By company size
At your size, the honest question is PEO vs. in-house
You could build an HR department. The comparison is total cost, capability, and risk, and it deserves real numbers on both sides.
What the comparison actually includes
Fully loaded in-house cost
Salaries, systems, benefits brokerage, and the compliance bench you would still need.
Purchasing power
Whether your own group can match the plan access a large PEO group has.
Risk allocation
What stays on your balance sheet versus what shifts by contract.
Common questions
Do PEOs even serve companies our size?
Yes. Several national PEOs build specifically for the 100 to 500 range, and terms improve with scale. Your negotiating position is stronger than a 15-person company's.
Can we do a hybrid?
Some companies keep strategic HR in-house and use a PEO for administration, benefits, and compliance. It is a real option worth pricing.