How to use this overtime calculator
- Regular hourly rate: your normal pay per hour before tax.
- Regular hours: hours paid at the normal rate in the pay period, usually 40 for a week.
- Overtime hours: hours paid at the higher overtime rate.
- Overtime rate: time and a half (1.5×) or double time (2×).
You'll see your total pay, the split between regular and overtime pay, your overtime hourly rate and your average pay per hour across all hours.
How overtime pay is calculated
Worked example
At double time, the same 5 overtime hours would pay $40 each, for a total of $1,000.
Another example: at $18.50 an hour with 10 hours of overtime at time and a half, the overtime rate is $27.75. Regular pay is $740, overtime adds $277.50, and the total for 50 hours is $1,017.50.
Overtime rules in the US
Overtime law decides which hours count as overtime and who qualifies. In the US:
- Federal rule. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires at least time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees. The workweek is a fixed, recurring period of seven consecutive days chosen by the employer.
- Exempt employees. Some salaried employees meet tests that make them exempt from overtime. Being paid a salary is not enough on its own; the role's duties and pay level matter.
- State laws. Some states add stricter rules. California, for example, requires overtime after 8 hours in a workday and double time after 12 hours in a workday, in addition to weekly limits.
- Contracts and union agreements. Your employer may offer more generous overtime, such as double time on public holidays.
Outside the US, overtime rules depend on national law and your contract. Some countries don't require a premium at all and instead limit total working hours, so check the rules where you work.
Is the overtime worth it?
Overtime raises your pay, but it's worth seeing the full picture:
- Regular overtime adds up. An extra $150 a week, every week, is $7,800 over 52 weeks before tax.
- Your average rate rises. Each overtime hour pays more than a regular hour, so your average per hour goes up the more overtime you work.
- Watch your time and health. Long hours have costs that don't show up in a paycheck, such as rest, family time and fatigue.
- Compare with a raise. If you rely on overtime, compare it with asking for a raise or a role that pays more for standard hours. Our raise calculator shows what a raise is worth.
What this calculator doesn't include
The results are gross pay before income tax, payroll taxes and deductions. The calculator doesn't decide which hours count as overtime under your local law, and it doesn't add bonuses, shift differentials or tips to the regular rate unless you include them yourself. If your employer pays different multipliers for different hours, run each set of hours separately and add the results.