PTO Accrual Calculator
Project your PTO balance for any future date. Enter your accrual rate, pay frequency, and current balance to see hours, days, dollar value, and cap.
PTO Accrual Calculator
Accrual Method
Hours Per Pay Period
PTO hours granted each pay period.
Pay Frequency
Used to count completed pay periods between your dates.
Hours Worked Per Pay Period
How many hours you typically work each pay period.
Current PTO Balance
Your accrued balance as of the start date below.
Date Range
The projection date must be on or after the start date.
Optional Settings
Leave blank for no cap. Caps are usually 1.5 to 2 times annual accrual.
Enter a rate to see the dollar value of your PTO.
Used to convert PTO hours into PTO days.
Set a projection date on or after the start date to see results.
Your current balance is already at or above the cap, so no new PTO accrues until you use some time.
Estimates only, based on the inputs above. Actual accrual depends on your employer policy and state law. Not tax or legal advice.
Turn Hours Into Real Take-Home Pay
PTO has a dollar value, but taxes decide what you actually keep. ClockWage44 logs shifts across multiple jobs and runs a real on-device paycheck engine, so you see net pay instead of just gross.
How to calculate PTO accrual
Paid time off usually builds up one of two ways, and this calculator handles both. The method you pick changes which formula runs and which inputs matter.
Per pay period grants a fixed number of PTO hours every pay cycle. To find your projected balance, multiply the hours you earn each period by the number of pay periods between your start date and your projection date, then add your current balance. If you accrue 4.62 hours each biweekly period and 26 periods pass, that is 4.62 times 26, or about 120 hours added for the year.
Per hour worked ties accrual to the hours you actually log. Multiply your accrual rate per hour by the hours you work in the window. A rate of 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour worked, across 2,080 hours in a year, comes to roughly 120 hours of PTO. This is the usual setup for hourly and part-time workers, and it's how most US sick-leave laws are written.
Either way, the calculator converts hours into days by dividing by your hours-per-workday setting (8 by default), and it stops growth at your accrual cap if you set one.
PTO accrual rates by pay frequency
If you only know your yearly PTO total, divide it by the number of pay periods in a year to get the per-period rate. Here is how common annual allotments break down:
| Annual PTO | Weekly (52) | Biweekly (26) | Semimonthly (24) | Monthly (12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 hrs (10 days) | 1.54 hrs | 3.08 hrs | 3.33 hrs | 6.67 hrs |
| 120 hrs (15 days) | 2.31 hrs | 4.62 hrs | 5.00 hrs | 10.00 hrs |
| 160 hrs (20 days) | 3.08 hrs | 6.15 hrs | 6.67 hrs | 13.33 hrs |
The quick-fill buttons next to the accrual rate field do this math for you: pick 10, 15, 20, or 25 days and the rate updates for your selected pay frequency.
Accrual caps, carryover, and what affects your real balance
Many employers cap how much PTO you can bank. Once your balance hits the cap, accrual pauses until you use time and drop back below it. Caps usually sit at 1.5 to 2 times your annual accrual, so a worker earning 120 hours a year might cap at 180 to 240 hours.
A few other rules shape your real balance. Carryover policies decide how much unused time rolls into the next year, and use-it-or-lose-it rules can wipe out anything above a limit at year end. Most accrual systems also credit time at the end of each completed pay period, which is why this calculator counts whole pay periods rather than fractions. For monthly and semimonthly schedules, it counts by calendar months to avoid drift.
Your real accrual comes down to your employer's policy and, for sick time, state and local law. So treat the projection here as a planning estimate, not a guarantee.
From accrued PTO to take-home pay
Knowing your PTO hours is only half the picture. The other half is what those hours are worth in cash. Multiply your projected hours by your hourly rate and you get the gross dollar value, which this tool shows when you enter a rate. That figure is pre-tax, though: if PTO is paid out, federal income tax, state tax, and FICA still come out first.
To see what actually lands in your account, you need a paycheck engine. ClockWage44 logs shifts across multiple jobs and resolves federal tax, state tax, FICA, overtime rules, and deductions into a take-home figure on-device. If you want to convert a payout to net, the Net to Gross Calculator works the tax math the other direction.
This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. It is not tax or legal advice. Actual PTO accrual, caps, carryover, and payout rules depend on your employer policy and applicable state and local law. Consult your HR department or a qualified professional for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about pto accrual calculator
How is PTO accrual calculated?
There are two common methods. Per pay period grants a fixed number of PTO hours each pay period: hours per period times the number of periods in your window. Per hour worked multiplies an accrual rate by the hours you actually work: rate per hour times hours worked. Add the result to your current balance to get your projected balance, then stop at your accrual cap if your employer sets one.
How do I figure out my PTO accrual rate per pay period?
Divide your annual PTO hours by the number of pay periods in a year. If you get 120 hours of PTO and are paid biweekly (26 periods), that is 120 / 26 = 4.62 hours per pay period. Semimonthly (24 periods) gives 120 / 24 = 5 hours, and weekly (52 periods) gives 120 / 52 = 2.31 hours.
How do I calculate PTO accrual per hour worked?
Divide your annual PTO hours by the total hours you work in a year. A full-time schedule is about 2,080 hours (40 hours times 52 weeks). For 120 hours of PTO, that is 120 / 2,080 = 0.0577 hours of PTO earned for every hour worked. Most per-hour rates land between 0.03 and 0.08.
How many PTO hours is a normal amount per year?
Most full-time US workers get 10 to 20 days of paid time off per year, which is roughly 80 to 160 hours on a standard 8-hour-day schedule. Amounts usually go up with tenure, and PTO that bundles vacation and sick time together tends to sit at the higher end.
What is a PTO accrual cap and how does it work?
An accrual cap is the maximum balance your PTO can reach. Once you hit it, you stop earning more until you use some time and drop back below the cap. Caps are usually set at 1.5 to 2 times your annual accrual. This calculator stops growth at the cap and shows the date your balance is projected to reach it.
How many hours of PTO equal one day?
On a standard schedule, 8 hours of PTO equal one day off, so 40 hours is one work week. If your normal workday is a different length, change the hours-per-workday field. A 10-hour shift worker, for example, uses 10 PTO hours for a single day off.
What's the difference between accruing PTO per pay period and per hour worked?
Per pay period gives you the same amount every cycle, which is predictable and common for salaried or steady full-time roles. Per hour worked scales with the hours you actually log, which is fairer for part-time or variable schedules and is how most US sick-leave laws are written. If your hours change week to week, per hour worked reflects what you really earn.
How much is my PTO worth in dollars?
Multiply your PTO hours by your hourly pay rate. At $25 per hour, 80 hours of PTO is worth $2,000. That figure is the pre-tax value: if the time is paid out, federal income tax, state tax, and FICA still come out, so the cash you keep is lower than the gross dollar value shown here.