How to use the meeting cost calculator and timer
- Enter Attendees (1 to 10,000) and Hourly cost per person in dollars (0 to 100,000). The page shows the cost per hour and per minute straight away.
- Build the Agenda: type an Agenda item, set its Minutes (1 to 600) and press Add item. Three sample items are loaded, and Clear agenda removes them.
- Press Start meeting. The first item starts, the clock runs and the cost climbs.
- Press Next item when you move on. Each row shows time used against time planned, and turns red with the overrun if a topic runs long. A chime sounds when an item uses its minutes.
- Press End meeting to stop the clock and see the total cost and whether you finished over or under the plan.
How the cost is calculated
Cost is hours elapsed times attendees times hourly cost per person. The page adds to the total as time passes, charging each moment at the attendees and hourly cost entered at that moment, so raising Attendees when someone joins late changes the cost only from then on and never rewrites what has already been spent. Time comes from your device clock.
For the hourly figure, use what an hour of a person costs the employer, not take-home pay. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in June 2026 private industry employers paid $46.89 per hour worked in total compensation, of which wages and salaries were $32.82 (70.0 percent) and benefits $14.07 (30.0 percent). Total compensation therefore ran about 1.43 times wages. A $100,000 salary is about $48.08 an hour over 2,080 working hours, and about $69 an hour with benefits. To convert a salary yourself, use the hourly to salary calculator.
Worked example with the default settings
The page opens with 5 attendees at $75.00 an hour and shows "5 people at $75.00 per hour is $375.00 per hour ($6.25 per minute)." The sample agenda is Updates 10 min, Decisions 15 min and Next steps 5 min, so it reads "Agenda: 3 items, 30 min planned. At this rate that costs $187.50." After 10 minutes the clock shows 10:00 and the cost $62.50. If you press End meeting at 32:00, the cost is $200.00 and the summary says the meeting ran 2:00 over its 30 minute plan.
Limits and edge cases
- One average rate covers everyone. For very different pay levels, use the mean, or total the hourly costs yourself and enter 1 attendee.
- The figure counts payroll cost only, not lost focus or the work people would have done instead.
- Your attendees, rate and agenda are saved in this browser only, and a running meeting is not saved if you close the page. For tracking your own hours, see the time card calculator.
Meeting cost FAQ
How do you calculate the cost of a meeting?
Multiply the number of attendees by their average hourly cost, then by the hours the meeting lasts. Eight people at $80 an hour cost $640 for a 60 minute meeting, or $10.67 a minute.
What hourly cost should I use?
Use the fully loaded cost, not take-home pay. Divide annual salary by 2,080 working hours, then multiply by about 1.4 to cover benefits and employer taxes, which matches the BLS June 2026 ratio of total compensation to wages. Add more if you also want to count equipment and space.
How do I keep each agenda item on time?
Give every topic a number of minutes, press Next item as you move on, and watch the row for the item. It shows time used against time planned and turns red with the overrun, and a chime sounds when the planned minutes are used up.
What if people join or leave during the meeting?
Change the Attendees field while the clock is running. The new head count applies from that moment, and the cost already counted stays the same.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026 (released September 9, 2026). Estimates only, not financial advice.