Find out what a meeting really costs in salary time, per meeting and per year for recurring meetings, so you can decide whether it is worth it.
Why meeting cost matters
A meeting does not show up on a budget, but it uses the paid time of everyone in the room. A recurring meeting can quietly cost thousands of dollars a year. Seeing the number helps teams decide which meetings to keep, shorten or replace with a written update.
Meeting cost = attendees × average hourly cost × hours
Estimating hourly cost
Divide annual salary by 2,080 working hours. A $75,000 salary is about $36 an hour. Employers also pay benefits and taxes, often 25% to 40% on top of salary, so a fully loaded cost of around $45 to $50 an hour is realistic for that salary.
Worked example
A weekly 1-hour meeting with 6 people at an average cost of $45 an hour costs $270 each time and about $14,040 a year. Cutting it to 45 minutes saves about $3,500 a year.
Ways to make meetings cheaper and better
- Share an agenda in advance and end when the agenda is done.
- Invite only decision-makers and contributors; share notes with everyone else.
- Default to 25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60.
- Replace status updates with a short written summary.
Frequently asked questions
Does this include the time spent preparing?
No. Preparation and context-switching add more hidden cost, so the true figure is usually higher.
Should I use salary or billable rates?
For internal cost, use loaded salary cost. For client work, using billable rates shows the revenue opportunity lost.
Related tools
Results are estimates for planning and education only. They are not financial, tax, legal or medical advice. Check important numbers with a qualified professional.