GlossaryStaffing, accountability, and public reporting
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent (FTE) is a staffing unit that expresses work or assigned capacity relative to one full-time schedule.
Full-time equivalent (FTE) is a staffing unit that expresses work or assigned capacity relative to one full-time schedule. It makes part-time contributions comparable with full-time staffing under a stated method. FTE is not necessarily a count of individual people, and different sources can calculate it differently.
Reading the calculation
The Census public-employment glossary explains FTE as a computed statistic based on the work represented. Some other collections use simplified conversions, so the source's exact denominator and treatment of part-time employees matter.
For an hours-based calculation, divide the included hours by the full-time hours for the same period. Keep the time basis aligned: a monthly total needs a monthly denominator, not an annual schedule. State whether overtime, leave, vacancies, or contractors are included.
Example
Hypothetical example: Under an agency's stated weekly method, full time is 40 hours. Two employees each work 20 included hours. Their combined 40 hours equal 1.0 FTE, while their head count is two people.
The calculation is 40 ÷ 40 = 1.0. It does not mean that either person worked a full-time schedule or that both were present simultaneously. The example uses an explicit local assumption, not a nationwide full-time requirement.
Common confusion
Head count counts people. FTE standardizes work or capacity. An authorized FTE can also be a budgeted position allowance rather than completed labor.
An annual FTE average is different from a staffing snapshot on one date. Equal values do not make the measures identical.
Source differences
Read the methodology before converting people into FTE or comparing agencies. The BJS 2018 agency census, for example, states a simplified part-time conversion. That convention should not silently replace an hours-based calculation in a local budget.