If the wage rate paid per hour differs from the standard wage rate per hour for direct labor, the variance is a

A) variable variance
B) rate variance
C) quantity variance
D) volume variance

Rate Variance

The difference between an expected or standard cost and the actual cost incurred, often used in budgeting and financial analysis to gauge performance.

Standard Wage Rate

The predetermined rate of pay for a specific job or task over a set time period.

Wage Rate

The amount of compensation paid to an employee per unit of time (e.g., hour, day, week) for their labor.