Overtime Calculator
Calculate your weekly pay with overtime. Enter total hours worked and see regular vs. overtime pay breakdown.
This Week
Regular Pay
$1,000.00
40 hrs × $25.00
Overtime Pay
$375.00
10 hrs × $37.50
Gross Pay (Week)
$1,375.00
50 total hours
Effective Rate
$27.50/hr
blended hourly rate
Pay Breakdown
Estimates are for informational and planning purposes only. They do not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. See our disclaimer for details.
How Overtime Pay Works
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay at 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. This federal requirement is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.
Who qualifies: Most hourly workers and salaried employees earning below the FLSA salary threshold are classified as “non-exempt” and entitled to overtime. Common exemptions include executive, administrative, professional, and certain computer employees who meet both a salary test and a duties test.
Common exemptions: Salaried employees above the DOL salary threshold performing exempt duties, independent contractors, certain agricultural workers, and some transportation employees may not qualify for overtime under federal law. Always verify your classification with your employer or a qualified professional.
Overtime Calculation Example
Here's a worked example for a non-exempt employee earning $20 per hour who works 45 hours in one week:
Regular pay: 40 hours × $20.00 = $800.00
Overtime rate: $20.00 × 1.5 = $30.00/hour
Overtime pay: 5 hours × $30.00 = $150.00
Total gross pay: $800.00 + $150.00 = $950.00
Without overtime, 45 hours at straight time would be $900. The FLSA overtime rule adds $50 extra for those 5 hours — a 5.6% increase in weekly pay for working 12.5% more hours.
Overtime Pay by Hourly Rate
Your overtime rate is always 1.5× your regular rate. The table below shows the overtime rate and the gross weekly pay for a 45-hour and a 50-hour week at common hourly rates — a quick lookup before you pick up extra shifts.
| Regular Rate | OT Rate (1.5×) | Gross @ 45 hrs | Gross @ 50 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00/hr | $22.50 | $712.50 | $825.00 |
| $18.00/hr | $27.00 | $855.00 | $990.00 |
| $20.00/hr | $30.00 | $950.00 | $1,100.00 |
| $25.00/hr | $37.50 | $1,187.50 | $1,375.00 |
| $30.00/hr | $45.00 | $1,425.00 | $1,650.00 |
| $35.00/hr | $52.50 | $1,662.50 | $1,925.00 |
| $40.00/hr | $60.00 | $1,900.00 | $2,200.00 |
Gross pay before taxes, federal FLSA rules (1.5× past 40 hours/week). Your state may require daily overtime or double time — see below.
State Overtime Rules
Federal law sets the minimum standard, but some states provide additional protections:
- •California — requires overtime after 8 hours in a single day (not just 40/week), and double time after 12 hours in a day.
- •Colorado — requires overtime after 12 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.
- •Alaska — requires overtime after 8 hours in a day for employers with 4+ employees.
Always check your state's labor department website for the rules that apply to your situation. For reference, see the Department of Labor's FLSA overview.
To see a quick lookup of your 1.5x and 2x rates, try our time and a half calculator.
Is Overtime Taxed More?
This is the most common overtime myth. Overtime dollars are not taxed at a special higher rate. They are taxed at the same federal brackets and FICA rates as the rest of your pay. What trips people up is withholding: a paycheck with a lot of overtime looks bigger, so the payroll system withholds as if you earned that much every period, which pulls more tax out of that one check.
Example: say a week of overtime adds $300 of gross pay. If your marginal rate is 22% federal plus 7.65% FICA, the actual tax on that $300 is about $89 — you keep roughly $211. If the check had extra withheld because the system annualized it, you get the difference back as a refund when you file. The overtime was always worth taking; the higher withholding is a timing effect, not a penalty.
To see how any pay increase looks after federal tax and FICA, use our take-home pay calculator and see how we calculate it.
Overtime FAQ
- How is overtime calculated?
- Under the FLSA, overtime is calculated at 1.5× your regular rate for each hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek. Formula: OT Pay = (Total Hours - 40) × Hourly Rate × 1.5.
- What is the overtime threshold?
- The federal threshold is 40 hours per workweek, per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor. Some states have daily thresholds: California requires overtime after 8 hours/day. Some industries (healthcare, firefighting) have different thresholds.
- Can my employer refuse to pay overtime?
- No. Under FLSA, non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay. Employers cannot waive this requirement even with employee consent. However, some employees are 'exempt' based on salary level and job duties.
- Is overtime taxed more?
- Overtime itself is not taxed at a higher rate, but it increases your total earnings for the pay period, which may push some income into a higher tax bracket. The effective tax rate on overtime is usually similar to your regular rate.