Free Tool
Skilled trades pay calculator.
Estimate what it costs to hire and keep a technician in 2026. Pick the trade, the experience level, and your region — collision, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or manufacturing — and get an hourly range, an annual range, and the fully burdened cost to your business.
Estimated market pay
Automotive & Collision — A-Tech
$26 / flag hour
Competitive range $24 – $29
- Annual pay to the technician
- $52,000
- $47,840 – $57,200 · 40 flag hours/week, 50 weeks
- Fully burdened cost to you
- $65,000
- Adds roughly 25% for payroll taxes, insurance, PTO, and benefits.
Estimates are directional, built from national wage data and our own placement ranges. Actual offers vary by market, shop volume, and benefits package.
How this calculator works
The estimate starts from a national median rate for a fully productive mid-level technician in the selected trade, then adjusts for four things: experience level, regional labor cost, weekly hours or flag hours, and premiums such as certification, licensure, shift, and travel. The burdened figure adds roughly 25% for payroll taxes, workers' compensation, paid time off, and benefits — the number that actually hits your P&L.
Common questions
What is a fair 2026 pay rate for a skilled technician?
In most U.S. markets a mid-level technician in collision, HVAC, electrical, or plumbing lands between $30 and $40 per hour or flag hour, with masters, foremen, and licensed leads reaching $45 to $55. Manufacturing production roles typically run $20 to $30, with maintenance and industrial techs above that.
How much does an unfilled technician role cost?
An empty production bay usually costs more than the wage itself. Lost billable hours, overtime paid to cover the gap, and slipped delivery dates commonly add up to two to three times the burdened cost of the role for every month it stays open.
Does paying more actually fix turnover?
Only to a point. Pay has to be at or above market before anything else matters, but our 2026 retention research found that consistent work volume, functioning equipment, and a competent lead technician predict retention better than another dollar an hour. Read the retention report.
Who is Trinity Talent Group?
Trinity Talent Group helps skilled trade and manufacturing organizations doing $5M+ in revenue find, train, and retain the best staff predictably and profitably. We work with skilled trade and manufacturing operations in all 50 states, and take only one organization per trade per state. More about our approach.
Need help hiring or benchmarking pay for your shop? Talk to Trinity Talent Group.