Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Cost per shirt
$5.19
Setup cost spread per shirt
$1.58
Total job cost
$249.28
Margin per shirt
$6.81
Margin %
56.7%
Total job profit
$326.72
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One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter order quantity.
- 2Enter blank shirt cost ($).
- 3Enter number of ink colors.
- 4Enter screen cost per color (burn + film) ($).
- 5Enter ink cost per color per shirt ($).
- 6Enter press setup + run labor (flat) ($).
- 7Enter price charged per shirt ($).
- 8Read your cost per shirt on the right — it updates as you type.
- 9Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Screen printing profit lives and dies on run length because screen setup is a fixed cost that gets diluted across however many shirts you push through it. A 24-piece job and a 500-piece job on the same 3-color design have wildly different per-unit economics even though the ink and blank cost per shirt barely changes. This calculator adds blank cost, per-color ink cost, per-screen setup charge (screens plus burn labor), and a flat run labor rate, then divides the fixed pieces across your quantity to show true landed cost per shirt. It also compares that to your quoted price so you can see margin before you commit press time. Shop owners commonly under-price small runs because they use a decorator's per-shirt ink cost as their whole cost basis and forget reclaim, screen tension loss, and misprints. Build screen cost per color at $15–$25 including burn labor, and figure $0.10–$0.35 in ink per color depending on coverage and plastisol vs water-based ink.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Order quantity: 48
- Blank shirt cost: 3.25 $
- Number of ink colors: 2
- Screen cost per color (burn + film): 18 $
- Ink cost per color per shirt: 0.18 $
- Press setup + run labor (flat): 40 $
- Price charged per shirt: 12 $
Results
- Cost per shirt: $5.19
- Setup cost spread per shirt: $1.58
- Total job cost: $249.28
- Margin per shirt: $6.81
- Margin %: 56.7%
- Total job profit: $326.72
What each field means
Inputs
- Order quantity
- The order quantity used in the calculation. Starts at 48 so you have a working example on load.
- Blank shirt cost ($)
- The blank shirt cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 3.25 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Number of ink colors
- The number of ink colors used in the calculation. Starts at 2 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–8.
- Screen cost per color (burn + film) ($)
- The screen cost per color (burn + film) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 18 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Ink cost per color per shirt ($)
- The ink cost per color per shirt used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0.18 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Press setup + run labor (flat) ($)
- The press setup + run labor (flat) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 40 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Price charged per shirt ($)
- The price charged per shirt used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 12 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Cost per shirt
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Setup cost spread per shirt
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total job cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Margin per shirt
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Margin %
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total job profit
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why do small orders cost so much more per shirt?
Screens and setup labor are fixed regardless of quantity. On a 12-piece order with 3 colors and $18 screens, that's $54 in screens plus labor spread across just 12 shirts — often $5+ per unit before ink or blanks. The same job at 300 pieces spreads that same fixed cost to pennies per shirt.
Should I reuse screens between jobs?
Yes, if the design repeats or a client reorders. Reclaiming and re-burning costs less than a fresh screen and mesh, typically $5–$8 versus $18–$25 for new. Track reorder-friendly designs separately so you can quote reorders lower.
What's a healthy margin target for screen printing?
Most shops target 50–65% gross margin on decorated apparel after blank, ink, and labor but before overhead like rent and equipment depreciation. Below 40% on small runs usually means you're not charging enough for setup.
How much does water-based ink change the cost?
Water-based and discharge inks typically run higher per-shirt ink cost than plastisol, often $0.25–$0.45 per color versus $0.10–$0.20, because of pigment concentration and the need for a fixation step. Price accordingly and account for slower press speeds.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Screen Print Cost Per Shirt Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/screen-print-cost-per-shirt
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/screen-print-cost-per-shirt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Screen Print Cost Per Shirt Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Screen Print Cost Per Shirt Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/screen-print-cost-per-shirt) (2026).