Work, pay & shifts
How to Calculate FTE (Full-Time Equivalent)
Full-time equivalent turns a mix of full-time and part-time hours into one number: how many full-time jobs those hours add up to. The formula is a single division, but the result is only as good as two choices made before dividing — the full-time standard and the period the hours cover. This guide works through the steps with a small team.
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Step 1: set the full-time standard
Use the hours your organization treats as one full-time position. 40 hours a week is common, but 35 and 37.5 are standard in many workplaces. If a report or program you are completing defines full time, use its definition for that report.
Step 2: use one period for everything
Weekly hours go against a weekly standard and annual hours against an annual one — 40 hours a week, or 2,080 a year. Mixing them is the most common FTE error: 30 weekly hours divided by 2,080 gives 0.014 instead of 0.75.
Step 3: add the hours and divide
For a team of four against a 40-hour week:
| Employee | Hours a week | FTE |
|---|---|---|
| A | 40 | 1 |
| B | 30 | 0.75 |
| C | 20 | 0.5 |
| D | 12 | 0.3 |
| Total | 102 | 2.55 |
Step 4: round at the end
Keep each person’s figure exact and round the total once, usually to two decimal places. Rounding each person first can drift: three people at 25 hours a week are 0.625 FTE each, which rounds to 0.63, and 3 × 0.63 = 1.89 — but the true total is 1.875, or 1.88.
Calculating FTE FAQ
- What is the formula for FTE?
- Total hours worked ÷ full-time hours for the same period.
- How many FTE is a 30-hour employee?
- 0.75 against a 40-hour week, or 0.8 against 37.5 hours.
- Should overtime be included in FTE?
- It depends on what the FTE is for. Staffing and budget reports often use scheduled hours; some use all hours paid. Pick one rule and use it consistently.
- Do I include people on leave?
- That depends on the report too. Counting scheduled hours includes them; counting hours worked leaves them out.
- How precise should FTE be?
- Two decimal places is typical. Keep the exact figures until the final total.
Related guides
- FTE vs HeadcountHeadcount counts people and FTE counts hours in full-time units: when each is used, why they differ, and how to read them together.
- Part-Time Hours to FTEA reference table of part-time weekly hours as FTE against 35-, 37.5-, and 40-hour standards, plus annual hours and uneven schedules.
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Jump into FTE Calculator when you are ready to process your files.
