What inputs does the Meeting Cost Calculator need?

It takes 5 inputs: attendees, averageLoadedHourlyRate, durationMinutes, meetingsPerWeek (default 1), weeksPerYear (default 48). Outputs returned: costPerMeeting, weeklyCost, annualCost.

Can I verify the Meeting Cost Calculator with a worked example?

Yes. With attendees = 8, rate = $100/hr, duration = 60 min, meetings = 2/wk, weeks = 48. the tool returns cost_per_meeting = $800, weekly = $1,600, annual = $76,800.

Where does the Meeting Cost Calculator get its benchmark data?

Reference data is sourced from: US BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) (as of 2024).

What can the Meeting Cost Calculator not tell me?

Known limitations: Salary alone understates true meeting cost; context-switch and opportunity-cost estimates vary widely in the academic literature and are not bundled. Does not discount for meetings that genuinely create value — the tool reports cost, not net value.

Methodology: Meeting Cost Calculator

1. Scope

Computes the direct salary cost of a meeting from attendee count, loaded hourly rate, duration, and frequency. It does not quantify opportunity cost, context-switch cost, or decision quality.

2. Inputs and outputs

Inputs

attendees number
averageLoadedHourlyRate number (currency)
durationMinutes number
meetingsPerWeek number default: 1
weeksPerYear number default: 48

Outputs

costPerMeeting

attendees × rate × duration/60.
weeklyCost

costPerMeeting × meetingsPerWeek.
annualCost

weeklyCost × weeksPerYear.

Engine source: src/lib/meeting-cost-calculator/engine.ts

3. Formula / scoring logic

cost_per_meeting = attendees * hourly_rate * duration_minutes / 60
annual_cost      = cost_per_meeting * meetings_per_week * weeks_per_year

4. Assumptions

Hourly rate is fully loaded (salary + benefits + overhead ÷ working hours).
Every attendee is billable-time-on-task during the meeting.
Prep and follow-up time are out of scope — add them manually if material.

5. Data sources

US BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) as of 2024

6. Known limitations

Salary alone understates true meeting cost; context-switch and opportunity-cost estimates vary widely in the academic literature and are not bundled.
Does not discount for meetings that genuinely create value — the tool reports cost, not net value.

7. Reproducibility

Input
attendees = 8, rate = $100/hr, duration = 60 min, meetings = 2/wk, weeks = 48.

Expected output
cost_per_meeting = $800, weekly = $1,600, annual = $76,800.

8. Change log

2026-04-24 methodology page first published.

Worked example

Run live against the same engine this site ships (/engines/meeting-cost-calculator.js). The inputs and outputs below are recomputed on every build and independently re-verified in CI — they are never hand-authored.

Input

tool: meeting_cost_calculator
frequency: weekly
meetings_per_week: 0
attendees: 6
avg_hourly_rate: 75
duration_minutes: 60

Output

costPerMeeting: 450
costPerMinute: 7.5
weeklyCost: 450
monthlyCost: 1948.5
yearlyCost: 23400

Frequently asked questions

What does the Meeting Cost Calculator calculate?: Computes the direct salary cost of a meeting from attendee count, loaded hourly rate, duration, and frequency. It does not quantify opportunity cost, context-switch cost, or decision quality.
What inputs does the Meeting Cost Calculator need?: It takes 5 inputs: attendees, averageLoadedHourlyRate, durationMinutes, meetingsPerWeek (default 1), weeksPerYear (default 48). Outputs returned: costPerMeeting, weeklyCost, annualCost.
What formula does the Meeting Cost Calculator use?: The exact computation is: cost_per_meeting = attendees * hourly_rate * duration_minutes / 60; annual_cost = cost_per_meeting * meetings_per_week * weeks_per_year
Can I verify the Meeting Cost Calculator with a worked example?: Yes. With attendees = 8, rate = $100/hr, duration = 60 min, meetings = 2/wk, weeks = 48. the tool returns cost_per_meeting = $800, weekly = $1,600, annual = $76,800.
Where does the Meeting Cost Calculator get its benchmark data?: Reference data is sourced from: US BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) (as of 2024).
What can the Meeting Cost Calculator not tell me?: Known limitations: Salary alone understates true meeting cost; context-switch and opportunity-cost estimates vary widely in the academic literature and are not bundled. Does not discount for meetings that genuinely create value — the tool reports cost, not net value.