What is the difference between the direct salary expense multiplier and the net multiplier?

• A. There is a difference; they are not the same number.
• B. The net multiplier includes overhead, the direct multiplier does not.
• C. The direct multiplier includes profit, the net multiplier does not.
• D. There is no difference; they are the same number.

Answer: (D)

In this context, the multiplier used to price direct labor and the multiplier labeled as the net multiplier are the same figure. The direct salary expense multiplier shows how much you mark up direct labor costs to cover the firm’s expenses, and the net multiplier is just that same factor used to convert direct labor costs into billings. Since the framework uses one load factor to apply to direct labor to arrive at billable rates, there isn’t a separate or additional value between them. For example, if direct salary expenses are 100 and the load is 1.3, the billable rate is 130; that 1.3 serves as both the direct salary expense multiplier and the net multiplier.