15 days a year, paid biweekly.
120 hours ÷ 26 = 4.62 hours per paycheck (4.6154 exactly). After 6 paychecks you've earned 27.69 hours.
PTO Accrual Calculator
Work out how much PTO you earn each paycheck or per hour worked, and project your balance.
Results
- Per pay period
- 4.62 h (4.6154 h before rounding)
- Per hour worked
- 0.0577 h
- Per month
- 10.00 h
- Per year
- 120.00 h
- Ratio
- 1 hour per 17.33 worked
- Earned for the hours entered
- Balance
- 27.69 h
- Balance in days
- 3.46 days
| Period | Accrued | Balance | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.62 h | 4.62 h | |
| 2 | 4.62 h | 9.23 h | |
| 3 | 4.62 h | 13.85 h | |
| 4 | 4.62 h | 18.46 h | |
| 5 | 4.62 h | 23.08 h | |
| 6 | 4.62 h | 27.69 h |
This isn't legal advice. The tool does the math only. Your employer's written policy and your state's laws decide how PTO and sick leave accrue, carry over and pay out, so check your state labor department for the rules where you work.
Enter your yearly PTO and pay schedule to see what you earn each paycheck, per hour worked, per month and per year. It also projects your balance, stops it at any accrual cap and converts hours to days. It's useful whether you're checking a pay stub that says 4.62 hours or setting up a policy for your business, and there's no sign-up or email needed.
How to use it
- Choose an accrual method:
- Per pay period: a fixed amount every paycheck (the most common).
- Per hour worked: a small amount for every hour, common for hourly and part-time staff.
- 1 hour per N hours: the "1 hour for every 30 worked" style used by many sick-leave policies.
- Annual lump sum: the full amount granted at once.
- Enter your annual PTO in days or hours, and how many hours make a workday (8 by default).
- Pick your pay frequency: weekly (52), biweekly (26), semi-monthly (24) or monthly (12).
- Optional: add a starting balance, hours you plan to use, an accrual cap and how many pay periods to project.
Biweekly vs. semi-monthly
Biweekly means every two weeks, which is 26 paychecks a year. Semi-monthly means twice a month, which is 24. The same 120 hours of PTO works out to 4.62 hours per biweekly check but 5.00 hours per semi-monthly check. If your stub doesn't match what you expected, check this first.
How it works
Your accrual rate is your yearly PTO hours divided by your number of pay periods, or by the hours you're scheduled to work in a year. The projection adds that rate each period, stops at any cap, and then subtracts the hours you use.
- Annual hours = days × hours per day. Per period = annual hours ÷ pay periods. Per hour = annual hours ÷ 2,080 (40 × 52).
- Ratio method: hours earned = hours worked ÷ N. Days = hours ÷ hours per day.
One simplification: the tool subtracts hours used at the end of the projection. Real payroll systems subtract them when you take the time off, which can free up room under a cap sooner.
Worked examples
80 hours a year, biweekly, 16 hours used.
The rate is 3.0769 hours per period. After 10 periods you've earned 30.77 hours, and taking out 16 used leaves 14.77 hours. Some payroll tools show 14.8 because they round the rate to 3.08 first.
Sick leave at 1 hour per 30 worked.
A full-time year of 2,080 hours earns 2,080 ÷ 30 = 69.33 hours, about 8.7 days at 8 hours a day.
Per hour worked.
120 hours a year spread over 2,080 scheduled hours is 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour worked, or 2.31 hours for a 40-hour week. That's the same as "1 hour per 17.33 worked."
Hitting a cap.
You have 170 hours, earn 120 a year biweekly and your employer caps the balance at 180. You reach 174.62 after one period, 179.23 after two and hit 180.00 in period 3. The next two paychecks add nothing. Taking some time off is the only way to start earning again.
Hours to days.
41.54 hours is 5.19 days at 8 hours a day, or 4.15 days if you work 10-hour shifts.
PTO per paycheck at common allowances
8-hour days; per-hour figures assume 2,080 scheduled hours a year.
| Annual PTO | Weekly | Biweekly | Semi-monthly | Monthly | Per hour worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days (80 h) | 1.54 h | 3.08 h | 3.33 h | 6.67 h | 0.0385 (1 per 26) |
| 15 days (120 h) | 2.31 h | 4.62 h | 5.00 h | 10.00 h | 0.0577 (1 per 17.33) |
| 20 days (160 h) | 3.08 h | 6.15 h | 6.67 h | 13.33 h | 0.0769 (1 per 13) |
| 25 days (200 h) | 3.85 h | 7.69 h | 8.33 h | 16.67 h | 0.0962 (1 per 10.4) |
FAQ
How much PTO do I accrue per paycheck?
Divide your yearly PTO hours by the number of paychecks. 15 days (120 hours) paid biweekly is 4.62 hours per paycheck, or 5.00 hours if you're paid semi-monthly.
How do I convert PTO hours to days?
Divide by the length of your workday. 40 hours is 5 days at 8 hours a day, or 4 days at 10.
How is PTO calculated based on hours worked?
Divide your annual PTO hours by your scheduled hours for the year. 120 hours over 2,080 is 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour worked, so a 40-hour week earns 2.31 hours.
What does "1 hour for every 30 hours worked" add up to?
About 69.33 hours over a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Many state and local sick-leave rules use a ratio like this, but the details vary, so check yours.
What is a PTO accrual cap?
A maximum balance. Once you reach it, you stop earning until you use some time. The calculator shows the period when you'd hit it.
What's the difference between PTO accrual and a lump sum?
With accrual you earn time gradually through the year. With a lump sum (sometimes called front-loading) you get the full amount at once, often at the start of the year or on your work anniversary.
Can I build a PTO policy with this?
Yes, for the math. Pick an annual amount and pay frequency to see the per-period rate. Have the written policy reviewed against your state's rules on sick leave, carryover and payout.