About this calculator
An overtime pay calculator applies time-and-a-half or double-time multipliers to hours beyond a regular threshold.
Who should use it: Hourly workers and supervisors estimating OT earnings.
When to use it: Use it when weekly hours exceed your regular threshold under the rules you enter.
Regular and overtime pay
Hours up to your regular-hours threshold are paid at the base hourly rate. Hours beyond that threshold are paid at the hourly rate multiplied by an overtime multiplier (1.5x by default for time-and-a-half).
Step-by-step
Enter your hourly rate
The base rate paid for regular (non-overtime) hours.
Enter total hours worked
Total hours for the pay period, up to 168 (one full week).
Set the regular-hours threshold
The number of hours paid at the base rate before overtime applies — commonly 40 hours per week.
Set the overtime multiplier
How much extra overtime hours are paid — 1.5x (time-and-a-half) is standard; some employers use 2x (double-time).
Worked example: 48 hours at $25/hour
48 hours worked, 40 regular hours, $25/hour rate, 1.5x overtime multiplier.
- Regular hours applied: min(48, 40) = 40
- Overtime hours: max(0, 48 − 40) = 8
- Regular pay: 40 × $25 = $1,000
- Overtime pay: 8 × $25 × 1.5 = $300
- Total earnings: $1,000 + $300 = $1,300
Total earnings $1,300; effective hourly rate ≈ $27.08.
How to interpret the result
Confirm whether your jurisdiction uses daily OT, weekly OT, or both — defaults may not match local law.
Key definitions
- Regular hours
- Hours paid at the base hourly rate before overtime rules apply.
- Overtime hours
- Hours worked beyond the regular-hours threshold, paid at a higher rate.
- Time-and-a-half
- A 1.5x pay multiplier applied to overtime hours — the most common overtime rate.
- Effective hourly rate
- Total earnings divided by total hours worked — a blended average rate.
Common use cases
- Hourly employees checking their expected paycheck
- Managers estimating labor cost for a busy week
- Comparing pay under different overtime multipliers
- Freelancers or contractors billing at premium overtime rates
Tips
- Confirm your regular-hours threshold and multiplier with your employer or local labor law — they can vary by jurisdiction.
- Results are gross pay before taxes; pair with the Payroll calculator to estimate take-home pay.
- Use 2x for double-time scenarios like holiday work, if that applies to you.
Common mistakes
Applying the overtime multiplier to all hours instead of just overtime hours
Fix: Only hours beyond the regular-hours threshold get the multiplier; regular hours are paid at the base rate.
Forgetting that daily overtime rules can differ from weekly rules
Fix: This calculator uses a single period threshold — check local rules if daily overtime applies to you.
Confusing gross overtime pay with take-home pay
Fix: Taxes and deductions still apply — use a payroll or paycheck calculator for net pay.
Limitations
- FLSA and state rules have exemptions and nuances.
- Not a wage-hour legal determination.