APPA Custodial Staffing Calculator
How many custodians does your building need at APPA Level 1, 2, 3 or 4? Enter your space and your wage to see staffing and labor cost.
Custodial staffing is calculated space type by space type: divide the cleanable square feet of each space type by APPA's square feet per custodian for the target cleaning level, then add the results. At APPA Level 2, one custodian covers roughly 21,300 square feet of classrooms, 16,900 of offices, 3,300 of restrooms and 115,900 of corridors. Multiply the custodians (FTE) by 2,080 hours and your hourly wage for the labor cost.
Add a row for each type of space. Use cleanable square feet, not gross building area.
Total cleanable area: 0 sq ft.
An estimate from APPA's production rates for a single shift. It counts custodians only: supervision, relief for vacation and sick time, supplies, equipment and periodic work such as floor refinishing are not included. A real program starts with a space-by-space work-loading analysis.
Square feet per custodian, by APPA level
| Space type | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restroom | 2,579 | 3,303 | — | — |
| Research lab | 6,247 | 8,521 | 10,184 | 14,594 |
| Office | 9,411 | 16,930 | 30,959 | 41,775 |
| Classroom | 10,279 | 21,306 | 38,513 | 50,341 |
| Corridors and public circulation | 72,036 | 115,889 | 132,461 | 172,481 |
Cleanable square feet per custodian FTE. Source: APPA, Operational Guidelines for Educational Facilities: Custodial (4th ed., 2023), as summarized in APPA's Cleaning Operations chapter (August 2024). APPA does not rate restrooms below Level 2.
How to Use the Result
The calculator turns APPA's staffing tables into a first estimate. The levels and the tables are explained in APPA Cleaning Standards: The 5 Levels Explained. Two campuses with the same square footage can need very different staffing, because restrooms, labs and classrooms take far more labor per square foot than corridors, which is why the calculator works space type by space type.
The next step is a full work-loading analysis: every space inventoried, a target level set for each, and schedules built from the result. That's how CSS starts every program, and how you can tell whether a bid's staffing is real. The Living Facility goes one step further, letting real occupancy data set the level each night.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many square feet can one custodian clean?
It depends on the APPA level and the type of space. At Level 2, APPA's tables put one custodian at roughly 21,300 square feet of classrooms, 16,900 of offices, 3,300 of restrooms and 115,900 of corridors.
How do you calculate custodial staffing?
For each type of space, divide its cleanable square feet by APPA's square feet per custodian at the target level, then add the results to get full-time equivalents (FTE). Multiply FTE by 2,080 hours and the hourly wage for annual labor cost.
Which APPA level should we use?
Most campuses use Level 2 for general space and Level 1 for showcase areas such as admissions lobbies and executive suites. Level 3 suits low-traffic support space.
Does the calculator include supervision and benefits?
It counts custodians only. You can add payroll taxes and benefits as a percentage; supervision, relief staffing, supplies and equipment are not included.
Keep Reading
Want a real number for your campus?
CSS builds APPA-based custodial programs from a space-by-space work-loading analysis.
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