The short answer
For the example below, charge about $17 a ticket.
That covers $1,300 in costs for 80 people; the break-even price is $16.25. With One Ticket’s booking fee passed on, buyers pay $18.32 and you receive $17 a ticket.
This is an example, not a quote or an average: use your own costs in the calculator below.
The example budget
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Venue hire | $300 |
| DJ | $200 |
| Food | $10 a person ($800 for 80) |
| Total costs | $1,300 |
| People expected | 80 |
| Profit wanted | None: break even |
Worked example
At $17 a ticket, what you receive and keep if fewer than 80 come:
| Attendance | You receive | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| Half (40 people) | $680 | -$220 |
| Three quarters (60 people) | $1,020 | -$80 |
| All 80 people | $1,360 | $60 |
And at the prices either side:
| Ticket price | Buyer pays | Profit at 80 people | People to break even |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $16.28 | -$100 | 100 people |
| $16 | $17.30 | -$20 | 84 people |
| $17 | $18.32 | $60 | 72 people |
| $18 | $19.33 | $140 | 63 people |
| $19 | $20.35 | $220 | 56 people |
Try your own numbers
The calculator starts with the example’s figures: change any of them.
- Break-even price
- $16.25
- Suggested price
- $17
- Buyer pays
- $18.32
- You receive a ticket
- $17
Charge $17 a ticket. Buyers pay $18.32 with One Ticket’s booking fee, and you receive $17 a ticket. At 80 people you receive $1,360, $60 more than the $1,300 in costs.
If fewer people come
| Attendance | You receive | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| Half (40 people) | $680 | -$220 |
| Three quarters (60 people) | $1,020 | -$80 |
| All 80 people | $1,360 | $60 |
Prices either side
| Ticket price | Buyer pays | Profit if all come | People to break even |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $16.28 | -$100 | 100 people |
| $16 | $17.30 | -$20 | 84 people |
| $17 | $18.32 | $60 | 72 people |
| $18 | $19.33 | $140 | 63 people |
| $19 | $20.35 | $220 | 56 people |
Tips for a university society event
Students watch the price closely, so many societies aim to break even. A member price and a general price are easy to sell side by side.
More in the guide: How to sell tickets for a university club or society event in Australia.
A refund policy to match: Refund policy template for a university society event.
The booking fee
One Ticket adds a booking fee at checkout: $1.32 on a $17 ticket, paid by the buyer, so you receive the whole price. It is the same on every plan, free tickets carry none and the Free plan has no monthly cost. See One Ticket pricing.
Common questions
- How much should I charge for a university society event?
- For the example budget on this page ($1,300 in costs for 80 people), about $17 a ticket. It is an example: use your own costs.
- What should a university society event ticket cover?
- In this example: venue hire, dj, food. Count the costs paid for each person apart from the ones paid once, and add any profit you want.
- What if fewer people come?
- At $17 a ticket the example makes a loss of $220 with 40 people and a loss of $80 with 60.
- Who pays the booking fee?
- The buyer, on top of the ticket price: $1.32 on a $17 ticket, so you receive the whole $17.