PTO accrual calculator
This PTO accrual calculator turns your yearly paid time off into the hours you earn per hour worked and per paycheck, then projects your balance after any number of pay periods, with an optional cap.
- Accrual per hour and per paycheck
- Days and hours
- Balance projection with a cap
Last updated
How to use the pto accrual calculator
- Enter how much PTO you get a year, in days or hours. If it is in days, enter how many hours make up one of your workdays.
- Enter the hours you normally work a week and how often you are paid.
- Enter your current balance and how many pay periods ahead you want to look. Add your employer’s cap if there is one.
- Read your accrual per pay period and per hour worked, and your projected balance.
How PTO accrual is calculated
Start with your yearly PTO in hours (days × hours per workday). Divide it by your pay periods for the amount earned each paycheck, or by the hours you work in a year for the amount earned per hour.
per pay period = yearly PTO hours ÷ pay periods a year
per hour worked = yearly PTO hours ÷ (hours a week × 52)
Your future balance is your current balance plus the per-period amount times the number of periods. If your employer caps the balance, PTO stops building once you reach the cap and starts again after you use some.
Worked example
You get 15 days of PTO a year, work 8-hour days and 40-hour weeks, and are paid every two weeks (the calculator’s defaults).
- Yearly PTO in hours: 15 × 8 = 120 hours.
- Per pay period: 120 ÷ 26 = 4.6154 hours, about 4.62 hours each paycheck.
- Per hour worked: 40 × 52 = 2,080 hours a year, and 120 ÷ 2,080 = 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour worked. That is 1 hour of PTO for every 17.33 hours worked.
- After 13 pay periods (half a year) from a zero balance: 13 × 4.6154 = 60.00 hours, or 7.5 days.
With a 40-hour cap, the balance would stop at 40.00 hours, reached after 9 pay periods (9 × 4.6154 = 41.54).
PTO accrual rates at a glance
Hours earned per pay period for a full-time, 40-hour-a-week schedule with 8-hour days.
| PTO a year | Weekly (52) | Biweekly (26) | Twice a month (24) | Monthly (12) | Per hour worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days (80 h) | 1.54 | 3.08 | 3.33 | 6.67 | 0.0385 |
| 15 days (120 h) | 2.31 | 4.62 | 5.00 | 10.00 | 0.0577 |
| 20 days (160 h) | 3.08 | 6.15 | 6.67 | 13.33 | 0.0769 |
| 25 days (200 h) | 3.85 | 7.69 | 8.33 | 16.67 | 0.0962 |
| 30 days (240 h) | 4.62 | 9.23 | 10.00 | 20.00 | 0.1154 |
PTO hours to days
Divide PTO hours by the length of your workday. With 8-hour days:
| PTO hours | 8-hour days | 10-hour days |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | 3 | 2.4 |
| 40 hours | 5 | 4 |
| 72 hours | 9 | 7.2 |
| 80 hours | 10 | 8 |
| 120 hours | 15 | 12 |
| 150 hours | 18.75 | 15 |
| 160 hours | 20 | 16 |
Federal law does not require paid vacation; PTO is set by your employer’s policy or contract. Some states add rules. California, for example, lets employers cap vacation accrual but does not allow use-it-or-lose-it policies, and earned vacation must be paid out when a job ends.
Common questions
How do I calculate PTO accrual per pay period?
Divide your yearly PTO hours by the number of pay periods. 120 hours a year paid biweekly is 120 ÷ 26 = 4.62 hours per paycheck; paid twice a month it is 120 ÷ 24 = 5 hours.
How do I calculate PTO accrual per hour worked?
Divide your yearly PTO hours by the hours you work in a year. A full-time worker works 40 × 52 = 2,080 hours, so 80 hours of PTO is 80 ÷ 2,080 = 0.0385 hours per hour worked.
160 hours of PTO is how many days?
160 hours is 20 days at 8 hours a day, or 4 weeks of 40 hours. With 10-hour days it is 16 days.
What is a typical PTO accrual rate?
It depends on the employer. As examples, 10 days a year is 0.0385 hours per hour worked (about 3.08 hours biweekly), and 15 days a year is 0.0577 hours per hour worked (about 4.62 hours biweekly).
What happens when I hit my PTO cap?
With an accrual cap, you stop earning PTO once your balance reaches the cap and start again when you use some. Check your employer’s policy for the exact cap and rules.
Do part-time workers accrue PTO?
Only if the employer’s policy gives it, since federal law does not require paid vacation. Where they do, per-hour accrual is common: at 0.0385 hours per hour, 20 hours a week earns about 40 hours a year.
Related calculators
- Time card calculatorTotal a week of start and end times with lunch breaks and overtime pay
- Overtime calculatorOvertime and double time pay under federal and state rules
- Date calculatorAdd or subtract days, weeks, months or years, or count days between dates
- Hours calculatorHours and minutes between two times, with breaks and overnight shifts
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, Vacation Leave. The FLSA does not require paid vacation; it is a matter of agreement
- California Labor Commissioner (DLSE), Vacation FAQ. Reasonable caps allowed; use-it-or-lose-it not allowed; payout at separation
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