When deciding how much to contribute toward employee health insurance, it’s natural to wonder what other employers are paying. But comparing benefits isn’t as simple as looking at a number.
Costs vary by industry, and what employees get for those costs has changed. Over the last 10 years, high-deductible health plans have become more common, while PPO enrollment has declined.
The short answer: In March 2026, private-industry employers in construction, professional services, financial activities, and education and health services paid an average of $542.75 to $701.89 per month for single coverage and $1,227.25 to $1,750.29 per month for family coverage, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That works out to roughly 73% to 80% of the single-coverage premium and 59% to 71% of the family-coverage premium.
So where does your plan fit in? Here’s a look at what employers are contributing across four industries and how health plans have shifted since 2015.
Employer Health Insurance Contributions by Industry (2026)
These are March 2026 BLS national averages for monthly medical premiums in private industry. Use them as a comparison, not a required contribution or target for your business.
| Industry (BLS category) | Single coverage | Family coverage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employer | Employee | Employer | Employee | |
| Construction | $542.75 | $203.31 | $1,227.25 | $835.63 |
| Professional and business services | $625.01 | $181.15 | $1,521.65 | $809.11 |
| Financial activities | $615.97 | $151.63 | $1,604.13 | $667.56 |
| Education and health services | $701.89 | $172.77 | $1,750.29 | $771.53 |
1. How Much Do Construction Employers Pay for Health Insurance?
Construction employers pay an average of $542.75 per month for single coverage and $1,227.25 per month for family coverage, the lowest employer contributions in this comparison.
Construction stands out among these industries because employees shoulder more of the monthly premium. BLS data shows the difference for both single and family coverage, giving construction employers a benchmark for how they share the cost of coverage with their employees.
Construction Benchmark
- Single coverage: Employer pays $542.75/month | Employee pays $203.31/month
- Family coverage: Employer pays $1,227.25/month | Employee pays $835.63/month
Of course, the monthly premium doesn’t tell you everything. The deductible also affects how much employees might pay when they need care. Review both the premium and the deductible to get a better sense of how your plan compares.
What to compare: Look at what employees pay each month, but check the deductible too. A plan can look affordable on a paycheck but still leave employees paying quite a bit when they need care.
2. How Much Do Professional and Business Services Employers Pay for Health Insurance?
Professional and business services employers pay an average of $625.01 per month for single coverage and $1,521.65 per month for family coverage. That’s more than construction employers contribute, while employees pay a smaller share of the monthly premium.
Professional Services Benchmark
- Single coverage: Employer pays $625.01/month | Employee pays $181.15/month
- Family coverage: Employer pays $1,521.65/month | Employee pays $809.11/month
BLS uses a broad professional and business services category, so the figures aren’t specific to law or architecture. Still, they can give a sense of how your contribution compares.
What to compare: Put the benchmark into dollars. If your employees pay $250 a month for single coverage, for example, they’re paying about $69 more each month than the BLS benchmark. Over a year, that adds up to more than $825.
3. How Much Do Financial Services Employers Pay for Health Insurance?
Financial services employers pay an average of $615.97 per month for single coverage and $1,604.13 per month for family coverage. Accounting, financial, and advisory firms show a different split between employer and employee costs than the other industries.
Financial Services Benchmark
- Single coverage: Employer pays $615.97/month | Employee pays $151.63/month
- Family coverage: Employer pays $1,604.13/month | Employee pays $667.56/month
Employees in this category pay less toward single coverage than workers in the other groups in this comparison. Employers also contribute more toward family coverage than employers in construction or professional services. Note that BLS reports this group as “financial activities,” which also includes insurance and real estate.
What to compare: If your employees pay considerably more than $151.63 a month for single coverage, look at how you split the premium. Even a relatively small monthly difference becomes more noticeable over the course of a year.
4. How Much Do Education and Health Services Employers Pay for Health Insurance?
Education and health services employers pay an average of $701.89 per month for single coverage and $1,750.29 per month for family coverage, the highest employer contributions in this comparison.
In the BLS data, employers cover more of both single and family premiums, while employees pay less than they do in construction or professional services. Keep in mind that BLS groups healthcare with education, so the numbers provide a broad comparison rather than a benchmark for a specific type of healthcare employer.
Education and Health Services Benchmark
- Single coverage: Employer pays $701.89/month | Employee pays $172.77/month
- Family coverage: Employer pays $1,750.29/month | Employee pays $771.53/month
The higher employer contribution changes how the cost of healthcare is split for employees. For single coverage, employees in this category pay about $30 less per month than construction employees, even though the total monthly premium is higher.
What to compare: Use these figures as a starting point rather than a target. For example, a medical practice may want a more specific comparison against other similar medical practices before deciding whether its contribution is competitive.
Are High-Deductible Health Plans Becoming More Common?
Yes. Between 2015 and 2025, the share of covered workers in high-deductible plans with a savings option rose from 24% to 33%, while PPO enrollment fell from 52% to 46%, according to KFF’s Employer Health Benefits Survey.
Employer contributions are only one part of the comparison. Two businesses may contribute similar amounts toward health insurance, but their employees could face very different costs depending on the plan. Annual deductibles have also become more common.
| Plan design measure | 2015 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| PPO enrollment | 52% | 46% ↓ |
| High-deductible plan with a savings option | 24% | 33% ↑ |
| Workers with a general annual deductible | 81% | 88% ↑ |
This change is important when you compare your plan against other employers. One plan may cost employees less each month but have a higher deductible, while another may have a higher monthly premium and a lower deductible. For a step-by-step way to weigh those trade-offs, see our guide on how to evaluate your health insurance renewal.
What Do Benchmarks Mean for Your Business?
Industry benchmarks give a helpful point of comparison when comparing employer health plans, but your plan doesn’t need to match up exactly. What’s more useful is seeing how your costs and coverage compare with what similar employers offer.
Start with how much your business contributes and how much employees pay. Then, factor in the deductible and plan type. Together, those details give you a clearer picture of what your employees are getting for the cost. If you want context on why premiums keep climbing, read what’s driving health insurance costs in 2027.
When reviewing your benefits for the coming year, Helpside can help you compare your plan against industry benchmarks to better understand your options.
Talk with Helpside’s benefits team to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do employers contribute to employee health insurance?
In the four industries compared above, employers paid an average of $542.75 to $701.89 per month for single coverage and $1,227.25 to $1,750.29 for family coverage, according to March 2026 BLS data. These are national industry averages, not amounts every employer is expected to pay.
What percentage of health insurance premiums do employers pay?
In March 2026, private-industry employers in the four BLS categories covered here paid about 73% to 80% of the premium for single coverage and about 59% to 71% for family coverage. Construction employers paid the smallest share. Financial activities and education and health services employers paid the largest.
How much should a small business contribute toward employee health insurance?
No single amount is right for every business. Industry averages, your budget, and what local employers in your industry offer can all shape your contribution. A practical starting point is to compare what your employees pay each month, along with their deductible, against the benchmarks for your industry, then decide where you want to land based on hiring and retention goals.
Does a lower employee premium mean a better health plan?
Not necessarily. A lower monthly premium may come with a higher deductible or other costs when an employee receives care. Compare premiums alongside the deductible, copays, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and provider network.
Are these benchmarks specific to my type of business?
Not always. BLS uses broad categories: “professional and business services” covers more than one profession, and “education and health services” combines different types of employers. Use the figures as a starting point, then look for a more specific comparison when making benefits decisions.
Are small businesses required to offer health insurance?
Under federal law, employers with fewer than 50 full-time or full-time-equivalent employees aren’t required to offer health coverage. Larger employers can owe a penalty if they don’t offer affordable coverage that meets minimum standards. Many small businesses offer health benefits anyway to attract and keep employees.
How can a PEO help a small business with health insurance costs?
A professional employer organization (PEO) combines employees from many small businesses into one larger group, which can give them access to plan options and pricing that are usually available only to larger employers. Helpside’s benefits team can show you how your current plan compares and what your options look like through a PEO.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2026: Single-coverage premiums by industry and family-coverage premiums by industry.
- KFF: 2015 Employer Health Benefits Survey and 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey.
