In Sweden, a decent salary is 50 kSEK (salaries are negotiated per-month rather than per-year). That is pre-income-tax, post-social-taxes.
Company cost per month: 50kSEK salary + 16 kSEK payroll tax + 5 kSEK private pension (optional but 99% of all employers offer this) Employee income: 50 kSEK - 15kSEK (tax) State gets: 15kSEK (income tax) + 16kSEK (payroll tax)
The above is a bit simplified, but accurate. Major benefits are 30 days off, 400 days parental leave, free health care, free college.
How would the company cost/employee income/state income look in the US?
Employee Salary: $100,000 Taxes Payable by Employee: Federal, State, Local, Payroll (Social Security, Medicare, other Local taxes like NY Family Leave)
Taxes Payable by Employer: Social Security, Medicare, other Local payroll taxes
Depending on your state, city, income level, married status, children, and type of worker you are (W2, 1099)... these variables will affect how the actual rate is calculated.
So suffice it to say that the income tax calculation alone is complicated enough (to perpetuate the accounting industry of course) and the matter gets extremely complicated when looking at LLC income, Corporation income, Capital Gains income which every Robinhood trader now has and of course compliance with business regulations which is so infinitely complicated that you can almost never be proactive in facing them and instead can only react to a fine when you receive it.
EDIT: A single man working in NYC making 100k will have an effective tax rate closing in on 40%, typically 22% federal, 7% state, 3% local nyc, 7.5% payroll