In this guide
- What is an overtime calculator?
- How to use this calculator
- How to calculate overtime
- Overtime pay examples
- Time and a half and double time rate chart
- Weekly overtime pay chart
- Time and a half vs. double time
- Federal overtime rules in the US
- What counts as hours worked
- State overtime rules
- Exempt and non-exempt employees
- The regular rate of pay
- Converting salary to an hourly rate
- Overtime costs for employers
- Common overtime calculation mistakes
- Tips if you think you are owed overtime
- Accuracy and limitations
- Frequently asked questions
What is an overtime calculator?
An overtime calculator works out how much you earn when you work more than the regular hours in a week. You enter your hourly rate and the hours you worked, and the overtime calculator splits them into regular and overtime hours, applies the right multiplier, and shows your estimated gross pay.
It is useful for employees checking a paycheck, managers planning labor costs and small-business owners running payroll. Doing the math by hand is easy to get wrong, especially with decimal hours, custom thresholds or double time, so a calculator that shows every step helps you catch mistakes before they reach a paycheck.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your regular hourly pay rate in dollars.
- In Total hours mode, enter the hours worked in the workweek. The calculator treats hours past 40 as overtime, and you can change that threshold.
- Or switch to Manual entry to type your regular, overtime and double-time hours yourself.
- Choose time and a half (1.5×), double time (2×) or your own multiplier.
- Press Calculate Overtime, then copy or print the breakdown.
If you first need to total your hours from clock-in and clock-out times, use the Time Card Calculator, then bring the weekly total here.
How to calculate overtime
The formulas are simple, and every line appears in your results:
- Regular hours = the smaller of total hours and the threshold
- Overtime hours = total hours − threshold (never below zero)
- Overtime rate = hourly rate × multiplier
- Total pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × overtime rate
For example, if you earn $20 an hour and work 45 hours, 40 are regular and 5 are overtime. Regular pay is $800. The time-and-a-half rate is $30 an hour, so overtime pay is $150, for a total of $950.
Overtime pay examples
Example 1: standard overtime. You earn $20 an hour and work 45 hours. Regular pay is 40 × $20 = $800. Overtime is 5 hours at $30, which is $150. Gross pay is $950.
Example 2: a longer week. You earn $15 an hour and work 50 hours. Regular pay is $600, and 10 overtime hours at $22.50 add $225. Gross pay is $825.
Example 3: a custom threshold. Your contract starts overtime after 35 hours. You earn $25 an hour and work 42 hours. Regular pay is 35 × $25 = $875, and 7 overtime hours at $37.50 add $262.50. Gross pay is $1,137.50.
Example 4: time and a half plus double time. You earn $20 an hour, work 40 regular hours and 8 overtime hours, and 3 of those 8 are paid at double time. The other 5 overtime hours pay $30 each, which is $150. The 3 double-time hours pay $40 each, which is $120. With $800 of regular pay, gross pay is $1,070. The double-time hours are counted once, as part of the 8.
Example 5: a bonus changes the overtime rate. You earn $20 an hour, work 50 hours and earn a $200 nondiscretionary bonus that week. Your straight-time pay for 50 hours is $1,000, so total pay before the overtime premium is $1,200. Divide by 50 hours and your regular rate is $24. The overtime premium is half the regular rate for each of the 10 overtime hours: 0.5 × $24 × 10 = $120. Gross pay is $1,320, which is $20 more than the $1,300 you would get by ignoring the bonus.
Example 6: a non-exempt salary. You are a non-exempt employee paid $1,000 a week to cover 40 hours, so your regular rate is $25. In a week with 45 hours, overtime is 5 × $37.50 = $187.50, for a total of $1,187.50.
Time and a half and double time rate chart
Multiply your regular rate by 1.5 for time and a half, or by 2 for double time:
| Regular rate | Time and a half (1.5×) | Double time (2×) |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $15.00 | $20.00 |
| $12.00 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $30.00 |
| $18.00 | $27.00 | $36.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $40.00 |
| $22.00 | $33.00 | $44.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $50.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $60.00 |
| $35.00 | $52.50 | $70.00 |
| $40.00 | $60.00 | $80.00 |
| $50.00 | $75.00 | $100.00 |
Weekly overtime pay chart
These totals are gross weekly pay with overtime after 40 hours at time and a half, before taxes and deductions:
| Hourly rate | 40 hours | 45 hours | 50 hours | 55 hours | 60 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $12.00 | $480.00 | $570.00 | $660.00 | $750.00 | $840.00 |
| $15.00 | $600.00 | $712.50 | $825.00 | $937.50 | $1,050.00 |
| $20.00 | $800.00 | $950.00 | $1,100.00 | $1,250.00 | $1,400.00 |
| $25.00 | $1,000.00 | $1,187.50 | $1,375.00 | $1,562.50 | $1,750.00 |
| $30.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,425.00 | $1,650.00 | $1,875.00 | $2,100.00 |
Time and a half vs. double time
Time and a half pays 1.5 times your regular rate, which is the usual overtime rate in the US. Double time pays twice your regular rate. It is not required by federal law, but some state laws, union agreements and employers use it for very long days, a seventh straight day of work, weekends or holidays. Both are handled by the calculator, and in manual mode double-time hours are counted once, as part of your overtime hours.
Federal overtime rules in the US
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covered non-exempt employees generally must receive at least 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. A few points that people often miss:
- The workweek is a fixed, recurring period of 168 hours, seven consecutive 24-hour periods. It does not have to match your pay period or the calendar week.
- Federal law does not require daily overtime, and it does not require extra pay just because hours fall on a weekend or holiday.
- Each workweek stands alone. Hours cannot be averaged across two weeks to avoid overtime.
- An employee and employer cannot agree to waive overtime that the law requires.
What counts as hours worked
Overtime is based on hours worked, which can include more than the time between clock-in and clock-out. In general:
- Usually counts: required meetings and training, short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes, on-duty waiting time, and travel between job sites during the workday.
- Usually doesn’t count: bona fide meal periods when you are fully relieved of duty, ordinary commuting, and paid time off you did not work, such as vacation or sick leave.
Details depend on the situation, your state and your employer’s policies, so use this as a guide and not as a final answer.
State overtime rules
Many states have their own overtime laws, and when state and federal rules differ, the rule that is more favorable to the employee generally applies. Some states, including California, Alaska, Nevada and Colorado, have daily overtime rules in some form. California, for example, also requires double time in certain situations. Thresholds, exceptions and who is covered vary, and they change over time, so check your state labor department’s website for the current rules.
Because of this, the calculator never applies a rule based on your location. It uses the threshold and multiplier you choose, and it tells you which assumptions it used.
Exempt and non-exempt employees
Not every employee is entitled to overtime. Exempt employees are not covered by the federal overtime rules. Common exemptions include certain executive, administrative, professional, outside sales and computer employees. To qualify, a worker generally has to meet a salary test and a job-duties test. A job title alone doesn’t make someone exempt, and being paid a salary doesn’t either. Salary thresholds can change, so check the current Department of Labor guidance if you are unsure.
The regular rate of pay
The overtime rate is based on the regular rate, which is not always the same as the base hourly wage. The regular rate generally includes compensation such as shift differentials, commissions and nondiscretionary bonuses. It generally leaves out things like discretionary bonuses, gifts, expense reimbursements and pay for time not worked. This calculator uses the hourly rate you enter as the regular rate, so if you receive extra pay that counts, use Example 5 as a guide or ask your payroll provider.
Converting salary to an hourly rate
To enter a salary in the calculator, convert it to an hourly rate. Divide the annual salary by 52 to get the weekly amount, then divide by the hours the salary is meant to cover. A $52,000 salary is $1,000 a week, and over 40 hours that is $25 an hour. For a non-exempt employee on a fixed salary, the overtime rate is then at least 1.5 times that figure. Your employer’s pay agreement decides how many hours the salary covers.
Overtime costs for employers
For managers and business owners, every overtime hour costs at least 1.5 times the regular rate, so a small increase in hours can raise labor costs noticeably. If a team works 100 overtime hours in a month at $22 an hour, those hours cost $3,300 instead of the $2,200 they would cost at straight time, which is $1,100 more. Comparing that premium with the cost of another hire or a schedule change can show whether overtime is the best way to cover busy periods.
Common overtime calculation mistakes
- Averaging two weeks. Overtime is figured by workweek, not by pay period.
- Leaving out bonuses. Nondiscretionary bonuses can raise the regular rate.
- Counting only the hours on the schedule. Required work before or after a shift can count too.
- Applying 1.5× to every hour. Only the hours over the threshold get the premium.
- Counting double-time hours twice. They should be part of the overtime hours, not added on top.
- Treating decimals as minutes. 42.5 hours is 42 hours and 30 minutes, not 42 hours and 50 minutes.
- Assuming a salary means no overtime. Many salaried workers are non-exempt.
Tips if you think you are owed overtime
- Keep your own daily record of when you started, stopped and took breaks.
- Save pay stubs and compare each one with your calculated hours.
- Raise any difference with your payroll contact or supervisor early, ideally in writing.
- If it isn’t resolved, you can contact the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department.
- Don’t wait. Time limits apply to overtime claims, generally two years, or three years for willful violations.
Accuracy and limitations
This overtime calculator gives an estimate of gross pay for one workweek. It is not legal advice, a legal determination of what you are owed, or a full payroll calculation, and it does not subtract taxes or deductions. For questions about eligibility or the correct regular rate, ask your employer, your state labor department or a payroll professional.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate overtime pay?
Subtract the overtime threshold (usually 40 hours) from your total weekly hours to get overtime hours. Multiply your hourly rate by 1.5 for the overtime rate, multiply that by the overtime hours, and add your regular pay for the first 40 hours. At $20 an hour for 45 hours, that is $800 plus $150, or $950.
What is time and a half?
Time and a half means paying 1.5 times the regular hourly rate for overtime hours. If your regular rate is $20 an hour, your time-and-a-half rate is $30 an hour.
How many hours before overtime starts in the US?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, covered non-exempt employees generally earn overtime for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Some states and employers use other rules, such as overtime after a certain number of hours in a day, so check the rules that apply to you.
Is overtime calculated weekly or daily?
Federal law looks at the workweek, a fixed and recurring period of 168 hours, not the pay period and not a single day. A few states also require daily overtime. This calculator works one workweek at a time and lets you change the threshold.
How do I calculate double time?
Multiply the regular hourly rate by 2. At $20 an hour, double time is $40 an hour, so 5 double-time hours pay $200. Federal law does not require double time, but some state laws, union contracts and employers do. Use manual entry in the calculator to include double-time hours.
How do I calculate overtime for a salaried employee?
First find out whether the employee is exempt. Exempt employees are not entitled to federal overtime. For a non-exempt employee paid a fixed weekly salary meant to cover 40 hours, divide the weekly salary by 40 to get the regular rate, then pay at least 1.5 times that rate for hours over 40. A $1,000 weekly salary gives a $25 regular rate and a $37.50 overtime rate.
How do bonuses affect overtime?
Nondiscretionary bonuses, such as ones promised for production or attendance, generally have to be included in the regular rate, which raises the overtime rate. Truly discretionary bonuses usually are not. Bonuses can get complicated, so ask your payroll provider if you are unsure.
Do vacation and sick hours count toward overtime?
Under federal law, paid time off you did not work, such as vacation, sick leave or holidays, generally does not count as hours worked for the 40-hour threshold. Some employers, contracts and state laws count it, so check your policy.
Can my employer give me comp time instead of overtime pay?
Most private-sector employers cannot substitute comp time for overtime pay under federal law. Some government employers can offer comp time under certain conditions. Check your state’s rules and your employer’s policy.
Can my employer require me to work overtime?
Federal law generally does not limit how many hours adults can be required to work, as long as covered non-exempt employees are paid overtime for hours over 40. Some state laws, union contracts and employer policies set limits.
What can I do if I wasn’t paid overtime?
Keep your own record of the hours you worked and your pay stubs, then raise the issue with your payroll contact or supervisor. You can also contact the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department. Time limits apply to overtime claims, generally two years and three for willful violations, so don’t wait.
How do I calculate overtime on a biweekly pay period?
Figure each workweek separately, then add the pay together. Federal overtime is based on the workweek, so 35 hours in one week cannot cancel out 50 hours in the next. Run the calculator once for each week.
Does this overtime calculator show my take-home pay?
No. It shows gross pay, which is before taxes and deductions. Your take-home pay will be lower, and your paycheck may also include bonuses or other pay that affect the overtime rate.
Does the calculator save my numbers?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and your entries are not uploaded. Use Copy results or Print results if you want to keep a record.