Arc Flash Study Cost Estimate: What Should You Expect?
June 12, 2025
When planning for electrical safety compliance, understanding your arc flash study cost is essential — not just for budgeting, but for protecting your workers and operations.
What Is an Arc Flash Study and Why Does It Matter?
An arc flash study (or arc flash hazard analysis) calculates the potential energy released during an arc flash event. It determines appropriate PPE, labels, and safe work practices — all vital to meet NFPA 70E and OSHA standards.
What Affects the Cost of an Arc Flash Study?
The cost of an arc flash study depends on several key factors. If you're responsible for budgeting or safety planning, understanding what drives pricing can help you make informed decisions — and avoid surprises.
1. How Big Is Your Facility?
Larger buildings take more time to walk through and analyze. A technician needs to access and document each part of the electrical system — panels, switchgear, transformers, disconnects, and more. That takes significantly longer in a sprawling plant than in a single-structure office.
It’s not just square footage that matters. Facilities spread across multiple buildings or with multi-level distribution systems often cost more because of the added complexity.
2. How Many Electrical Components Need to Be Studied?
Each piece of gear — every panel, breaker, transformer, MCC, etc. — adds to the total number of points that need to be measured, modeled, and analyzed. More equipment means more data, more software entries, and more time for both field techs and engineers.
For example, a basic retail location might have 30 to 50 pieces of equipment. A food processing plant? Hundreds. And each of those adds to your study’s overall cost.
3. How Easy Is It to Access the Equipment?
Time spent getting to electrical gear matters. If panels are behind machinery, blocked by storage, or tucked into hard-to-reach places, it slows the process and raises the cost. In some cases, it even requires special safety procedures or shutdowns just to gain access.
Facilities that keep gear clear and well-labeled make it faster — and cheaper — to collect the data needed for the study.
4. Are Your One-Line Diagrams Up to Date?
Clear, accurate one-line diagrams save a lot of time. When engineers can trust your existing documentation, they can focus on validating details instead of redrawing the entire system from scratch.
Outdated or missing diagrams mean more time spent in the field and more effort during modeling. It’s a common reason for higher costs — and also one of the most common causes of dangerous label errors if skipped or rushed.
5. Can Your Team Assist with Data Collection?
Some facilities lower their study cost by having trained staff assist with data collection — especially for panel access, circuit tracing, or equipment ID. That can help the project move faster, but only if the internal team is qualified and available.
Even small mistakes during data collection — like misreading a breaker size or overlooking a transformer — can lead to bad assumptions in the final study. And that can mean unsafe labels.
6. What Is the Quality and Experience of the Provider?
Not all arc flash studies are created equal.
Low-cost or inexperienced providers often try to cut corners — estimating values instead of measuring, skipping equipment they deem “non-essential,” or failing to open panels entirely. Worse, they may not apply quality checks or peer reviews before issuing labels. The result? Inaccurate and dangerous information posted on your equipment.
At Herzig Engineering, we've encountered labels in the field stating an incident energy of less than 4 cal/cm² (also thought of as Category 1 PPE or less), when our corrected study showed it was over 50 cal/cm² — a DANGER-level event requiring significantly higher rated arc flash PPE and substantially further boundaries. This isn't just a small mistake — it's the kind of error that can cost a worker their life.
Incorrect labels are worse than no labels. A worker who believes they’re safe because a label says so may take action without adequate protection, unknowingly exposing themselves to fatal hazards.
This is why we emphasize experience, licensed engineers, and rigorous quality control — including in-field verification, software validation, and cross-checking of results.
Arc Flash Study Cost Breakdown by Facility Type
Here are typical arc flash study price ranges based on facility size:
Facility Size | Estimated Cost Range |
Small (1-2 buildings) | $7,500 – $15,000 |
Medium (campus/site) | $15,000 – $35,000 |
Large/Complex Sites | $35,000 – $100,000+ |
Pro Tip: Prices also vary based on geography, facility accessibility, and existing safety documentation.
Is an Arc Flash Study Worth the Cost?
Yes — especially when you consider the cost of an arc flash incident. Beyond OSHA fines and lawsuits, incidents can cause downtime, injuries, and damage to equipment that far exceed the cost of a proper study.
Read more about how costly an arc flash event can be if you are caught unprepared:
Blog - How Much Do Arc Flash Incidents Typically Cost? A Breakdown
How Herzig Engineering Helps You Control Arc Flash Study Costs
Herzig Engineering reduces inefficiencies through:
P.E.-Reviewed Reports in all 50 states
Field Data Collection by Licensed Electricians
Mitigation Strategies to lower incident energy levels
Client Portals to access your data 24/7
Centralized Safety Programs across all sites
We believe safety shouldn't be confusing or costly — and our goal is to help your team Go Home Safely.
Request a Custom Arc Flash Study Cost Estimate
Let’s talk. Herzig Engineering will provide a transparent quote based on your facility’s size, equipment, and needs.
Contact us today to get your arc flash cost estimate and start your compliance journey.
This Good vs. Bad Arc Flash Study checklist will help you quickly spot if your facility’s study is on the right track—or if it’s time for a review