How to Price Screen Printed Shirts: Screens, Colors, Quantity and Profit
How to price screen printed shirts: screen setup per color, ink, blanks and press time, with a price-per-shirt table by colors and quantity.
In this guide
Screen printing is the most cost-effective way to print larger shirt orders, but only once setup is spread across enough shirts. Each color needs its own screen, film and registration. That is why screen printers price by number of colors and quantity. This guide shows how to build that price table yourself.
- Screen print price per shirt = blank + ink + (screen setup per color ÷ quantity) + press time + overhead, then profit and fees.
- A one-color print on 24 shirts prices at about $10 per shirt. A four-color print on 24 shirts is about $16.
- More colors raise setup. More shirts spread it out. Both belong in your price table.
- Set a minimum order, often 12 to 24 shirts, because small runs carry heavy setup costs.
Why screen printing is priced by colors and quantity
Setup is the big cost: film, coating and burning a screen, taping, registration, test prints and cleanup. It is about the same whether you print 12 shirts or 200.
Spread across 12 shirts, a $20 screen adds about $1.67 per shirt per color. Spread across 96 shirts, it is about $0.21. That is why price drops with quantity.
The steps
1. Set a setup cost per color
Include film, emulsion, screen reclaim, taping and test prints. Many shops use about $15 to $30 per screen.
2. Cost ink per print
Plastisol or water-based ink per print location. Larger prints and underbases use more.
3. Price the blank
Use your bulk blank price with shipping. Upcharge 2XL and larger.
4. Time the press run
Time per shirt on press, plus curing and folding.
5. Add overhead, profit and fees
Use about 15% overhead for screens, press, dryer and space, 30% profit and card fees.
6. Build a price table
Rows for quantity, columns for colors. Add charges for extra locations.
Worked example: 24 shirts with 1, 2 and 4 colors
Per shirt: $25 an hour, 15% overhead, 30% profit and 3% card fees.
| 1 color, 24 shirts | 2 colors, 24 shirts | 4 colors, 24 shirts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blank | $3.50 | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| Ink | $0.20 | $0.40 | $0.80 |
| Screen setup share ($20 per color ÷ 24) | $0.83 | $1.67 | $3.33 |
| Labor at $25.00/hr | 0.055 hr = $1.38 | 0.07 hr = $1.75 | 0.1 hr = $2.50 |
| Overhead (15%) | $0.89 | $1.10 | $1.52 |
| Cost to make | $6.79 | $8.42 | $11.65 |
| Plus 30% profit | $8.83 | $10.94 | $15.14 |
| Cover 3% selling fees (divide by 0.97) | $9.10 | $11.28 | $15.61 |
| Suggested price | $10 | $12 | $16 |
The four-color print costs more mainly because of setup. On a bigger order, that gap shrinks, as the table below shows.
Price per shirt by colors and quantity
| Quantity | 1 color | 2 colors | 3 colors | 4 colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | $11 | $14 | $18 | $21 |
| 24 | $10 | $12 | $14 | $16 |
| 48 | $9 | $10 | $12 | $14 |
| 96 | $9 | $10 | $11 | $12 |
Same settings as the example. One print location on a basic tee. Add your upcharge for 2XL and larger, dark shirts that need an underbase, and extra print locations.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- One price for any number of colors. Each color adds a screen and setup. Price by colors.
- No minimum order. Tiny runs carry all the setup. Set a minimum or a setup fee.
- Forgetting the underbase on dark shirts. White underbase is an extra screen and more ink.
- Same price for 3XL. Larger blanks cost more. Add size upcharges.
Screen print pricing checklist
- Setup cost per color.
- Ink per print.
- Blank price with size upcharges.
- Press time per shirt.
- Overhead, profit and fees.
- Price table by colors and quantity.
- Minimum order and extra location charges.
Quote custom shirt orders
Type your setup, blanks, colors and quantity into the peach cells. The calculator builds a quote with profit and deposit.
Get the Custom Order Quote CalculatorCalculators that help
- Design and setup: Charge setup time properly. Use the Design & Setup Time Cost Calculator – Setup Fee, Proofs, Samples & Cost per Item.
- Deposits: Track deposits on big orders. Use the Custom Order Deposit & Balance Tracker – Deposits, Balances Due & Overdue Orders.
- Compare methods: See if HTV, DTF or sublimation fits small runs. Use the HTV vs DTF vs Sublimation Profit Comparison – Cost, Profit & Profit per Hour.
- Size runs: Plan blanks by size. Use the DTF Blank Apparel Size Run Planner – How Many of Each Size to Buy.
Common questions
How much should I charge for screen printed shirts?
It depends on colors and quantity. In this guide one color on 24 shirts prices at about $10 per shirt, and four colors at about $16.
Why do more colors cost more?
Each color needs its own screen, setup and press pass.
What is a good minimum for screen printing?
Many shops set 12 to 24 shirts. Smaller runs are often better with DTF or HTV.
How much should a screen setup cost?
Many shops use about $15 to $30 per screen, either as a fee or built into the price per shirt.
Should I charge more for dark shirts?
Often yes, because dark shirts may need a white underbase, which is an extra screen.
Should I charge for extra print locations?
Yes. Each location is its own setup and press pass.
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