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How Many Jobs Do I Need Each Week to Break Even?
Find out how many average jobs a week it takes to cover your overheads and your own pay, before a single dollar of profit.
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Knowing your number is step one. BuzzBrain Time Boost works out the true cost of each job before you quote, keeps quotes moving and shows what each job actually made. Free during private beta testing on iPhone and iPad.
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How it's worked out
Each job leaves some money after its own direct costs. Break-even is the number of jobs whose leftovers cover everything else.
- Costs to cover a yearOverheads + your pay × (1 + super %) + any profit target
- Contribution per jobAverage job value − average direct cost per job
- Jobs a yearCosts to cover ÷ contribution per job
- Jobs a weekJobs a year ÷ working weeks (rounded up in the headline)
- Jobs a monthJobs a year ÷ 12
- Break-even revenueJobs a year × average job value
Revenue isn't profit. Only the contribution from each job goes towards your fixed costs and pay.
Worked example
A business with $45,000 of overheads wants to pay the owner $90,000 plus 12% super, and make $20,000 profit on top. It works 48 weeks a year. The average job is $850, with $380 of direct costs.
| Overheads | $45,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner pay + super | $100,800 |
| Profit target | $20,000 |
| Average job / direct cost | $850 / $380 |
| Costs to cover a year | $165,800 |
|---|---|
| Contribution per job | $470 |
| Jobs needed each week | 8 |
| Jobs a month | 29.4 |
| Break-even revenue | $299,851 |
The maths says 7.4 jobs a week, rounded up to 8 because you can't do part of a job.
Assumptions
- All money figures are ex-GST. GST you collect isn't income.
- Super on your pay starts at 12%, the super guarantee rate from 1 July 2025 (ATO).
- Averages hide variety. A mix of small and big jobs can need a different count to the average.
- Income tax isn't included. Add it to your profit target if you want it covered.
- Seasonal businesses may need more jobs in busy months to cover quiet ones.
This calculator shows break-even maths from the figures you enter. It's a guide based only on the figures you enter, not financial, accounting, tax or legal advice.
FAQ
Break-Even Jobs questions. Answered.
What's the difference between revenue and contribution?
Revenue is what the customer pays. Contribution is what's left after the job's own costs, and it's the only part that pays your overheads and your wage.
What counts as a direct cost?
Anything you only spend because of the job: materials, subcontractors, wages for the time on that job, fuel and equipment hire. Your own pay is counted separately.
Should I include my own pay?
Yes. A business that only covers its overheads isn't really breaking even if the owner works for nothing.
What if my jobs vary a lot in size?
Use an average from the last few months. For very different work, run the calculator once for each type of job.
Why does a small price rise make such a difference?
Because the extra comes straight off the direct costs and adds to contribution. The table shows how a 10% change moves the number of jobs you need.
Your next step
BuzzBrain Time Boost
Knowing your number is step one. BuzzBrain Time Boost works out the true cost of each job before you quote, keeps quotes moving and shows what each job actually made. Free during private beta testing on iPhone and iPad.
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