How we calculate interview cost.
Every number on this site traces back to a published source. Here are the data sources, the core formulae, the default assumptions, and the freshness policy. If anything looks wrong, tell us.
Data sources.
We cite four primary sources and a small number of secondary industry reports. We do not re-publish proprietary data; everything on this site is derived from publicly accessible sources.
Cost-per-hire averages by industry and role level, time-to-fill medians, recruiter productivity benchmarks. Released annually; our figures use the 2026 release (published late 2025).
National median salaries by SOC occupation code, published annually. We use the May 2024 release (published March 2025) for the loaded-rate tables on the interviewer time cost page.
Benefits as a percentage of total compensation. We use this to justify the 1.35 benefits multiplier default for loaded-rate calculations.
Job-posting volume, time-to-fill medians, and skills demand trends. Used to cross-reference SHRM time-to-fill numbers and to add role-specific figures (product manager, ML engineer, etc.) not covered in the BLS occupation codes.
Engineering interview hours, context-switch cost, and technical-signal research. Used as a source for the context-switch multiplier (1.3 to 1.5x) and the engineering-hours per hire tables.
The core formulae.
SHRM/ANSI Standard CPH-001, 2012. Excludes vacancy cost and onboarding by design.
2,080 = 40 hr/week x 52 weeks. Default benefits multiplier is 1.35, which is the midpoint of the 1.25 to 1.45 industry range and aligns with BLS ECEC data showing private-industry benefits at 31 to 35 percent of total comp.
260 = 52 weeks x 5 working days. Impact factor is 1x for entry/admin, 2x for IC in revenue roles, 2.5x for managers, 3x for leadership.
The five-component model. Not a SHRM standard metric; we publish it because it is what finance teams actually want to budget against.
Default assumptions.
| Assumption | Default | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Benefits multiplier | 1.35 | Midpoint of 1.25 to 1.45 industry range; aligns with BLS ECEC data |
| Working hours per year | 2,080 | 40 hours x 52 weeks, standard US workforce assumption |
| Working days per year | 260 | 5 days x 52 weeks, standard US workforce assumption |
| Impact factor, entry / admin | 1.0x | Output roughly equals salary |
| Impact factor, individual contributor | 2.0x | Revenue or impact roles produce 2x salary in value |
| Impact factor, manager | 2.5x | Force-multiplied across team output |
| Impact factor, leadership | 3.0x | Strategic impact across the organisation |
| Context-switch multiplier (engineering) | 1.4x | Interviewing.io research, Cal Newport deep-work research |
| Recruiter hours per hire, in-house | 14 hrs | Industry benchmark from SHRM 2026 and internal portfolio data |
| Recruiter loaded rate, in-house | $50/hr | ~$90K salary x 1.35 / 2,080, typical SMB and mid-market recruiter comp |
| Tooling amortised per hire | $250 | Mid-market stack cost ($80K to $200K) / typical annual hire volume |
What we do not include.
The calculator and cost models on this site deliberately exclude several categories that are part of total cost of employee but not part of cost of hire. Here is what and why:
Onboarding and ramp are post-hire productivity costs, not recruiting costs. Including them mixes metrics and makes CPH non-comparable across companies. If you want total cost of employee, add onboarding as a separate line.
Relocation is only included when it is part of the offer. Voluntary relocation paid by the candidate is excluded. Most SHRM benchmarks align with this treatment.
Included per SHRM/ANSI standard, but can be controversial. Some firms amortise sign- on over the first year as a retention cost instead. Pick one treatment and apply consistently.
Excluded from loaded-rate calculations because equity is not delivered per hour worked. Included in total-comp percentage calculations for retained search fees.
Separate metric. Worth tracking but not part of the cost-to-hire model. See the reduce-costs page for why structured interviews reduce this.
Freshness policy.
We re-verify data quarterly against the source publications. Salary medians refresh when the BLS OEWS May release lands (typically March each year). SHRM benchmark figures refresh when the annual Talent Access report is published (typically late in the calendar year). Industry-specific figures refresh when ADP, Lightcast, or other industry reports publish updates.
Tell us if something is wrong.
We want corrections. If a figure does not match the source, a formula has an error, or a benchmark is out of date, email [email protected] with the specific number and the source. We verify and publish corrections within two weeks of a substantiated correction request.
Every number in the calculator traces to one of the formulae above. Start there.