Oregon Workers' Compensation Cost Calculator
Key facts: workers' comp in Oregon
- Who must be covered
- Mandatory starting at 1 employeeOfficial agency: WCD
- Average rate
- $0.89 per $100 of payrollRank #38 of 51 (#1 = most expensive), below the $1.09 national median
- Rating organization
- NCCINational Council on Compensation Insurance · Private insurers and a state-created carrier
- Verified from official records
- October 3, 2026Rates: Oregon DCBS study, June 2025
Oregon requires every employer to provide workers' comp, and you're an employer as soon as you employ one worker who isn't an independent contractor. Coverage comes from a private insurer, SAIF Corporation (the nonprofit state fund), the assigned risk pool or self-insurance.
Rates in effect January 1, 2024 · Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 2024 study (June 2025) · Nothing you enter leaves your browser
2024 study rate for all industries in Oregon. Edit it if your policy shows a different rate.
For the class you're pricing. Insurers rate each class code's payroll separately.
Printed on your experience rating worksheet or renewal. New or small employers that don't qualify for experience rating are rated at 1.00.
Estimated premium
$8,900
per year at an EMR of 1.00
At an average mod
$8,900
per year at an EMR of 1.00
Your EMR's impact
$0
no adjustment
Effective cost: $0.89 per $100 of payroll.
At an EMR of 1.00, your claims history neither raises nor lowers this premium.
Every claim from now on counts toward your next three renewals. IncidentLog makes the first step — a complete, same-day incident report — take about 90 seconds from a job-site QR code.
Create a free accountEstimate before schedule credits or debits, premium discounts, expense constants, state assessments and minimum premiums — your insurer's quote will differ.
Who must carry workers' comp in Oregon?
Mandatory starting at 1 employee
Independent contractors don't need to be covered.
Official agency
Oregon Workers' Compensation Division (WCD)
Market: Private insurers and a state-created carrier
Oregon workers' comp rates by business type
Rate per $100 of payroll for common class codes in Oregon, against the median of the 51 jurisdictions in the study.
| Business type (NCCI code) | Oregon | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office and clerical staff (8810) | $0.06 | $0.11 | −45% |
| Retail store (8017) | $0.77 | $1.20 | −36% |
| Restaurant (full service) (9082) | $0.92 | $1.09 | −16% |
| Restaurant (fast food) (9083) | $0.92 | $1.09 | −16% |
| Hotel (all other employees) (9052) | $1.81 | $1.79 | +1% |
| Assisted living / retirement center (care staff) (8824) | $1.90 | $2.03 | −6% |
| Hospital (professional staff) (8833) | $0.65 | $0.82 | −21% |
| Electrical contractor (5190) | $1.56 | $2.37 | −34% |
| Plumbing contractor (5183) | $1.56 | $2.70 | −42% |
| Residential carpentry (up to 3 stories) (5645) | $8.83 | $8.71 | +1% |
| Roofing (5551) | $10.09 | $9.64 | +5% |
| Trucking (7219) | $5.60 | $5.72 | −2% |
Oregon uses NCCI class codes. Your insurer applies the rate for your own classes, then your EMR.
What a bad EMR costs in Oregon
Take $500,000 of payroll at Oregon's $0.89 index rate: $4,450 a year at an average mod of 1.00.
- EMR 0.85
- $3,783/yr
- EMR 1.25
- $5,563/yr
- Difference
- +$1,780/yr
A claim year usually stays in the mod for three renewals, so the gap adds up to about $5,340. The mod is built from claims, and the cheapest claim is the injury caught early.
IncidentLog lets crews report an injury or near miss from a job-site QR code in about 90 seconds, so you hear about it the same shift and see patterns on your OSHA 300 log before they become claims.
Create a free accountOregon workers' comp FAQ
Is workers' comp insurance mandatory in Oregon?
Yes. Oregon requires workers' compensation coverage from the first employee. Independent contractors don't need to be covered. Source: Oregon Workers' Compensation Division.
How are workers' comp rates set in Oregon?
Employers can buy coverage from private insurers or from a carrier created by the state that competes with them. The Oregon DCBS study lists NCCI (the National Council on Compensation Insurance) as Oregon's rating organization. Your own premium then depends on your class codes, your payroll and your experience modification rate (EMR).
What is the average workers' comp rate in Oregon?
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services's 2024 study puts Oregon's all-industry index rate at $0.89 per $100 of payroll for rates in effect on January 1, 2024, 82% of the study's national median of $1.09. That ranks Oregon #38 of 51 jurisdictions, where #1 is the most expensive (#42 in the 2022 study). Your own rate depends on your class codes.
Sources
Official texts behind this page (5 quotes)
“Oregon law requires that every employer provide workers’ compensation coverage for its employees.”
Workers' compensation insurance and self-insurance — Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“If you employ one or more workers, you are an employer. A worker is anyone you pay to do work for you who is not an independent contractor.”
Why do I need workers' compensation insurance? (2852) — Oregon Workers' Compensation Division (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Purchasing insurance through SAIF Corporation, the nonprofit state fund”
Workers' compensation insurance and self-insurance — Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Purchasing insurance through a private insurance company”
Workers' compensation insurance and self-insurance — Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Materials contained in this publication are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed without permission from the Workers’ Compensation Division.”
Why do I need workers' compensation insurance? (2852) — Oregon Workers' Compensation Division (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
An estimate for planning, not a quote, legal or insurance advice. IncidentLog is not an insurer or broker. Median rate across all industries: $1.09 per $100.