Time and a Half Calculator
Estimate your overtime rate and gross pay so you can plan around extra hours and check your paycheck.
- 2026 figures, checked October 26, 2026
- 1 official source
- Private: runs in your browser
- How we check our work
Result
…
Verify before you act: review these results with a CPA or payroll professional before making any decision based on them.
Suggestions for your numbers
Updated as you type, from your inputs only. General information, not personal advice; confirm any change with a qualified professional.
See it over time
Hover over or tap the chart to see the numbers for any point.
What is time and a half?
A time and a half calculator estimates your overtime rate by multiplying your regular hourly rate by 1.5. It can also estimate overtime pay and total gross pay when you enter your regular and overtime hours.
Time and a half means you earn your regular rate plus an additional half of that rate for each overtime hour. The calculator gives a straightforward estimate; it does not decide whether a particular job or pay arrangement qualifies for overtime. Rules can depend on applicable law and your circumstances, so confirm questions about eligibility or payroll treatment with a qualified professional.
Why your time-and-a-half rate matters
Knowing the rate helps you understand what extra hours may add to your gross paycheck. You can compare the estimate with your pay stub, plan for bills, or decide whether taking an available shift fits your schedule and budget.
If you manage a business, the estimate can help you forecast labor costs before setting schedules, quoting work, or deciding whether to hire. Gross pay is not take-home pay: withholding and other deductions can reduce the amount deposited. For questions about tax treatment, confirm with a qualified tax professional.
How to use this time and a half calculator
- Enter your regular hourly rate, before deductions.
- Enter the regular hours included in the pay period you are estimating.
- Enter the overtime hours you want to include.
- Review the overtime rate, regular pay, overtime pay, gross pay, and overtime premium portion. Compare the estimate with your records and pay stub.
Time-and-a-half example
Worked example
With a regular hourly rate of $18, 40 regular hours, and 5 overtime hours, the time-and-a-half rate is $27.00 an hour. Regular pay is $720.00, overtime pay is $135.00, and total gross pay is $855.00. The overtime premium portion is $45.00, representing the extra half-rate on the overtime hours. These figures are before paycheck deductions.
How to read your result
The overtime rate is your regular rate multiplied by 1.5. Overtime pay is the overtime rate multiplied by the overtime hours entered. Regular pay reflects the regular hours and rate you entered; total gross pay combines regular pay and overtime pay.
The overtime premium portion is the additional half-rate included in overtime pay, not the full overtime payment. If the result differs from your pay stub, first check the rate and hours you entered. Then compare those details with your time records and ask payroll to explain any remaining difference. This estimate does not calculate taxes or deductions.
Ways to make your overtime pay more useful
- 01
Check your time records
Keep your own record of hours worked and compare it with your schedule and pay stub. Raise missing or incorrect hours with your manager or payroll promptly.
- 02
Confirm the rate used
Ask payroll how it calculated your regular rate if your pay includes more than a simple hourly wage. Confirm the applicable rules with a qualified professional if the explanation is unclear.
- 03
Plan extra shifts against your budget
Use the estimate to see how extra hours affect gross pay, then account for deductions and your available time before accepting a shift.
- 04
Budget labor before committing to work
If you employ hourly staff, include expected overtime costs when pricing a job or planning coverage. Consider adjusting schedules or quotes when the added labor cost changes the job's expected return.
Common time-and-a-half calculator mistakes
Entering take-home pay instead of the hourly rate
Use the regular hourly rate before taxes and other paycheck deductions. A net paycheck amount will not produce a useful overtime estimate.
Mixing hours from different pay periods
Enter regular and overtime hours that belong to the same period you are estimating. Check your time records if you are unsure which hours to include.
Treating the estimate as a legal determination
The calculation applies the supplied 1.5 multiplier. It does not determine overtime eligibility or account for every pay arrangement. Check applicable rules with a qualified professional.
Confusing the premium with total overtime pay
Overtime pay includes the full overtime rate. The overtime premium portion is only the extra half-rate shown separately in the result.
The time and a half formula
Time-and-a-half rate = hourly rate x 1.5.
Key terms
- Regular hourly rate
- The hourly rate you enter as the basis for estimating regular and overtime pay.
- Overtime rate
- The estimated hourly rate for overtime, calculated as the regular hourly rate multiplied by 1.5.
- Gross pay
- Pay before taxes and other paycheck deductions.
- Overtime premium portion
- The extra half-rate included in overtime pay, shown separately from the full overtime amount.
Time and a half questions
What is time and a half of $20?
$30 an hour.
Does this calculator determine whether I qualify for overtime?
No. It estimates pay using the rate and hours you enter. Eligibility and pay calculations can depend on applicable rules and your work arrangement. Confirm your situation with a qualified professional.
Does gross pay include taxes and deductions?
No. Gross pay is before taxes, benefits, and other paycheck deductions, so your take-home pay may be lower.
What is the overtime premium portion?
It is the extra half-rate included in overtime pay. It is separate from, and smaller than, the full overtime pay amount.
Sources
Before you act on this result. Cordwell calculators and guides are educational estimates, not legal, tax, investment, lending or other professional advice. They rely on the numbers you enter and on simplified rules, and they can't see your full situation. Before you file, sign, borrow, invest, hire, change your withholding or form a business based on anything here, meet with a CPA or payroll professional who can review your specific facts and confirm the numbers. Rules change, and official agency guidance always controls.