Meeting Cost Calculator
See what a meeting really costs in salaries and overhead, per meeting and per year.
About the Meeting Cost Calculator
Enter how many people attend, their average salary or hourly rate, the benefits and overhead on top, the meeting length and how often it happens. The calculator gives the cost of each meeting, the yearly cost and the person-hours spent.
Hourly cost is annual salary ÷ 2,080 working hours (52 weeks × 40 hours), plus benefits, payroll taxes and overhead, which commonly add 25–40%.
The formula
Cost = attendees × (salary ÷ 2080) × (1 + overhead) × hours
Worked example
8 people on 90,000 a year, 30% overhead, one hour, weekly
- Hourly cost: 90,000 ÷ 2,080 × 1.3 = 56.25
- Each meeting: 8 × 56.25 = 450
- Every week for a year: 23,400 and 416 person-hours
Questions people ask
Why add overhead?
Employers pay benefits, payroll taxes, office and equipment costs on top of salary.
What about lost focus time?
Not counted; switching tasks costs more than the meeting itself.
How do I cut the cost?
Invite fewer people, shorten it to 25 or 50 minutes, or replace status updates with a written note.