Meeting Cost Calculator
See the real dollar cost of any meeting — enter the number of people, average hourly wage, and how long it runs.
A 1-hour meeting with 10 people isn't 1 hour lost — it's 10 hours of collective time and often $500+ in salary cost.
23hr
Hours per week senior managers spend in meetings on average
$37B
Estimated annual cost of unnecessary meetings to US businesses
71%
Of workers say meetings are unproductive and keep them from doing real work
The hidden cost of meeting culture
Why time spent in meetings is money spent by the business.
The meeting paradox
Meetings are called to coordinate work, but too many meetings prevent work from being done. Every person added to a meeting multiplies its cost — and its coordination overhead. The most productive teams treat meeting invites like expensive resources.
No-meeting days work
Companies like Shopify, Asynchrony Labs, and Basecamp have implemented 'no meeting' days or blocks. Employees consistently report higher productivity and morale. Even one protected deep-work day per week can transform output.
The agenda rule
Meetings without an agenda run 37% longer on average and are rated as significantly less productive by participants. A one-line agenda ('Decide on Q3 launch date') transforms a meandering call into a focused decision session.
How the Meeting Cost Calculator Works
Formula
Total Cost = Attendees × Hourly Wage × (Duration ÷ 60)
Cost Per Minute = Total Cost ÷ Duration
Annual Cost (weekly) = Total Cost × 52Enter number of attendees
Every additional person multiplies the cost.
Set average hourly wage
Use loaded cost (salary + benefits) for accuracy — typically 1.3× base salary.
Set duration in minutes
Use the quick presets: 15, 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes.
Read the results
Total meeting cost, cost per minute, and projected annual cost if the meeting recurs weekly.
This calculator shows the direct salary cost of time spent in meetings. It doesn't capture opportunity cost — the work not done while people are in the meeting — which is often even larger.
The annual cost assumes 52 recurring weeks. If the meeting is biweekly, halve that number. Use these figures to make a business case for shorter, fewer, or asynchronous meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
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