RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER · SAMPLE PLANNING
Turn sample quotas
into actual counts.
Multiply your total sample by each quota percentage, then reconcile the rounding. This calculator keeps the integer counts equal to your sample total.
Quota calculator
Use one set of mutually exclusive categories with a common base, totaling 100%.
| Category | Quota | Completes |
|---|---|---|
| Age 25–34 | 30% | 180 |
| Age 35–44 | 35% | 210 |
| Age 45–54 | 35% | 210 |
| Total | 100% | 600 |
The calculation
For 600 completed interviews and a 30% quota, the target is 600 × 0.30 = 180 completes. A 35% quota gives 210. The three groups above add up to 600.
If the exact targets contain fractions, this calculator first rounds each down and assigns the remaining interviews to the largest fractional remainders. Ties follow the input order. This is a rounding allocation, not evidence that the proposed sample is representative.
Independent and interlocked quotas are different
A 50/50 gender split and a separate age split are marginal quotas. They do not specify the age-by-gender cells. If you need every combination controlled, define the interlocked cells explicitly. You cannot infer those joint targets from the two margins without additional assumptions.
Check the base before comparing a supplier offer
A quota might apply to the full sample, one country, a screening subgroup or a booster. Write down the denominator. Ask whether targets are fixed counts, minimums or proportions with an agreed tolerance. The calculator allocates counts for one complete 100% split; it does not test panel feasibility, screening incidence or nested quota constraints.
See the supplier comparison checklist or check an offer against your brief.