",
   "soc": "15-2031",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 43.89,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 104453,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 12744,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 11244
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 105797,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 12871,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 11371
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 85466,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10263,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 8763
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 88995,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10286,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 8786
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 83870,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 9789,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 8289
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "software-engineer",
   "label": "Software engineer",
   "bls_occupation": "Software developers",
   "soc": "15-1252",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 63.98,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 152265,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 18578,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 17078
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 154224,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 18762,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 17262
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 124588,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 14960,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 13460
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 129731,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 14994,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 13494
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 122261,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 14269,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 12769
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "customer-success",
   "label": "Customer success",
   "bls_occupation": "Customer service representatives",
   "soc": "43-4051",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 20.59,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 49002,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 5979,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 4479
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 49632,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 6038,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 4538
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 40095,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 4814,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 3314
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 41750,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 4825,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 3325
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 39346,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 4592,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 3092
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "marketing-specialist",
   "label": "Marketing specialist",
   "bls_occupation": "Market research analysts and marketing specialists",
   "soc": "13-1161",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 37.0,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 88055,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10744,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 9244
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 89189,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 10850,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 9350
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 72050,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 8651,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7151
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 75024,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 8671,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7171
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 70704,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 8252,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 6752
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "staff-accountant",
   "label": "Staff accountant",
   "bls_occupation": "Accountants and auditors",
   "soc": "13-2011",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 39.27,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 93458,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 11403,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 9903
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 94660,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 11516,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 10016
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 76470,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 9182,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7682
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 79627,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 9203,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7703
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 75042,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 8758,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 7258
    }
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "bookkeeper",
   "label": "Bookkeeper / AP-AR",
   "bls_occupation": "Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks",
   "soc": "43-3031",
   "bls_national_median_hourly_usd": 23.66,
   "qualia_floor_monthly_usd": 1500,
   "markets": {
    "east": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 56308,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 6870,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 5370
    },
    "west": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 57033,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 6938,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 5438
    },
    "central": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 46073,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 5532,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 4032
    },
    "mountain": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 47975,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 5545,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 4045
    },
    "south": {
     "annual_salary_usd": 45212,
     "monthly_fully_loaded_usd": 5277,
     "monthly_gap_vs_floor_usd": 3777
    }
   }
  }
 ]
}