This 48/96 Schedule Pay calculator is specifically for U.S.-based firefighters, paramedics and emergency personnel on 48/96 schedules — a shift rotation in which you work 48 consecutive hours before resting for 96 hours. These unique schedules can lead to non-standard weekly hours, irregular overtime, and complex compensation structures that generic payroll estimators can’t fairly account for.
This calculator allows you to:
✅ Calculate gross and net pay exactly based on your actual shift pattern.
✅ Use the correct 28-day cycle and 212-hour threshold to calculate FLSA-compliant overtime as required by federal law for public safety personnel.
✅ Include specialty pays like paramedic paid, engineer, HazMat, USAR or other specializations.
✅ Consider holiday pay, traded shifts and leave taken, as these can have a sizeable effect on earnings.
✅ View a detailed pay breakdown by category (base, overtime, specialty, bonuses).
✅ Project monthly, quarterly, or annual income, for budgeting, financial planning, loan applications, or comparing offers between departments.
✅ Know your real effective hourly rate, including all types of punch, not just base salary
This tool takes the mystery out of your paycheck. Whether you’re a newcomer to the department, negotiating a raise in your contract, or simply looking to monitor how trades, holidays and bonuses play out on your bottom line — this calculator provides full transparency over your earnings based on your job, and your schedule.
Firefighter 48/96 Schedule Pay Calculator
Find out your gross pay including base pay, overtime, holiday pay, specialty pays, and FLSA adjustments.
How to Use This Calculator?
Step 1: Enter Basic Information
- Hourly Base Pay Rate: At first, add your standard hourly wage (e.g., $21.50)
- Overtime Rate Multiplier: Default (In general) is 1.5× (time and a half). Adjust if your department uses a different multiplier.
- Scheduled Weekly Hours: Mostly set to 56 hours for a standard 48/96 schedule.
- Pay Period: Choose how often you receive your paycheck (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly).
- Number of Pay Periods: For calculating annual pay (defaults to 26 for bi-weekly).
- FLSA Period Length: Basically 28 days for firefighters.
- FLSA Threshold Hours: Typically 212 hours per 28-day cycle for firefighters.
Step 2: Add Additional Pay Information
- Monthly Specialty Pay: If you have an additional pay for certifications or special roles (e.g., $250 for paramedic pay), please enter.
- Holidays Worked: include the number of holidays you typically work per year (e.g., 10).
- Holiday Pay Multiplier: How much extra you get paid for holidays (e.g., 1.5 for time-and-a-half).
- Hours Per Holiday: How many hours you work on a typical holiday (e.g., 24).
- Annual Bonuses: Any additional yearly bonuses you receive.
- Estimated Tax Rate: Optional – enter an estimated percentage for tax withholding (e.g., 25%).
Step 3: Advanced Options (Optional)
- Shift Trade Adjustment: Add or subtract hours if you regularly trade shifts.
- Unpaid Leave: Hours of unpaid leave per year to deduct from your total.
- Differential Pay: Additional hourly pay for special shifts (e.g., night differential).
- Differential Hours: Number of hours eligible for differential pay per pay period.
Step 4: Calculate and Review Results
- Click the Calculate Pay button to generate your pay estimate.
- Review both your per-pay-period results and annual projections.
- The chart visualizes your pay breakdown by category.
- Use the Reset button to clear all fields and start over.
Example Input Values
- Hourly Base Pay Rate: $21.50
- Overtime Rate: 1.5×
- Weekly Hours: 56
- Pay Period: Bi-weekly
- Monthly Specialty Pay: $250 (Paramedic)
- Holidays Worked: 10 per year
- Holiday Pay Multiplier: 1.5
- Hours Per Holiday: 24
- Estimated Tax Rate: 25%
About This Calculator
This is for U.S.-based firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency personnel who work the 48/96 schedule (48 hours on, 96 hours off). It assists in estimating gross pay without losing sight of the fire service pay structure.
The 48/96 schedule (2 days on / 4 days off) means that over 8 days you work 3 days, therefore you have to special considerations for overtime and FLSA calculations where the average work hours per week are 56.
Calculation Methods
- Regular Pay: Hourly rate × Regular hours.
- Overtime: Over 40 per week calculated at your OT rate.
- FLSA Adjustment: Helps align with work effort of additional overtime hours more than the FLSA threshold (FLSA = 212 hours per 28 days).
- Specialty Pay: From the monthly amount, prorated to your pay period.
- Holiday Pay: Paid at a rate at which you are paid for hours worked on a holiday.
Assumptions
- Standard workweek = 56 hours
- FLSA threshold = 212 hours/28 days
- Overtime = Any hours above 212 in a 28-day cycle
- Pay is based on base hour for hour; specialty pays not included unless provided
Important Note
This calculator uses standard formulas and the information you provide to estimate what you are likely to pay. Make sure to check your union contract (MOU) or payroll department for exact rates and FLSA cycle that apply to you for the most accurate results. Retirement contributions, health deductions, or other withholdings are not included unless entered manually.