What a Meeting Really Costs: Loaded Hourly Rates, Attendees, and Recurring Meetings
October 29, 2026
Meetings cost money because every attendee's time has a price. The cost is attendees × loaded hourly rate × hours. The loaded rate includes the salary plus benefits, payroll taxes, and overhead, often 1.25 to 1.4 times the salary. The hourly rate is annual salary ÷ 2,080 working hours.
An average salary of $90,000 gives $90,000 × 1.3 = $117,000 loaded, or $56.25 per hour. A one-hour meeting with 8 attendees costs 8 × $56.25 = $450.
Skip the math and get your answer instantly:
Open the Percentage Calculator →Recurring Meetings
A weekly one-hour meeting with those 8 attendees costs $450 × 52 = $23,400 a year. If it can be cut to 30 minutes and 5 attendees (those who need to be there), the cost per meeting is 5 × $56.25 × 0.5 = $140.63 and $7,313 a year, a saving of $16,088 a year. This does not include the cost of context switching: studies suggest it takes many minutes to refocus after an interruption, so meetings in the middle of a work block are more costly than the clock time. Time spent preparing and following up adds to the cost.
| Meeting | Attendees | Duration | Cost per meeting | Annual cost (weekly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | 8 | 1 hour | $450 | $23,400 |
| Trimmed | 5 | 30 minutes | $141 | $7,313 |
| Senior leadership (loaded $150/h) | 6 | 1 hour | $900 | $46,800 |
Is the Meeting Worth It?
Compare the cost with the value of the decision: a $450 meeting that settles a $50,000 vendor choice is a bargain, while a status meeting that could be an email may not be. Before scheduling, ask what decision or outcome is needed, who must be present, whether it can be handled asynchronously, and whether it can be shorter. Set an agenda, end at the planned time, and record decisions.
Reducing Meeting Costs
Default to 25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60, limit the invitees to decision makers and necessary contributors (others can read the notes), schedule meetings back to back in a block to protect focus time, and review recurring meetings quarterly: cancel the ones that no longer have a purpose. Use the cost estimate as a conversation starter, not as a precise measurement.
Caveats
Salary-based costing is an estimate. Some meetings produce value that is hard to quantify, such as relationship building or alignment. The point is to make the cost visible and to ensure that the time is used well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the cost of a meeting?
Attendees times loaded hourly rate times duration.
What is a loaded rate?
Salary plus benefits and overhead, often 1.25 to 1.4 times salary.
How many working hours are in a year?
About 2,080.
How much does a weekly one-hour meeting of eight cost in the example?
$23,400 a year.
How can I cut meeting costs?
Fewer attendees, shorter duration, and regular reviews.