WCRates

Workers' Comp Rates by State (2026)

Compare workers' comp rates across all states. Click on a state to see detailed rates by class code, requirements, and tips to lower your premium.

Coverage rules vary as much as the rates do. If you have no employees, start with workers' comp insurance for the self-employed — most states let a sole proprietor elect coverage rather than requiring it, but California licensing rules and Florida's construction statute are exceptions.

Hiring childcare at home? Domestic-worker triggers use different hour, wage, and household-staffing tests. Compare workers' comp insurance rules for a nanny across seven jurisdictions before work starts.

Rate data reviewed against NCCI and state rating-bureau filings · most recent state review: 2026-08-14 — how we verify

Cheapest and Most Expensive States for Workers' Comp (2026)

Across the 47 U.S. jurisdictions rated per $100 of NCCI-classified payroll, Indiana is the cheapest state for workers’ compensation in 2026 at about $4.14 per $100 of payroll, and New York the most expensive at about $7.70 — a spread of roughly 1.9×. Figures are modeled averages across every catalogued class code and are not reconciled to filed state loss costs; use them to rank jurisdictions against each other, not as an expected price. See the calibration measurement.

North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming are deliberately absent from this ranking. Each is a monopolistic state fund that sets premium on its own basis rather than on an NCCI class-code rate per $100 of payroll, so no comparable figure exists to rank them against — a distinction most “cheapest states” lists get wrong.

All 51 jurisdictions, cheapest first, are in the data table under the map below.

Every State, Every Class Code — Workers' Comp Cost, Visualized

Each tile is one state, shaded by its relative cost index — how its average workers' comp rate compares to the national average across every catalogued NCCI class code (1.00 = national average). New York runs the highest at index 1.35 (~$7.70/$100); Indiana the lowest at 0.73 (~$4.14/$100). Select any state for its full rate table.

47 jurisdictions are indexed here. North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming carry no index: each is a monopolistic state fund that sets premium on its own basis rather than on an NCCI class-code rate per $100 of payroll, so there is no comparable figure to shade or rank. Their tiles link to a page explaining what the fund actually charges on.

Scroll the map sideways for the eastern states, or jump to the ranked list of all 51 jurisdictions.

Alabama — cost index 1.01, avg $5.73 per $100 payrollAL1.01Alaska — cost index 1.33, avg $7.54 per $100 payrollAK1.33Arizona — cost index 0.86, avg $4.88 per $100 payrollAZ0.86Arkansas — cost index 0.82, avg $4.67 per $100 payrollAR0.82California — cost index 1.26, avg $7.17 per $100 payrollCA1.26Colorado — cost index 0.83, avg $4.73 per $100 payrollCO0.83Connecticut — cost index 1.14, avg $6.48 per $100 payrollCT1.14Delaware — cost index 1.03, avg $5.84 per $100 payrollDE1.03Florida — cost index 1.07, avg $6.10 per $100 payrollFL1.07Georgia — cost index 0.98, avg $5.58 per $100 payrollGA0.98Hawaii — cost index 1.19, avg $6.79 per $100 payrollHI1.19Idaho — cost index 0.89, avg $5.04 per $100 payrollID0.89Illinois — cost index 1.12, avg $6.37 per $100 payrollIL1.12Indiana — cost index 0.73, avg $4.14 per $100 payrollIN0.73Iowa — cost index 0.95, avg $5.42 per $100 payrollIA0.95Kansas — cost index 0.90, avg $5.10 per $100 payrollKS0.90Kentucky — cost index 0.93, avg $5.31 per $100 payrollKY0.93Louisiana — cost index 1.17, avg $6.64 per $100 payrollLA1.17Maine — cost index 1.03, avg $5.84 per $100 payrollME1.03Maryland — cost index 0.98, avg $5.58 per $100 payrollMD0.98Massachusetts — cost index 1.10, avg $6.26 per $100 payrollMA1.10Michigan — cost index 1.05, avg $5.95 per $100 payrollMI1.05Minnesota — cost index 1.01, avg $5.73 per $100 payrollMN1.01Mississippi — cost index 0.91, avg $5.15 per $100 payrollMS0.91Missouri — cost index 0.96, avg $5.47 per $100 payrollMO0.96Montana — cost index 1.07, avg $6.10 per $100 payrollMT1.07Nebraska — cost index 0.88, avg $4.99 per $100 payrollNE0.88Nevada — cost index 0.97, avg $5.52 per $100 payrollNV0.97New Hampshire — cost index 1.01, avg $5.73 per $100 payrollNH1.01New Jersey — cost index 1.21, avg $6.90 per $100 payrollNJ1.21New Mexico — cost index 0.91, avg $5.20 per $100 payrollNM0.91New York — cost index 1.35, avg $7.70 per $100 payrollNY1.35North Carolina — cost index 0.88, avg $4.99 per $100 payrollNC0.88North Dakota — WSI, rated on the fund's own classification manual; no NCCI rate per $100 of payrollNDfundOhio — BWC, rated on the fund's own filed base rates; no NCCI rate per $100 of payrollOHfundOklahoma — cost index 1.10, avg $6.26 per $100 payrollOK1.10Oregon — cost index 0.99, avg $5.63 per $100 payrollOR0.99Pennsylvania — cost index 1.19, avg $6.79 per $100 payrollPA1.19Rhode Island — cost index 1.06, avg $6.05 per $100 payrollRI1.06South Carolina — cost index 0.93, avg $5.26 per $100 payrollSC0.93South Dakota — cost index 0.87, avg $4.94 per $100 payrollSD0.87Tennessee — cost index 0.85, avg $4.83 per $100 payrollTN0.85Texas — cost index 0.74, avg $4.19 per $100 payrollTX0.74Utah — cost index 0.79, avg $4.51 per $100 payrollUT0.79Vermont — cost index 1.05, avg $5.95 per $100 payrollVT1.05Virginia — cost index 0.78, avg $4.41 per $100 payrollVA0.78Washington — L&I, rated per hour worked; no NCCI rate per $100 of payrollWAfundWest Virginia — cost index 1.00, avg $5.68 per $100 payrollWV1.00Wisconsin — cost index 1.03, avg $5.84 per $100 payrollWI1.03Wyoming — DWS, rated by NAICS industry class; no NCCI rate per $100 of payrollWYfundDistrict of Columbia — cost index 1.10, avg $6.26 per $100 payrollDC1.10
Well below average (< 0.90)Below average (0.90–0.97)Near national average (0.98–1.02)Above average (1.03–1.09)Well above average (≥ 1.10)State fund — not rated per $100 of NCCI payroll

Cost index = state average manual rate ÷ the average of the 47 indexed jurisdictions. Rates are modeled averages across all catalogued NCCI class codes (base-rate catalogue retrieved 2026-05-23) and are not reconciled to filed state loss costs — see the calibration measurement and our rate disclaimer.

Rank all 51 jurisdictions, cheapest to most expensive
2026 average workers' compensation rate and relative cost index by U.S. state, ranked cheapest to most expensive, followed by the monopolistic state funds that carry no NCCI-keyed rate.
RankStateCost indexAvg rate / $100
1Indianaindependent0.73$4.14
2Texasncci0.74$4.19
3Virginiancci0.78$4.41
4Utahncci0.79$4.51
5Arkansasncci0.82$4.67
6Coloradoncci0.83$4.73
7Tennesseencci0.85$4.83
8Arizonancci0.86$4.88
9South Dakotancci0.87$4.94
10North Carolinaindependent0.88$4.99
11Nebraskancci0.88$4.99
12Idahoncci0.89$5.04
13Kansasncci0.90$5.10
14Mississippincci0.91$5.15
15New Mexiconcci0.91$5.20
16South Carolinancci0.93$5.26
17Kentuckyncci0.93$5.31
18Iowancci0.95$5.42
19Missourincci0.96$5.47
20Nevadancci0.97$5.52
21Marylandncci0.98$5.58
22Georgiancci0.98$5.58
23Oregonncci0.99$5.63
24West Virginiancci1.00$5.68
25New Hampshirencci1.01$5.73
26Minnesotaindependent1.01$5.73
27Alabamancci1.01$5.73
28Wisconsinindependent1.03$5.84
29Mainencci1.03$5.84
30Delawareindependent1.03$5.84
31Vermontncci1.05$5.95
32Michiganindependent1.05$5.95
33Rhode Islandncci1.06$6.05
34Montanancci1.07$6.10
35Floridancci1.07$6.10
36Oklahomancci1.10$6.26
37Massachusettsindependent1.10$6.26
38District of Columbiancci1.10$6.26
39Illinoisncci1.12$6.37
40Connecticutncci1.14$6.48
41Louisianancci1.17$6.64
42Pennsylvaniaindependent1.19$6.79
43Hawaiincci1.19$6.79
44New Jerseyindependent1.21$6.90
45Californiaindependent1.26$7.17
46Alaskancci1.33$7.54
47New Yorkindependent1.35$7.70
—North DakotamonopolyNot rated per $100 of NCCI payroll — rated on the fund's own classification manual
—OhiomonopolyNot rated per $100 of NCCI payroll — rated on the fund's own filed base rates
—WashingtonmonopolyNot rated per $100 of NCCI payroll — rated per hour worked
—WyomingmonopolyNot rated per $100 of NCCI payroll — rated by NAICS industry class

Alabama

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.73

avg / $100

Alaska

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$7.54

avg / $100

Arizona

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.88

avg / $100

Arkansas

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.67

avg / $100

California

independent
Mandatory · WCIRB

$7.17

avg / $100

Colorado

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.73

avg / $100

Connecticut

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.48

avg / $100

Delaware

independent
Mandatory · DCRB

$5.84

avg / $100

District of Columbia

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.26

avg / $100

Florida

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.10

avg / $100

Georgia

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.58

avg / $100

Hawaii

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.79

avg / $100

Idaho

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.04

avg / $100

Illinois

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.37

avg / $100

Indiana

independent
Mandatory · ICRB

$4.14

avg / $100

Iowa

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.42

avg / $100

Kansas

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.10

avg / $100

Kentucky

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.31

avg / $100

Louisiana

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.64

avg / $100

Maine

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.84

avg / $100

Maryland

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.58

avg / $100

Massachusetts

independent
Mandatory · WCRIBMA

$6.26

avg / $100

Michigan

independent
Mandatory · CAOM

$5.95

avg / $100

Minnesota

independent
Mandatory · MWCIA

$5.73

avg / $100

Mississippi

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.15

avg / $100

Missouri

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.47

avg / $100

Montana

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.10

avg / $100

Nebraska

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.99

avg / $100

Nevada

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.52

avg / $100

New Hampshire

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.73

avg / $100

New Jersey

independent
Mandatory · NJCRIB

$6.90

avg / $100

New Mexico

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.20

avg / $100

New York

independent
Mandatory · NYCIRB

$7.70

avg / $100

North Carolina

independent
Mandatory · NCRB

$4.99

avg / $100

North Dakota

monopoly
Mandatory · WSI

State fund

no NCCI rate per $100

Ohio

monopoly
Mandatory · BWC

State fund

no NCCI rate per $100

Oklahoma

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.26

avg / $100

Oregon

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.63

avg / $100

Pennsylvania

independent
Mandatory · PCRB

$6.79

avg / $100

Rhode Island

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$6.05

avg / $100

South Carolina

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.26

avg / $100

South Dakota

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.94

avg / $100

Tennessee

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.83

avg / $100

Texas

ncci
Optional · NCCI

$4.19

avg / $100

Utah

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.51

avg / $100

Vermont

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.95

avg / $100

Virginia

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$4.41

avg / $100

Washington

monopoly
Mandatory · L&I

State fund

no NCCI rate per $100

West Virginia

ncci
Mandatory · NCCI

$5.68

avg / $100

Wisconsin

independent
Mandatory · WCRB

$5.84

avg / $100

Wyoming

monopoly
Mandatory · DWS

State fund

no NCCI rate per $100