What the Overtime Calculator Does
The Overtime Calculator helps hourly employees and managers quickly calculate regular pay, overtime pay, and total gross earnings for any workweek. By entering your regular hourly rate, total hours worked in a week, and selected overtime multiplier, the calculator automatically divides your hours and computes your complete gross earnings breakdown.
How to Calculate Overtime Pay
Calculating your overtime pay involves three core steps based on a standard workweek:
- Determine Regular Earnings: Multiply your base hourly rate by your regular hours worked (up to 40 hours).
- Determine Overtime Rate & Pay: Multiply your base hourly rate by your overtime multiplier (such as 1.5x) to get your overtime rate, then multiply by the number of overtime hours (hours worked over 40).
- Calculate Total Gross Earnings: Add your regular pay to your overtime pay.
How the Overtime Rate Is Calculated
Your overtime rate is calculated by multiplying your regular hourly rate by your agreed overtime multiplier:
Hourly Rate × Overtime Multiplier = Overtime Hourly Rate
Common overtime multipliers include:
- 1.5x (Time and a Half): Standard overtime rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. For example, an hourly rate of $20 becomes a $30/hour overtime rate ($20 × 1.5).
- 2.0x (Double Time): Applied for special circumstances, premium shifts, or holiday hours depending on company policies. For example, a $20 hourly rate becomes a $40/hour overtime rate ($20 × 2.0). Learn more with our dedicated Double Time Calculator or calculate 1.5x rates with our Time and a Half Calculator.
Overtime Pay Examples
Here are quick reference examples demonstrating how regular pay and overtime pay combine to form total gross pay at a 1.5x overtime multiplier:
| Hourly Rate | Total Hours | Regular Pay (40 hrs) | Overtime Rate (1.5x) | Overtime Pay | Total Gross Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00/hr | 45 hrs (5 OT) | $600.00 | $22.50/hr | $112.50 | $712.50 |
| $20.00/hr | 45 hrs (5 OT) | $800.00 | $30.00/hr | $150.00 | $950.00 |
| $25.00/hr | 50 hrs (10 OT) | $1,000.00 | $37.50/hr | $375.00 | $1,375.00 |
Regular Pay vs Overtime Pay
Understanding the distinction between regular wages and overtime earnings helps ensure accurate paycheck verification:
- Regular Pay: Compensation for standard hours worked up to the weekly threshold (typically 40 hours per workweek), computed at your base hourly wage.
- Overtime Pay: Premium compensation earned for additional hours worked beyond 40 hours in a single workweek, computed at an elevated hourly multiplier rate.
Using the Calculator for Weekly or Biweekly Hours
The OT calculator processes hours based on a 7-day standard workweek. If you receive a biweekly paycheck covering 2 weeks, avoid averaging total hours across the 80-hour period.
Because overtime thresholds apply on a per-workweek basis, work hours must be evaluated for each 7-day week individually:
Biweekly Pay Period Example:
If you work 50 hours in Week 1 and 30 hours in Week 2, your total biweekly hours are 80. However, Week 1 includes 10 overtime hours, while Week 2 has 0 overtime hours. Calculate Week 1 (40 regular + 10 OT) and Week 2 (30 regular) separately in the calculator, then sum the gross pay results together for your biweekly paycheck review.
For detailed hour tracking, explore our Weekly Hours Calculator and Time Pay Calculator.
Overtime Pay and Total Gross Earnings
Here is a step-by-step calculation showing how total gross earnings are calculated for an employee earning $20 per hour who works 45 hours in a workweek:
Step 1: Regular Pay
40 regular hours × $20.00 = $800.00
Step 2: Overtime Rate & Pay
$20.00 base rate × 1.5 multiplier = $30.00 OT rate
5 overtime hours × $30.00 = $150.00
Step 3: Total Gross Pay
$800.00 regular pay + $150.00 overtime pay = $950.00
To estimate earnings after regular and overtime hours, you can also cross-reference with our Paycheck Calculator.