How the meeting cost calculator works
A meeting's direct cost is the paid time of everyone in the room. Employer costs are higher than salaries because of benefits, payroll taxes and equipment.
Yearly cost = Cost per meeting × Meetings per week × 50 weeks
To turn an annual salary into an hourly rate, divide by about 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks); $125,000 is roughly $60 an hour. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that benefits make up about 30% of total employee compensation, which is the default overhead. The calculation leaves out the cost of context switching before and after, which research on interruptions suggests can be significant.
Worked example
A weekly one-hour meeting with six people averaging $60 an hour costs 6 × $60 × 1.3 = $468 each time, or $7.80 a minute. Over 50 weeks that is $23,400 and 300 people-hours a year. Cutting it to 30 minutes, or to four people, saves about half.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the cost of a meeting?
Multiply the number of attendees by their average hourly cost and by the meeting length in hours.
How do I convert salary to hourly?
Divide annual salary by about 2,080 working hours.
What overhead should I use?
Around 25% to 40% covers benefits and payroll taxes for most US employers.
Are meetings a waste of money?
Not necessarily, but recurring meetings are worth checking against the decisions and outcomes they produce.
Updated October 2026. Results are estimates for education, not financial or medical advice. All math runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.