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PEO 101 · Case studies
PEO case studies:
the numbers behind the switch.
Six real businesses, from a 20-person nonprofit to a 243-person construction firm, and what changed after they compared PEOs side by side.
Industries:
Construction
Nonprofit
Manufacturing
Healthcare
243-employee construction firm
Annual costs · previous PEO vs. new PEO
Real client
Year 1 savings
Result
Admin, WC, SUTA
−$50,431
Fixed costs
No change
Medical insurance
−$195,697
Billing
Itemized
Mod rating
Lowered
Total saved
$246,128
Previous PEO
Before
Admin fee
Bundled
Work comp
Bundled
Admin, WC, SUTA
$322,795
Fixed costs
$592,552
Medical insurance
$900,241
Total
$1,815,588
New PEO
After
Admin fee
$177,028
Work comp
$68,903
SUTA
$26,432
Fixed costs
$592,552
Medical insurance
$704,544
Total
$1,569,460
The previous PEO billed admin, work comp and SUTA as one bundled number.
Well-known PEOs you can compare, including
Results at a glance
Six businesses,
six different wins.
Every result below comes from a real PEO Marketplace client. Client names are kept private.
$246,128 saved in year one
243-employee construction firm. Bundled billing, creeping admin fees and a work comp increase. Four PEOs with construction experience bid side by side, and the winner offered better health coverage plus claims support.
$52,505 saved in year one
20-employee nonprofit. Locked into a legacy PEO with bundled fees, a rising work comp mod and spiking premiums. Quotes from several nonprofit-friendly PEOs came back within three days, decoded line by line.
Over 27% saved on PEO services
50-employee tech startup. Struggling with HR admin, compliance and competitive benefits. After switching, HR admin time dropped 40% and employee retention rose 25% in the first year.
15% saved on work comp
203-employee manufacturer. High work comp costs, payroll errors and complex labor laws. With the right PEO, work comp costs fell 15% and payroll errors dropped 90%.
30% more job applications
75-employee healthcare practice. Multiple locations, uncompetitive benefits and high turnover. Better benefits through a PEO brought 30% more applicants and 20% lower turnover.
60% fewer compliance violations
120-employee construction company. OSHA rules, payroll tax and multi-state compliance, including California. With PEO support, compliance violations fell 60% and work comp claims dropped 10%.
The pattern
What changes when PEOs
compete for your business.
When several vetted PEOs quote the same business in the same format, bundled fees and markups become visible, and you can see exactly what you'd pay before you sign. That's the pattern behind every case study on this page.
$298K+
saved in year one by the two clients detailed below
4
PEOs with construction experience bid for one client
3 days
for a nonprofit to receive multiple PEO quotes
40+
vetted PEOs to compare side by side
Figures from PEO Marketplace client engagements. Results vary by business.
What we did in every case
The same process, every time.
Collected payroll, census and work comp history once
Built one standardized request for PEO quotes
Decoded every quote: admin fee, work comp, SUTA and medical
Flagged bundled billing and markups
Negotiated admin fees and terms
Supported the transition so payroll and benefits didn't skip a beat
Free to compare
Could your business be next?
Tell us your headcount, location and what you're paying today. We'll line up vetted PEOs side by side so you can see what you'd pay before you decide.
Case study · construction
A 243-employee construction firm
saved $246,128 in year one.
A fast-growing construction firm, a PEO that bundled every charge into one monthly invoice, and costs that kept climbing.
The problem
Bundled billing, rising costs
Admin fees had crept up for years, health renewals were weak, and work comp losses triggered a big premium increase. One lump invoice made it hard to see where the money went.
What we did
One upload, four PEO bids
The firm uploaded payroll, census and work comp history once. We built a standardized request, and four PEOs with construction experience bid side by side, every fee decoded.
The result
$246,128 saved in year one
Medical insurance fell by $195,697 and admin, work comp and SUTA by $50,431, with better coverage and fully itemized billing.
What else changed
Lower mod, better benefits
A dedicated claims team helped lower the mod rating, the benefits package improved retention, and the switch happened with no disruption to payroll or benefits.
Case study · nonprofit
A 20-employee nonprofit saved $52,505 in year one
This nonprofit was locked into a legacy PEO agreement that bundled admin fees and insurance into one line item. At renewal, its work comp mod jumped and health premiums spiked. After one short intake, it had quotes from several nonprofit-friendly PEOs within three days, decoded line by line.
Real client. Year-one costs: $282,698 with the previous PEO vs. $230,193 with the new PEO.
Before
Admin, work comp and SUTA bundled into one number
Work comp mod jumped at renewal
Health premiums spiked
No real HR guidance
After
Every fee itemized
Pay-as-you-go work comp, no big deposit
Medical costs down $29,904 with richer benefits
Real HR support and clearer reporting
Quick check
Could you see results like these?
If two or more of these sound like you, a side-by-side comparison is worth it.
Your PEO bills admin, work comp and taxes as one number
Your admin fees have crept up over the years
Your health renewal came in high
Your work comp mod went up
You haven't compared PEOs in the last two years
You have between 5 and 500 employees
Compare your options
Renewing as-is vs.
comparing before you renew.
Renew as-is
Get one new quote
PEO Marketplace
What you see on the invoice
Often bundled
One PEO's format
Every fee itemized
Time to compare quotes
Not compared
Faster, one quote
Fastest
PEOs quoting
None
One
Several vetted PEOs
Markups and extra fees
Hard to see
Nothing to compare against
Flagged up front
Negotiating power
Low
Some
Highest, with PEOs quoting side by side
Comparing quotes
Nothing to compare
One quote vs. your renewal
Side by side, every fee decoded
Point of view
Yours alone
One PEO's offer
Vendor-neutral, all options
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Case study FAQ
Questions about
these results.
Reviewed by PEO Marketplace, a licensed Florida insurance agency (#L129491). Last updated October 2026.
Are these case studies from real clients?
Yes. Every case study on this page comes from a real PEO Marketplace client. We keep client names private, but the industries, team sizes and results are as reported.
How much can a business save by switching PEOs?
It depends on your team, industry and current PEO. In our two detailed case studies, a 20-employee nonprofit saved $52,505 and a 243-employee construction firm saved $246,128 in year one. Some businesses find their current deal is already competitive, and that's worth knowing too.
Where do PEO savings usually come from?
Usually from a mix of lower admin fees, better health insurance pricing, more accurate work comp rates and removing markups hidden in bundled billing. In the construction case, most of the savings came from medical insurance.
What is bundled PEO billing?
Bundled billing combines the admin fee, work comp and state unemployment tax (SUTA) into one number. It makes it hard to see what each piece costs, which is why both detailed case studies started by breaking those charges apart.
How fast can I get PEO quotes?
It depends on how quickly your documents come in. In the nonprofit case, multiple quotes came back within three days of a complete submission. Here's what PEOs need to quote you.
Will switching PEOs disrupt payroll or benefits?
It shouldn't, with planning. In the construction case, we managed the transition, from data migration to employee onboarding, with no disruption to payroll or benefits.
Can a PEO help lower my work comp mod?
A PEO can't change past claims, but strong claims management and safety support can help lower your mod over time. Both detailed case studies saw their mod improve after switching.
Do you only work with large companies?
No. We work with businesses from 5 to 500 employees. The case studies here range from 20 to 243 employees. To estimate your own costs, try our PEO calculator.
What is the $500 savings guarantee?
If you're already on a full-service PEO today (PEO plus health insurance and work comp), we guarantee savings of $500 per employee per year when you compare through us.
How do I get started?
Book a free comparison and share your headcount, location and current PEO invoice if you have one. We'll line up vetted PEOs side by side, with every fee decoded. Prefer to read first? Start with what a PEO is.
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