Instructor Pay Calculator: Per-Class, Hourly, and Revenue Share — Side by Side

Studios that compare per-class vs revenue-share math before choosing a pay model avoid the renegotiation that happens when instructors calculate the numbers themselves six months later. The calculator below shows you what each model costs at your actual class schedule and attendance — not at theoretical full capacity.

The Three Pay Models Defined

Per-class flat rate: The instructor receives a fixed dollar amount per class taught, regardless of attendance. Simplest to administer; most predictable for the studio and the instructor.

Hourly rate: The instructor is paid per hour of teaching time plus any required prep time. Common for instructors classified as W-2 employees. Doesn't account for class performance but is straightforward for payroll compliance.

Revenue share: The instructor receives a percentage of the revenue generated by the class. Aligns instructor income with class performance; more expensive during high-attendance periods, less expensive during low-attendance periods.

The Pay Calculator Inputs

To run the calculation, you need four numbers:

1. Classes per week (for this instructor)
2. Average class attendance (actual students per class)
3. Your class revenue per student (after packs and memberships — use your true average, not your headline price)
4. Pay rate (flat dollar per class, hourly rate, or revenue share percentage)

Calculating Monthly Cost — Example Studio

Inputs: 10 classes/week, 8 average students, $20 average revenue per student.

Weekly class revenue for this instructor's classes: 10 × 8 × $20 = $1,600/week = $6,933/month.

How Attendance Variance Changes the Math

The most important stress-test: what happens when attendance changes?

With a per-class flat rate of $50, your monthly instructor cost is $2,167 whether the class has 4 students or 12.

With a 28% revenue share, your monthly cost at 4 students/class ($80 revenue/class × 28% = $22.40 instructor pay per class) drops to $970/month — nearly half. At 12 students ($240 revenue/class × 28% = $67.20 per class), cost rises to $2,909/month.

Which Model Is Right for Your Studio?

Choose per-class flat rate if:

• You need predictable payroll costs regardless of attendance
• Your classes have high attendance consistency (variance under 30%)
• You have multiple instructors at similar performance levels

Choose hourly if:

• Your instructors are W-2 employees and your state requires hourly tracking
• Class lengths vary significantly (30-min, 45-min, 60-min formats)
• You want the simplest possible payroll administration

Choose revenue share if:

• Your classes have high attendance variance and you want the instructor to share that risk
• You're launching new classes and don't want to pay full flat rates for uncertain demand
• You have instructors who can drive their own client base (justifies the higher cost at full capacity)

For the full instructor pay structure framework covering flat rates, revenue share, and hybrid models across formats, read the instructor pay structures compared guide and the studio instructor payroll guide. For the studio profit impact calculation, see the studio profit calculator guide.