SOC 2 Audit Budget Forecaster

Forecast your full SOC 2 budget by multiplying audit-scope headcount, readiness hours per person, and blended labor cost, then layering in your auditor quote and an optional contingency buffer. The calculation reveals the all-in spend to socialize with finance and leadership before kickoff.

Count full-time employees and contractors whose systems fall under SOC 2 review.
Average number of hours each team member will spend gathering evidence and closing gaps.
Fully loaded internal cost including salary, benefits, and taxes per hour.
Include readiness assessments, gap analyses, and final report fees from your auditor.
Optional — defaults to 12% if blank

For planning purposes only — align with finance and compliance advisors before finalizing budgets.

Examples

  • 85 people in scope, 8 hours each, $85.00/hour, $24,000.00 quote, default contingency ⇒ $91,616.00 total
  • 40 people in scope, 6 hours each, $72.00/hour, $18,500.00 quote, 5% contingency ⇒ $37,569.00 total

FAQ

How do I include automation or tooling subscriptions?

Add those projected costs to the auditor quote input so they are captured in the total budget output.

What changes for a surveillance or bridge audit?

Reduce the readiness hours to reflect the lighter evidence refresh and adjust the contingency downward if your controls are stable.

Can I model multiple report types?

Yes. Run separate scenarios for Type I and Type II quotes with their respective hour estimates to compare the totals.

What if only a subset of systems fall under SOC 2 scope?

Use the number of employees who interact with in-scope systems for headcount so the internal labor estimate matches your true evidence collectors.

Additional Information

  • Total internal hours equal audit-scope headcount multiplied by the average readiness hours per person.
  • Blended hourly rate should include wages, benefits, and taxes to reflect true internal cost.
  • Optional contingency defaults to 12% to cover remediation rework, tooling purchases, or travel.
  • Output is expressed in U.S. dollars and represents the projected spend for one SOC 2 cycle.

Related calculators