Workers' Compensation Weekly Benefit Calculator (2025)

How to Calculate Workers’ Compensation Weekly Benefits

Workers’ comp pays you about 2/3 of your weekly pay when you can’t work. If you made $900 a week, you’d get around $600 weekly. Most states use this same rule.

Here’s how to find your weekly benefit:

1. Find your average weekly wage
2. Multiply by 66.67% (or 2/3)
3. Check your state’s limits

Average Weekly Wage (AWW) Calculation Methods

Your average weekly wage is what you earned before getting hurt. Add up your pay for the whole year, then divide by 52 weeks.

How to Calculate AWW

Full-time workers:

• Add all your gross pay for 52 weeks
• Divide by 52
• That’s your AWW

Example: You earned $46,800 last year. Your AWW is $900 ($46,800 ÷ 52).

Other Work Situations

• Part-time: Use total pay divided by weeks actually worked • New job: Your state uses similar workers’ pay • Multiple jobs: Add pay from all jobs together

Benefit Rate Percentages by Injury Type

Most injuries pay 66.67% of your average weekly wage. But it depends on how hurt you are.

State Differences

Most states pay the same rate. But a few are different:

• Washington: 60% if single, 65% with family
• California: 66.67% plus yearly increases

Maximum and Minimum Weekly Benefit Limits

Every state has caps on how much you can get. High earners don’t get unlimited benefits. Low earners get at least a minimum amount.

2025 State Examples

How limits work: If your calculation is $2,000 but your state max is $1,200, you only get $1,200.

Simple Calculation Example

A worker in California making $1,200 per week:

1. Weekly wage: $1,200
2. Benefit rate: $1,200 × 66.67% = $800
3. State check: $800 is under the $1,680 limit
4. You get: $800 per week

That’s it. Most calculations are this simple.

Remember: Each state has different rules. Check with your state’s workers’ comp office for exact amounts.

2025 Workers’ Compensation Weekly Benefit Rates by State

Workers’ comp benefits vary a lot by state. Some states pay over $1,600 per week maximum. Others cap benefits around $800. Your state’s average weekly wage sets these limits.

Most states pay 66.67% of your wages. But the maximum you can get depends on where you work. Here’s what each state pays in 2025.

State-by-State Benefit Comparison Table

Note: Some states use monopolistic funds with different rate structures

How to Find Your State’s Current Rates

1. Check your state’s workers’ comp website
2. Look for “benefit rates” or “maximum weekly benefits”
3. Find the current year’s schedule
4. Compare to your average weekly wage

Highest Paying States for Workers’ Comp Benefits

These states pay the most in weekly benefits for 2025:

Top 10 States by Maximum Weekly Benefits

1. California: $1,680 per week maximum
2. Minnesota: $1,482 per week maximum
3. Pennsylvania: $1,347 per week maximum
4. New York: Around $1,200+ per week maximum
5. Illinois: Varies by current SAWW calculation
6. New Jersey: High benefit state (varies)
7. Connecticut: High benefit state (varies)
8. Massachusetts: High benefit state (varies)
9. Washington: State fund with good benefits
10. Oregon: Good benefit levels

What Makes These States Pay More

High-paying states usually have:

• Higher average wages overall
• More expensive cost of living
• Strong worker protection laws
• Regular benefit adjustments

Monopolistic vs. Competitive States

Some states only let you buy coverage from the state:

• Monopolistic: North Dakota, Wyoming, Ohio, Washington
• Competitive: Most other states let you choose insurers

Monopolistic states often have different benefit structures.

How State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) Affects Your Benefits

Your state’s average weekly wage sets the maximum benefits you can get. State average weekly wage represents the average of wages paid to the workers in a state over a calendar year period.

How SAWW Works

Each state calculates SAWW differently:

• Total wages divided by total number of employees in the past six months
• Based on data from employers covered under the state Unemployment Compensation Law
• Updated annually or semi-annually

SAWW Examples for 2025

Minnesota: SAWW effective Oct. 1, 2024, will be $1,372. This is a 2.62% increase from the previous SAWW of $1,337.

Pennsylvania: Maximum weekly compensation rate for calendar year 2025 is $1,347.00

How SAWW Affects Your Benefits

Your state uses SAWW to set:

• Maximum weekly benefits: Usually 100-200% of SAWW
• Minimum weekly benefits: Usually 20% of maximum
• Annual adjustments: Most states update yearly

Example: If your state’s SAWW is $1,000:

• Maximum benefit might be $1,500 (150% of SAWW)
• Minimum benefit might be $300 (20% of maximum)
• Your benefit is 66.67% of your wage, capped at the maximum

Why SAWW Changes Each Year

States adjust SAWW because:

• Wages go up with inflation
• More people get jobs
• Economic conditions change
• Average SAWW change since 2014 is 3.46%

This means your maximum benefits usually increase each year, even if your wages stay the same.

Finding Your State’s Current SAWW

Check these resources:

• Your state’s Department of Labor website
• Workers’ compensation commission site
• Insurance department announcements
• Benefits are usually updated July 1st or January 1st

Remember: SAWW sets the ceiling for benefits, not your actual payment. You still get 66.67% of your average weekly wage, up to the state maximum.