The total number of people you attempted to contact (Sample Size).
Emails that bounced or mail returned undeliverable. This refines the accuracy.
The number of valid, completed surveys received.
Net Response Rate0.00%
Gross Invitations:0
Effective Sample Size:0
Completed Surveys:0
Missing/Non-Response:0
function calculateResponseRate() {
// Get Input Values
var totalSentInput = document.getElementById('totalInvitations');
var bouncedInput = document.getElementById('bouncedInvitations');
var completedInput = document.getElementById('completedResponses');
var resultsArea = document.getElementById('resultsArea');
// Parse Values
var totalSent = parseFloat(totalSentInput.value);
var bounced = parseFloat(bouncedInput.value);
var completed = parseFloat(completedInput.value);
// Validation
if (isNaN(totalSent) || totalSent <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number for Total Invitations Sent.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(completed) || completed < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number for Completed Responses.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(bounced) || bounced = totalSent) {
alert("Bounced invitations cannot equal or exceed total invitations.");
return;
}
var effectiveSample = totalSent – bounced;
if (completed > effectiveSample) {
alert("Completed responses cannot exceed the effective sample size (Total Sent – Bounced).");
return;
}
// Calculation
var responseRate = (completed / effectiveSample) * 100;
var missing = effectiveSample – completed;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('displayRate').innerHTML = responseRate.toFixed(2) + '%';
document.getElementById('resTotalSent').innerHTML = totalSent.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('resEffectiveSample').innerHTML = effectiveSample.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('resCompletes').innerHTML = completed.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('resMissing').innerHTML = missing.toLocaleString();
// Evaluation Logic
var evalDiv = document.getElementById('rateEvaluation');
var badgeClass = ";
var badgeText = ";
if (responseRate = 5 && responseRate < 20) {
badgeClass = 'badge-avg';
badgeText = 'Average Response Rate';
} else {
badgeClass = 'badge-good';
badgeText = 'Good / Excellent Rate';
}
evalDiv.innerHTML = '' + badgeText + '';
resultsArea.style.display = 'block';
}
How to Calculate Response Rate in a Survey
Understanding how to calculate response rate in a survey is fundamental for researchers, marketers, and HR professionals. The response rate serves as a key indicator of data quality and the representativeness of your sample. A high response rate generally implies that your data is less likely to suffer from non-response bias, making your conclusions more reliable.
The Standard Formula
At its core, the survey response rate formula is a simple percentage calculation. However, to get the most accurate picture of your campaign's success, you should calculate the "Net Response Rate" by excluding bounced emails or undeliverable mail.
Total Invitations: The initial number of people included in your distribution list.
Bounced/Undelivered: Invitations that never reached the recipient (e.g., invalid email addresses, disconnected phone numbers). Removing these gives you the "Effective Sample Size."
Completed Surveys: The number of respondents who successfully finished the questionnaire.
Example Calculation
Let's say you are conducting an employee engagement survey. You send out emails to 1,000 employees.
You receive an automated report that 50 emails bounced because those employees had left the company.
Over the next week, you receive 450 completed surveys.
To calculate the rate:
Calculate Effective Sample: 1,000 – 50 = 950.
Divide Completes by Effective Sample: 450 / 950 = 0.4736.
Multiply by 100: 47.36%.
What is a Good Survey Response Rate?
Benchmarks for response rates vary wildly depending on the channel, the audience, and the industry. There is no single "magic number," but here are general guidelines:
Internal Employee Surveys: 30% to 40% is average; over 50% is considered good.
Customer Satisfaction (Email): 5% to 15% is typical.
In-App Surveys: Can range from 15% to 30% due to high ease of access.
Cold Market Research: Often low, ranging from 1% to 3%.
Factors Influencing Response Rates
If your calculator results show a lower percentage than expected, consider these factors:
Relevance: Is the topic relevant to the audience?
Length: Surveys longer than 10 minutes see high abandonment rates.
Incentives: Offering a small reward or entry into a drawing can boost rates by 5-15%.
Timing: Sending emails mid-week often yields better results than Friday afternoons.
Why "Net" vs "Gross" Matters
Using the calculator above allows you to input "Bounced" invitations. This is critical for data integrity. If you ignore bounces (Gross Response Rate), you artificially deflate your success metric. You shouldn't be penalized for invalid data in your contact list; you should only be measured against people who actually had the opportunity to respond.
How to Improve Your Rate
To maximize the number you see in the calculation result:
Clean your list: Verify email addresses before sending.
Send reminders: One or two gentle reminders can double your response count.
Optimize for mobile: Ensure your survey looks good on a phone screen.