48/96 Schedule Pay Calculator

48/96 Firefighter Pay & Schedule Calculator

The 48/96 shift schedule is one of the most popular staffing patterns for modern fire departments. In this rotation, firefighters work two consecutive 24-hour shifts (48 hours total) followed by four days off (96 hours total). While this provides significant blocks of time for rest and family, calculating your actual take-home pay can be complex due to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the high number of annual hours.

How the 48/96 Pay Calculation Works

Unlike a standard 40-hour work week, a 48/96 schedule averages out to more hours per year. Here is the math behind the machine:

• Annual Hours: A 48/96 cycle repeats every 6 days. In a year (365 days), there are 60.83 cycles. Each cycle contains 48 hours of work, totaling approximately 2,920 hours per year.
• Average Weekly Hours: 2,920 hours divided by 52 weeks equals 56.15 hours per week.
• The FLSA Threshold: Most firefighters are subject to the 7(k) exemption, where overtime is often calculated on a 28-day cycle. For a 7-day period, the threshold is typically 53 hours. This means on a 48/96 schedule, the average firefighter earns 3.15 hours of overtime every single week.

Calculation Components

To get an accurate picture of your earnings, you must consider three primary factors:

1. Base Hourly Rate: Your straight-time pay for your scheduled 2,920 hours.
2. FLSA Overtime: The premium pay for the hours worked above the 53-hour weekly threshold (or your specific department's threshold).
3. Incentives/Stipends: Monthly additions for Paramedic certification, Hazmat technician status, bilingual skills, or education.

Example: 48/96 Pay Breakdown

Let's look at a typical scenario for a Firefighter/EMT:

• Hourly Rate: $25.00
• Annual Base Pay: $25.00 × 2,920 = $73,000
• FLSA Overtime: With a 53-hour threshold, there are roughly 164.5 OT hours per year. ($25.00 × 0.5 × 164.5) = $2,056.25 (Assuming the base 2,920 already covers straight time).
• Monthly Stipend: $300 (Paramedic) = $3,600/year.
• Total Estimated Annual Pay: $78,656.25

Why Use This Calculator?

Fire department pay scales are often quoted as "Annual Salary," but this number may or may not include the built-in FLSA overtime or stipends. Using this 48/96 schedule pay calculator allows you to reverse-engineer your hourly rate or project your earnings when moving to a new department or promotion.