Screen Printing Cost Calculator for Print Shops

Use this screen printing cost calculator to estimate job pricing, calculate labor, materials, and overhead, and understand your true production cost before quoting your next order.

Print Shop True Cost Analyzer

True Cost of Running a Screen Printing Order

This calculator helps print shops see the full operating cost of producing jobs in-house by accounting for revenue, garments, ink, labor, admin time, overhead, opportunity cost, and hidden expenses that often get missed.

Revenue & Job Information

Start with what the customer is paying, then work downward into the true cost of producing the order.

How to use this tool

  1. Enter the garment and revenue details for the order.
  2. Select the print locations needed and fill in the details for each one.
  3. Add admin time, labor, overhead, subscriptions, and lost sales time.
  4. Review the real operating cost, actual profit, and adjusted profit after opportunity cost.

Revenue & Product Details

Select Print Locations

Front Print Details

Back Print Details

Left Chest Details

Right Chest Details

Left Sleeve Details

Right Sleeve Details

Neck Label Details

Admin & Pre-Production Time

Labor Model

Overhead & Hidden Costs

Opportunity Cost

SOYT does not share any data with anyone, and it is not used for anything other than helping print shops calculate true operating costs and understand when using SOYT may be a better option.

True Cost Results

See how production, admin time, overhead, and lost sales time change the actual value of this order.

Fill in the job details and choose print locations to see the real in-house cost.
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How to Calculate the True Cost of a Screen Printing Job

Most print shops price jobs based on experience or rough estimates, but that often leaves money on the table or leads to underpricing. This calculator is built to help screen printing shop owners and managers break down every part of a job, including labor, materials, setup time, and overhead, so you can understand your real cost before quoting a project.

Understand Your Pricing, Profit Margins, and Hidden Costs

This tool goes beyond basic pricing by helping you factor in artwork time, production labor, employee wages, overhead, and even time lost on quoting and revisions. By seeing the full picture, you can make better decisions on what to charge, which jobs are worth taking, and when outsourcing or adjusting your workflow may actually improve your bottom line.

Screen Printing Pricing & Cost Calculator FAQs

How do I calculate how much to charge for a screen printing job?

You need to account for garment cost, ink, labor, setup time, overhead, and profit margin. This calculator helps you break down each of those costs so you can price your jobs more accurately and avoid undercharging.

Why does my screen printing job feel profitable but isn’t?

Many print shops overlook hidden costs like artwork time, machine setup, employee wages, overhead, and time spent communicating with customers. When those are factored in, profit margins are often much smaller than expected.

What costs should I include when pricing screen printing jobs?

You should include garment cost, ink usage, labor time, setup time, overhead expenses, consumables, and administrative time. Missing even one of these can significantly impact your true profit.

How can I improve my profit margins in screen printing?

Improving margins comes from understanding your real cost per job, increasing efficiency, pricing correctly, and focusing on higher-value orders. Tools like this help identify where money is being lost in your workflow.

Is it better to outsource some screen printing jobs?

In some cases, yes. Smaller, complex, or time-heavy jobs can cost more to produce in-house than they generate in profit. Understanding your true cost helps you decide when outsourcing may be the better financial decision.