How to use the meeting cost calculator
- Enter the number of attendees and choose whether you will type hourly pay or yearly salary.
- Enter the average pay for the group. A salary is divided by 2,080 hours, which is 40 hours for 52 weeks.
- Add a percent for benefits and overhead if you want the fuller cost, or 0 for pay only. Then enter the meeting length in minutes.
- Pick how often it repeats to see the cost per year. Use Copy result or Print to share the number.
Formula
Hourly cost per person = hourly pay x (1 + overhead %)
Cost of a meeting = hourly cost x attendees x minutes / 60
Cost per year = cost of a meeting x number of meetings per year
Meetings per year are 1 for a one time meeting, 260 for every workday, 52 weekly, 26 every two weeks and 12 monthly. A yearly salary is converted to hourly pay by dividing by 2,080.
Worked example
A weekly one hour meeting has 8 attendees who average $45 an hour. With 25% added for benefits and overhead, each person costs 45 x 1.25 = $56.25 an hour.
One meeting costs 56.25 x 8 x 1 = $450. Held every week for 52 weeks it costs $23,400 a year.
A 30 minute one time meeting for 5 people with salaries averaging $90,000 and no overhead costs $108.17, because $90,000 / 2,080 = $43.27 an hour.
Why put a price on a meeting
People rarely think of a meeting as a spending decision, but every attendee is not doing something else for that time. Seeing the dollar figure helps you decide who really needs to be there, whether the time could be shorter, and whether a recurring meeting still earns its place. It is a prompt for thought and not a rule.
What the number includes
The figure covers only the hours spent in the meeting at average pay, plus the percent you add for benefits and overhead. It does not include preparation, travel, the time it takes to refocus, or what the meeting makes possible. Some meetings are worth many times what they cost. The aim is to make that choice on purpose.
Ways to lower the cost
Keep the invite list short, set a clear agenda, and end when the work is done. A shorter standing meeting or one skipped week can add up. For agendas and notes try the meeting agenda and minutes template.
Assumptions and limits
- Everyone in the meeting is paid the same average rate.
- A work year is 2,080 hours, and an every workday meeting happens 260 times a year.
- The overhead percent is a number you choose, and 25% is only an example.
- The result measures time cost and not the value of the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the cost of a meeting?
Multiply each person's hourly cost by the length of the meeting in hours, then add the people together. With one average rate, that is the rate times the attendees times the hours.
Should I add benefits and overhead?
It is optional. Pay alone understates what time costs an employer, so many people add a percent for benefits and overhead. Set it to 0 if you want only wages.
How do I compare meetings with different pay levels?
Use the average pay for the group, or run the tool once for each level of pay and add the results.
Does it work for a client call or a volunteer group?
Yes, you can enter any hourly value for time, even for volunteers if you want to see what the time is worth. The figure is a way of valuing time, not an actual bill.