FLSA overtime rules applied

Gross Pay Calculator

Convert your hourly rate and hours worked — including overtime — into your total gross pay per paycheck and per year, before any taxes.

Your Hours & Rate

Hourly Rate

Regular Hours Per Week Overtime Hours Per Week (1.5x) Additional Pay This Period (bonus, commission)

Pay Frequency

Your Gross Pay

Gross Pay Per Paycheck

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calculating…

Regular Pay/Week

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Overtime Pay/Week

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Weekly Gross Total

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Annual Gross Pay

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⚠️ This is your gross pay — before any taxes or deductions. To see what you'll actually take home after federal tax, state tax, and FICA, use the Net Pay Calculator or Paycheck Calculator.

What This Gross Pay Calculator Does

Gross pay is your total earnings before any tax or deduction is subtracted — it's the number on the top line of your paystub, not the number that actually lands in your bank account. This calculator computes your gross pay from an hourly rate and hours worked, correctly applying time-and-a-half overtime rates for any hours beyond your regular schedule, and projects that figure out to a per-paycheck and annual total based on your pay frequency.

This tool is built for hourly workers who want to verify their paystub is calculating overtime correctly, for anyone estimating what a new hourly job would pay annually before taxes, or for comparing an hourly offer against a salaried offer on an apples-to-apples gross basis. It's also useful for freelancers or contractors estimating gross billings before self-employment tax.

Gross pay is the starting point for every other payroll calculation — your federal tax, state tax, FICA, and take-home pay are all calculated as reductions from this gross figure, which is why getting it right first matters.

How It Works

The calculator separates your regular hours from your overtime hours because they're paid at different rates under federal law. It multiplies your regular hours by your standard hourly rate, multiplies any overtime hours by 1.5× your rate (the federally mandated overtime premium), adds the two together for your weekly gross, then extrapolates that to an annual figure and divides by your selected pay frequency to show a per-check amount. Any additional pay you enter — a bonus, commission, or other one-time payment for the period — is added on top.

Formula & Methodology

The calculation follows the standard federal formula for gross wages:

Regular Weekly Pay = Hourly Rate × Regular Hours

Overtime Weekly Pay = (Hourly Rate × 1.5) × Overtime Hours

Weekly Gross Pay = Regular Weekly Pay + Overtime Weekly Pay

Annual Gross Pay = (Weekly Gross Pay × 52) + (Additional Pay × Pay Periods)

This follows the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) standard: overtime applies to hours worked beyond 40 in a single workweek, paid at 1.5× the regular rate. Some states (notably California) apply daily overtime rules — over 8 hours in a single day — which this calculator does not model since it works on a weekly hours basis; if you're in a daily-overtime state, adjust your overtime hours input accordingly.

Tips & Best Practices

Track your actual hours weekly, not just your scheduled hours — gross pay is based on hours actually worked, which can differ from your scheduled shift if you clock in early, stay late, or pick up extra shifts.
Double-check your overtime threshold — federal law uses a 40-hour weekly threshold, but several states use daily thresholds (California requires overtime after 8 hours/day and double-time after 12). Know which rule applies to you.
Include shift differentials and non-discretionary bonuses in your regular rate — if you receive a shift differential or a production bonus, federal rules generally require it to be factored into your "regular rate" for overtime calculation purposes, which can make your true overtime rate slightly higher than 1.5× your base hourly rate.
Use this for job offer comparisons — convert a salaried offer to an effective hourly rate (annual salary ÷ 2,080 standard hours) to compare fairly against an hourly offer that includes overtime potential.
Remember gross pay isn't what you'll spend — always run your gross figure through a take-home pay calculator before building a budget around it.

Gross Pay for Salaried vs. Hourly Employees

Salaried employees have a fixed gross pay per period regardless of hours actually worked — dividing their annual salary evenly across pay periods. Hourly employees have variable gross pay that depends directly on hours logged, which means their income can fluctuate week to week based on scheduling, availability of shifts, and any overtime opportunities. This variability is exactly why hourly workers benefit most from a dedicated gross pay calculator: unlike a salaried worker who can simply divide their annual number, an hourly worker needs to actively track hours to know what a given paycheck will contain.

It's worth noting that non-exempt salaried employees — generally those earning below the FLSA overtime salary threshold or performing certain job duties regardless of pay level — are still entitled to overtime pay calculated on their equivalent hourly rate (salary ÷ standard hours) for any hours worked beyond 40 in a week. If this applies to you, you can use this calculator by entering your equivalent hourly rate rather than a raw wage.

Multiple Jobs and Combined Gross Pay

If you work more than one job, your gross pay for tax and budgeting purposes should reflect the combined total from all sources — each employer withholds tax independently based on what they pay you, which can lead to under-withholding if your combined income pushes you into a higher bracket than any single job's withholding accounts for. Run this calculator separately for each job's hours and rate, then add the annual gross figures together before estimating your combined tax liability with a full income tax calculator.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting overtime is calculated on hours over 40 in a week, not per pay period. If you're paid biweekly and work 45 hours one week and 35 the next, you're still owed 5 hours of overtime for the first week — the two weeks don't average out to 40 hours each.
Assuming salaried employees never get overtime. Non-exempt salaried employees (generally those earning below the FLSA salary threshold, currently around $35,568/year, or performing non-exempt duties regardless of salary) are still entitled to overtime pay.
Mixing up gross pay with taxable income. Gross pay is before any deduction — including pre-tax ones like a 401(k). Taxable income is calculated after pre-tax deductions are removed, which is always a smaller number.
Not accounting for unpaid time. If you take unpaid leave or your hours vary week to week, use your actual average hours rather than your "standard" schedule to get an accurate annual projection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between gross pay and net pay?

Gross pay is your total earnings before any tax or deduction. Net pay (take-home pay) is what you actually receive after federal tax, state tax, FICA, and any other withholdings are subtracted. Gross pay is always a larger number than net pay.

How is overtime pay calculated?

Under federal law, overtime is 1.5 times your regular hourly rate, paid for any hours worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. Some states have additional daily overtime rules — check your state's specific labor law if you regularly work long single-day shifts.

Does gross pay include bonuses and commissions?

Yes, gross pay includes all compensation earned in a pay period — regular wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, and any other taxable compensation — before any deductions are applied.

How do I convert my hourly gross pay to an annual salary equivalent?

Multiply your hourly rate by your typical weekly hours, then by 52 weeks. For a standard 40-hour week, multiply your hourly rate by 2,080 (40 × 52) to get the annual equivalent, assuming no unpaid time off.

Is gross pay the same as my salary?

For salaried employees, gross pay per period is simply your annual salary divided by the number of pay periods. For hourly employees, gross pay varies based on actual hours worked, including any overtime.

Why does my paystub show a different gross pay than I calculated?

Check whether your employer includes items like paid time off, holiday pay, or shift differentials in the gross figure, and confirm your actual hours worked (including any rounding rules your timekeeping system applies) match what you used in this calculator.

Related Calculators

Once you know your gross pay, see what you'll actually take home with the Net Pay Calculator or the more detailed Paycheck Calculator. If you regularly work overtime, the Overtime Pay Calculator gives a more detailed weekly breakdown. To convert your hourly figures into a standardized salary comparison, try the Hourly to Salary Calculator or Salary Calculator. For your full tax liability picture, use the Income Tax Calculator.