Free tech pay calculator

Flat-rate technician pay calculator flag hours vs hourly

Enter flagged hours, hours actually worked and both pay rates to compare a week of flat-rate pay with hourly pay, see the effective hourly rate, and check the minimum wage and overtime.

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The week

Pay rates

Overtime

Rates filled in are examples, not a recommendation. Type your state's minimum wage if it's higher than the federal one.

Flat-rate pay this week-
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Flat rateHourly

In short

Flat-rate pay is flag hours × the flat rate: 48 flag hours at $32 is $1,536. Divide by hours actually worked, 45, for a regular rate of $34.13. Under federal law, overtime then adds half that rate for each hour over 40 (29 CFR 778.111), here $85.33, for $1,621.33. Paid $35 an hour, the same week is $1,662.50. State law may require more.

How it works

How to use the Flat-Rate Technician Pay Calculator

1

Enter the week

Flagged hours and the hours the tech actually worked, clocked in, including waiting time.

2

Enter both rates

The flat rate per flag hour and an hourly rate to compare; add a shop guarantee or your state's minimum wage.

3

Compare

Flat-rate and hourly pay side by side, effective hourly pay, and the flag hours where they're equal.

What it does

What the flat-rate technician pay calculator works out

Flat rate vs hourly

The same week paid both ways, with straight time, overtime and totals.

Effective hourly rate

Total pay ÷ hours actually worked.

Overtime premium

Half the regular rate for each hour worked over 40, the federal method for piece-rate pay.

Minimum wage floor

Adds a make-up when flag pay falls below the minimum wage (or your guarantee) for hours worked.

Break-even flag hours

The flag hours at which flat rate pays the same as the hourly rate.

Flat-rate pay
flag hours × flat rate (at least minimum wage × hours worked)
Regular rate
week's straight-time pay ÷ hours actually worked (29 CFR 778.111, 778.112)
Overtime
+ 0.5 × regular rate × hours worked over 40
Hourly pay
rate × 40 + 1.5 × rate × hours over 40 (29 CFR 778.110)
Federal minimum wage
$7.25 an hour; many states set a higher one
FAQ

Questions about the flat-rate technician pay calculator

How do you calculate flat-rate pay?
Multiply the hours the tech flagged by the flat rate per hour. 48 flag hours at $32 is $1,536 for the week, however long the work actually took.
Do flat-rate techs get overtime?
Under federal law, usually yes, based on hours actually worked, not flag hours. Treated like piece-rate pay, the regular rate is the week's pay ÷ hours worked, and each hour over 40 adds half that rate (29 CFR 778.111). Mechanics at car and truck dealerships can be exempt from overtime under FLSA section 13(b)(10).
What if a tech doesn't flag enough hours to make minimum wage?
For the workweek, pay must reach at least the minimum wage for every hour worked, $7.25 under federal law. If flag pay falls short, the shop pays the difference. Many states set a higher minimum.
What is a good effective hourly rate?
There's no standard. Compare it with the hourly rate you'd otherwise pay: a tech who flags more hours than they work earns more on flat rate; one stuck waiting on parts or approvals earns less.
Does state law change this?
It can. Some states have a higher minimum wage or other rules for pay and overtime. This is an estimate, not legal advice; check your state's labor department.
Keep going

Guides and features for this

Flat rate vs hourly tech payGuideTechnician efficiency calculatorBayRobinTechnician efficiency vs productivityGuideHow to hire an auto mechanicGuideDispatch board with one row per techBayRobinAll guides on pricing and shop numbersTopic guides
Sources

Where the formulas and rules come from

Checked October 2026. Estimate only, not legal advice. Federal rules shown; state law may require more.

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