# FTE Calculator – Full-Time Equivalent

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/finance/fte/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The FTE calculator converts a mix of full-time and part-time employees into full-time equivalents – the number of full-time staff the hours add up to – and shows the total hours worked.

## Inputs

- Full-time employees
- Hours per full-time employee per week
- Part-time employees
- Average hours per part-time employee per week
- Hours in a full-time week

## Results

- Full-time equivalents
- Total hours per week
- Part-time FTE
- ACA full-time equivalents (30-hour basis)

## Formula

```
FTE = (full-time employees × their hours + part-time employees × their hours) ÷ full-time hours per week
```

## Explanation

FTE is used for budgeting, staffing ratios and legal thresholds – for example, U.S. employers with 50 or more full-time equivalents must offer health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (which counts 30 hours as full time).

### How to use the FTE Calculator – Full-Time Equivalent

- **Full-time employees**
- **Hours per full-time employee per week**
- **Part-time employees**
- **Average hours per part-time employee per week**
- **Hours in a full-time week**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Enter the number of full-time employees and their weekly hours, the number of part-time employees and their average weekly hours, and the hours in a full-time week.

### Tips

- Use figures for the same period (a month, a quarter or a year) for every input so ratios compare like with like.
- Track the metric over time – the trend usually tells you more than a single value.
- Compare your result with industry benchmarks, which vary a lot between sectors.
- Treat the result as a starting point for a decision, then check the assumptions behind each input.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Mixing monthly and yearly numbers in the same calculation.
- Using revenue where the formula needs profit (or the other way round).
- Forgetting hidden costs such as taxes, fees, overheads or your own time.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterFull-time employeesA numberHours per full-time employee per weekA numberPart-time employeesA numberAverage hours per part-time employee per weekA numberHours in a full-time weekA number

### What each result means

- **Full-time equivalents** = ([Full-time employees]×[Hours per full-time employee per week] + [Part-time employees]×[Average hours per part-time employee per week])÷[Hours in a full-time week]
- **Total hours per week** = [Full-time employees]×[Hours per full-time employee per week] + [Part-time employees]×[Average hours per part-time employee per week]
- **Part-time FTE** = [Part-time employees]×[Average hours per part-time employee per week]÷[Hours in a full-time week]
- **ACA full-time equivalents (30-hour basis)** = [Full-time employees] + [Part-time employees]×[Average hours per part-time employee per week]×52÷12÷120

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Full-time employees** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Full-time employeesFull-time equivalents91413.518.5182322.527.527323641

## Worked example

Inputs — Full-time employees: 18; Hours per full-time employee per week: 40; Part-time employees: 10; Average hours per part-time employee per week: 20; Hours in a full-time week: 40.

Results — **Full-time equivalents = 23**; Total hours per week = 920; Part-time FTE = 5; ACA full-time equivalents (30-hour basis) = 25.22.

## FAQ

**How do I calculate FTE?**
Add all hours worked and divide by the hours of one full-time employee.

**Is 40 hours always full time?**
Many employers use 37.5–40; the ACA uses 30 hours a week.

**What is 0.5 FTE?**
A job worked at half of full-time hours.

**What formula does the FTE Calculator – Full-Time Equivalent use?**
FTE = (full-time employees × their hours + part-time employees × their hours) ÷ full-time hours per week.


## Sources

- [IRS – Determining if an employer is an applicable large employer](https://www.irs.gov/affordable-care-act/employers/determining-if-an-employer-is-an-applicable-large-employer)