Cost of Vacancy Calculator

Calculate the true financial impact of unfilled positions on your organization

Cost of Vacancy Calculator

The Hidden Cost of Open Positions

Did you know that according to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), the cost to hire a new employee can be three to four times the employee's salary? That cost only increases the longer a position remains open.

Cost of vacancy (COV) is the opportunity cost of unfilled positions—the difference between benefits and payroll savings minus hard and soft costs like loss of revenue, productivity, and employee morale from not having that employee.

3-4x
Salary cost to hire
42
Days average time to fill
25%
Team productivity loss
$15K
Average recruitment cost

Calculate Your Vacancy Cost

Use the calculator below to estimate the financial impact of unfilled positions in your organization.

Company Information

$

Cost Analysis

Lost Revenue
$0
Revenue impact from unfilled position
Recruitment Costs
$0
Job posting, screening, interviewing
Training & Onboarding
$0
New hire orientation and training
Productivity Impact
$0
Team efficiency and morale impact
Total Cost of Vacancy
Complete financial impact
Enter your details to view the total

How We Calculate Vacancy Costs

  • Lost Revenue

    Calculated based on revenue per employee with department-specific multipliers. Sales positions have higher impact due to direct revenue generation.

  • Recruitment Costs

    Industry standard of 15–25% of annual salary, including job postings, recruiter fees, interview time and background checks.

  • Training & Onboarding

    Typically 8–13% of annual salary for orientation, training materials, mentor time and reduced productivity during ramp-up.

  • Productivity Impact

    Team productivity loss due to increased workload, overtime costs and potential burnout affecting remaining team members.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Quick answers to common questions about vacancy costs and how this page works.

  1. 1. How does the calculator work?
    It estimates the cost of an unfilled role by combining lost revenue, recruitment expenses, onboarding/training time, and productivity impact.
  2. 2. What is the “burden factor”?
    This accounts for employer costs beyond salary—like benefits, taxes, and overhead. The default is 1.20 (20% overhead), but you can adjust it under Advanced Options.
  3. 3. What does “urgency level” change?
    Higher urgency means the vacancy has a stronger effect on revenue and productivity. Critical roles carry a higher cost impact than low-priority ones.
  4. 4. Can I customize the inputs?
    Yes. You can choose preset salary levels or enter a custom amount, adjust the burden factor, and select the number of days the role is vacant.
  5. 5. Is my data stored?
    Your inputs (salary, days vacant, etc.) stay in your browser. Only contact details you choose to submit are saved.

Ready to Turn Cost into Action?

Empty seats are expensive. Let’s fill them faster.

Talk to a Hiring Specialist

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