The 5-Minute Tool

DFW 2026 Wage Reset Worksheet

The 5-minute payroll variance check. Type your roles, watch your 2026 merit plan stack up against the DFW market rate and the national rate. Built for the operator who already feels the gap.

Edition 013 - May 21, 2026 - Big Techs Newsletter

Your Roles

Up to 10 roles. Numbers save automatically to this browser.

Methodology and Caveats

Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Cost Index, Dallas-Fort Worth metro, March 2026 release. View the BLS release.

DFW Market Rate: 1.8% (private-industry wages and salaries, 12-month change ending March 2026).

National Rate: 3.4% (US private-industry wages and salaries, same period).

What this is: a directional payroll variance check. Useful for board prep, CFO conversations, and 2026 budget calibration.

What this isn't: compensation advice. Merit increases are one lever - benefits, bonuses, equity, and retention costs are not modeled. 1.8% is the metro average; senior roles and specialist functions may move faster.

12-Month Payroll

Total org payroll under each scenario, updated as you type.

Your Plan 4.5% $0 Current spreadsheet
DFW Market 1.8% $0 BLS ECI March 2026
National 3.4% $0 For reference
Role Your Plan DFW National
Org Total $0 $0 $0
If you recalibrate to the DFW market rate
You free up
$0
Equivalent to 0 new hires at $80K base.
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Want a CFO-ready version?

If the variance number above is uncomfortable, that's the point. Modo helps DFW operators turn that gap into a defensible 2026 comp plan - benefits, retention risk, and IT spend included. A 30-minute conversation gets you a written readout.

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