How expensive are RT-qPCR experiments?

Ever wondered how expensive it is to actually run a RT-qPCR experiment? Fill out the calculator below to find out:

qPCR Experiment Cost Calculator

Experiment Parameters

Number of Samples:

Analyzed genes (incl. housekeeping):

PCR Replicates:

Required Pipetting Time (Min):

I am a:

PhD Student Sr. Postdoc

Experiment Costs

Item Kit Size Price Required Cost/Sample Cost/Exp.

Reverse Transcriptase:

rxns

€

0.00 €/rxn 0 rxns 0.00 € 0.00 €

qPCR Mix:

rxns

€

0.00 €/rxn 0 rxns 0.00 € 0.00 €

96-Well PCR Plate:

plates

€

0.00 €/plate 0 plates 0.00 € 0.00 €

Sealing Film:

films

€

0.00 €/film 0 films 0.00 € 0.00 €

Filter Tips:

tips

€

0.00 €/tip 0 tips 0.00 € 0.00 €

Labor (Setup):

h/wk

€/yr

0.00 €/h 0.0 h 0.00 € 0.00 €

Materials Subtotal: 0.00 € 0.00 €

Labor Subtotal: 0.00 € 0.00 €

Total:

0.00 €

Cost/Sample

0.00 €

Cost/Exp.

One-Time Setup Costs (Validation)

Item Unit Price Required Total

Oligo Synthesis: 4.00 €/oligo 0 oligos 0.00 €

qPCR Mix: 0.00 €/rxn 0 rxns 0.00 €

96-Well PCR Plate: 0.00 €/plate 0 plates 0.00 €

Sealing Film: 0.00 €/film 0 films 0.00 €

Filter Tips: 0.00 €/tip 0 tips 0.00 €

Labor (Validation): 0.00 €/h 6.0 h 0.00 €

Materials Subtotal: 0.00 €

Labor Subtotal: 0.00 €

Total: 0.00 €

Calculation Logic & Assumptions

Tips Calculation: Assumes 2 tips per sample for reverse transcription, plus 2 tips per required qPCR well to account for standard transfer and pipetting steps.
Labor Rate (€/h): Calculated by dividing the annual gross salary by the total working hours per year (52 weeks × specified hours/week).
One-Time Setup Costs (Validation): Calculates the initial cost of synthesizing primers (1 forward and 1 reverse oligo per analyzed gene). It includes a validation run assuming 6 PCR replicate wells per gene to accurately establish standard curves and primer efficiencies, along with a default 6 hours of validation labor.