Inputs
Currency: choose your own unit. Use consistent values.Example Data Table
| Example input | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Learners | 120 | Team size |
| Frequency (per year) | 2 | Two cycles |
| Course fee / learner | 180 | Vendor content |
| Hours / learner | 6 | Work-time training |
| Seats / session | 25 | Class capacity |
| Platform monthly | 350 | LMS + labs |
| Output: Grand total (12 months) | Varies | Calculated after submit |
Formula Used
- Projected headcount (month m): H(m) = H0 × (1 + g × (m−1)/12)
- Inflation factor (month m): I(m) = (1 + i) ^ ((m−1)/12)
- Sessions per month: S(m) = ceil(H(m)/seats) × (freq/12)
- Per-learner fee cost: F = (course + exam + travel + materials) × (1 − discount)
- Per-learner time cost: T = hours × hourly_cost
- Monthly direct cost: D(m) = H(m)×(freq/12)×(F×I(m) + T) + S(m)×(instr_hours×instr_rate + fixed_fee) + platform×I(m)
- Direct subtotal: D = Σ D(m)
- Overhead: O = D × overhead%
- Contingency: C = (D + O) × contingency%
- Grand total: G = D + O + C
How to Use This Calculator
- Set the forecast length and current learner headcount.
- Enter training frequency and expected headcount growth.
- Fill per-learner cash costs, plus hours and hourly cost.
- Choose delivery model, then set seats and session costs.
- Add platform subscription, overhead, and contingency values.
- Press Submit to see results above the form.
- Export CSV for spreadsheets, or PDF for sharing.
Budget drivers and levers
Cybersecurity training spend usually blends awareness, role based content, and specialist certifications. The largest cash drivers are course licenses, exam vouchers, lab access, travel, and materials. This calculator treats those as per learner fees and applies a bulk discount to reflect volume pricing. It also adds monthly platform subscriptions for learning systems and phishing simulators, making recurring costs visible during the forecast. Use it to test delivery changes.
Growth, cadence, and coverage
Training costs rarely stay flat because headcount grows and refreshers repeat. Enter an annual frequency to represent mandatory yearly training, plus extra cycles for high risk teams. The forecast spreads both growth and training cadence across months, converting yearly assumptions into monthly demand. When seats per session are limited, session counts can rise faster than learners, increasing instructor and fixed session fees. Scenario multipliers help communicate planning ranges.
Time cost and productivity
Learner time is a real operational cost that budgets often miss. The calculator multiplies hours per learner by a loaded hourly cost to approximate wages, benefits, and opportunity cost. Microlearning reduces disruption for awareness topics, while hands on labs and secure coding drills add hours but improve skill retention. Comparing time cost with fees helps justify better content that shortens completion time, or targeted paths for critical roles.
Overhead, risk, and governance
Program management overhead covers scheduling, enrollment, reminders, exceptions, and evidence capture for audits. Contingency protects the plan from retakes, vendor price changes, new threats, and newly required modules. Apply overhead and contingency as percentages after direct costs to keep assumptions consistent across scenarios. Export CSV results to compare forecast totals with monthly invoices and payroll estimates, then tune inflation, discounts, and growth each quarter as real data arrives.
Monthly detail for decisions
Monthly detail turns a budget into an execution plan. Projected headcount drives expected learners trained each month, while seats per session determine how many sessions are needed and when instructor demand spikes. If sessions grow, increase capacity, add instructors, or stagger cohorts to avoid overtime. Align training months with audit windows, onboarding waves, or tool rollouts. Share the PDF summary for approvals, then refresh inputs whenever conditions change.
FAQs
What costs should be included as fees?
Include course licenses, exam vouchers, lab access, travel, and materials that scale per learner. If a vendor charges per cohort, place it under fixed fee per session or instructor rate inputs.
How do I estimate the hourly cost?
Use a blended hourly rate that reflects salary plus benefits for the typical learner group. If roles vary, run separate forecasts for analysts, engineers, and managers, then combine results.
When should I use virtual delivery?
Choose virtual or self paced when travel is high, schedules are fragmented, or content updates frequently. It can reduce instructor and session costs, but may require stronger tracking and engagement.
Why are sessions calculated from seats?
Seats per session approximates class capacity. As headcount grows, limited capacity forces additional sessions, increasing instructor time and fixed session fees even if per learner fees stay constant.
How should overhead and contingency be set?
Start with overhead for administration, reporting, and evidence capture, then add contingency for retakes and price changes. Review quarterly and adjust using actual completion and vendor billing data.
What is the best way to validate results?
Compare the monthly forecast against prior invoices, payroll time estimates, and subscription bills. Update inflation, discount, and frequency assumptions, then rerun scenarios before approvals.