Salary & Paycheck Calculators
This hub covers salary and paycheck math — converting gross pay between every pay period, calculating overtime, and estimating take-home pay. Every calculator shows the formula it uses and includes worked examples. For gross pay-period conversions, the Salary & Pay Converter is the one tool to use — it replaces the older single-direction hourly, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and annual calculators.
- Salary & Pay ConverterConvert pay between hourly, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, and annual — in any direction. Free gross-pay converter with the formula, the substituted calculation, a full equivalents table, and a compare-two-schedules mode.
- Take-Home Pay CalculatorSee what your salary actually deposits after taxes and deductions. Enter your gross pay and deduction rate — get your real monthly and annual take-home number.
- Overtime Pay CalculatorCalculate your total weekly gross pay including overtime. See what those extra hours actually add before taxes — and whether the tradeoff makes sense.
Understanding Salary vs. Hourly Pay
A salary is a fixed annual amount paid regardless of exact hours worked each week. An hourly wage is paid for each hour worked, with overtime (typically 1.5×) for hours over 40 per week. Converting between them requires knowing your hours per week and weeks per year. The standard is 40 hours × 52 weeks = 2,080 annual hours.
Pay Period Comparison
The same annual salary produces different amounts per paycheck depending on how frequently you are paid:
- Weekly (52 periods): Annual ÷ 52
- Biweekly (26 periods): Annual ÷ 26
- Semi-monthly (24 periods): Annual ÷ 24
- Monthly (12 periods): Annual ÷ 12
Biweekly is the most common in the US. Note that biweekly (every two weeks) is not the same as semi-monthly (twice a month). Biweekly produces two months per year with three paychecks.
Why Gross Pay and Take-Home Pay Differ
Gross pay is agreed compensation before deductions. Take-home (net) pay is what you receive after federal income tax, state income tax, FICA taxes (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%), and benefit contributions. The combined effective rate is typically 18–35% for most US workers. Use the Take-Home Pay Calculator to model your specific situation.
Overtime
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt hourly employees earn at least 1.5× their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Some states impose stricter rules (California requires daily overtime after 8 hours). Salaried employees classified as exempt are generally not entitled to overtime. See the Overtime Pay Calculator for estimates.
All calculators provide estimates for educational purposes only. See our Financial Disclaimer and Methodology.