Most workers know overtime pays more than regular hours — but very few know exactly how much more until they see their paycheck. The overtime calculator on CalcMint Pro tells you precisely what every overtime hour is worth based on your hourly rate, your weekly hours, and the overtime multiplier your employer applies. Whether you are trying to decide if extra shifts are worth it, verifying your paycheck is correct, or negotiating a salaried offer against your current hourly earnings, this guide covers everything you need to know about how overtime pay works in 2026.
How Overtime Pay Is Calculated (Plain English)
US overtime law is governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under federal rules, any non-exempt employee who works more than 40 hours in a single workweek must be paid at least 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for every hour over 40. This is what most people call time and a half.
The formula has two parts:
Regular Pay: Hourly Rate × 40 Hours = Regular Weekly Pay
Overtime Pay: Hourly Rate × 1.5 × Overtime Hours = Overtime Earnings
Total Weekly Pay: Regular Pay + Overtime Pay = Total Earnings
Some employers and some states go further than federal minimums. California, for example, requires double time — 2× the regular rate — for hours worked beyond 12 in a single day or for all hours on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek. Some employers voluntarily offer double time on holidays regardless of state law.
Overtime Pay Rates at a Glance
| Hourly Rate | Regular Rate | Time and a Half (1.5×) | Double Time (2×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15/hr | $15.00 | $22.50 | $30.00 |
| $18/hr | $18.00 | $27.00 | $36.00 |
| $20/hr | $20.00 | $30.00 | $40.00 |
| $22/hr | $22.00 | $33.00 | $44.00 |
| $25/hr | $25.00 | $37.50 | $50.00 |
| $28/hr | $28.00 | $42.00 | $56.00 |
| $30/hr | $30.00 | $45.00 | $60.00 |
| $35/hr | $35.00 | $52.50 | $70.00 |
| $40/hr | $40.00 | $60.00 | $80.00 |
| $50/hr | $50.00 | $75.00 | $100.00 |
How to Use the CalcMint Pro Overtime Calculator
Step 1 — Enter your regular hourly rate. Use your base pay rate — not a blended rate that includes previous overtime. If you are paid a weekly salary and want to find your effective hourly rate first, use the salary to hourly calculator to convert it before coming back here.
Step 2 — Enter your total hours worked this week. Include all hours — regular and overtime together. The calculator separates them automatically at the 40-hour threshold.
Step 3 — Select your overtime multiplier. Choose 1.5× for standard federal overtime, 2× for double time, or enter a custom multiplier if your employer uses a different rate such as 1.75× for certain shifts.
Step 4 — View your total weekly pay breakdown. The result shows your regular pay, your overtime pay, and your combined total — so you can see exactly how much the extra hours added to your paycheck before taxes. Run the total through the take-home pay calculator to see your net earnings after federal and state taxes.
Who Qualifies for Overtime Under FLSA
Not every worker is entitled to overtime pay. The FLSA divides workers into two categories — exempt and non-exempt.
Non-exempt workers are covered by FLSA overtime rules and must receive 1.5× pay for hours over 40 per week. This includes most hourly workers, as well as salaried workers earning below the FLSA salary threshold. In 2026 the federal salary threshold sits at $684 per week ($35,568 per year) — salaried employees earning below this amount are generally non-exempt and entitled to overtime regardless of their job title.
Exempt workers are not covered by FLSA overtime requirements. To qualify as exempt, an employee must meet both a salary test (earning above the threshold) and a duties test (performing executive, administrative, or professional work as defined by FLSA). Being called a manager or being paid a salary does not automatically make someone exempt — the duties test must also be met.
If you are unsure whether your role is exempt or non-exempt, the US Department of Labor website has a classification tool. Getting this wrong costs employers significant back-pay liability and costs workers real money they are legally owed.
Real-World Example: Are Those Extra Shifts Worth It After Taxes?
Marcus works as a warehouse supervisor in Ohio earning $24 per hour. His manager asks him to work 10 hours of overtime this week — bringing his total to 50 hours. He wants to know what the extra hours are worth before agreeing.
Regular pay: $24 × 40 = $960
Overtime pay: $24 × 1.5 × 10 = $360
Total gross weekly pay: $1,320
That $360 in overtime sounds good — but Marcus knows overtime wages are taxed the same as regular wages. His overtime earnings push his weekly gross higher, which could briefly move him into a higher federal withholding bracket for that pay period. After Ohio state income tax, federal income tax, and FICA, Marcus estimates he keeps roughly $268 of the $360 overtime gross — a net overtime rate of about $26.80 per extra hour worked.
He uses the Ohio paycheck calculator to confirm the exact figure and decides the extra shifts are worth it at that rate.
Weekly Overtime Earnings by Hours Worked
This table shows total gross weekly earnings at common hourly rates across different weekly hour totals, all using the standard 1.5× overtime multiplier.
| Hours Worked | $18/hr Total | $22/hr Total | $28/hr Total | $35/hr Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 hrs (no OT) | $720 | $880 | $1,120 | $1,400 |
| 42 hrs | $774 | $946 | $1,204 | $1,505 |
| 45 hrs | $855 | $1,045 | $1,330 | $1,663 |
| 48 hrs | $936 | $1,144 | $1,456 | $1,820 |
| 50 hrs | $990 | $1,210 | $1,540 | $1,925 |
| 55 hrs | $1,125 | $1,375 | $1,750 | $2,188 |
| 60 hrs | $1,260 | $1,540 | $1,960 | $2,450 |
Overtime vs Accepting a Salaried Promotion
This is one of the most common and most important uses of the overtime calculator — figuring out whether a salaried promotion actually pays more than your current hourly earnings once overtime is factored in.
Say you currently earn $22 per hour and regularly work 48 hours per week. Your actual weekly gross is $22 × 40 + $33 × 8 = $880 + $264 = $1,144. That annualises to $59,488.
Your employer offers you a salaried position at $58,000 per year. On the surface it looks like a raise from your $22 base rate. Converted to hourly it is $27.88 per hour — higher than $22. But your actual current annual earnings are $59,488 because of regular overtime. The salaried offer is actually a $1,488 pay cut.
Worse — as a newly exempt salaried employee you would no longer receive overtime pay regardless of how many hours you work. If the role routinely requires 48 or 50 hours, your real hourly rate collapses fast. Use the salary to hourly calculator to convert the offered salary and compare it to your real current earnings including overtime before accepting any salaried promotion.
State Overtime Rules That Go Beyond Federal Law
Federal FLSA sets the floor — states can and do go further. Key differences to know in 2026:
California requires overtime after 8 hours in a single day — not just after 40 hours in a week. Hours beyond 12 in a single day trigger double time. The seventh consecutive day of a workweek triggers overtime from the first hour and double time after 8 hours on that day.
Alaska and Nevada also require daily overtime after 8 hours per day in addition to the weekly 40-hour threshold.
Most other states follow the federal 40-hours-per-week rule with no daily threshold.
If you work in California, your overtime earnings will be higher than what the standard FLSA calculator shows for the same hours. The California paycheck calculator accounts for California-specific rules when calculating your take-home pay.
Pro Tip: Track Your Hours Every Week Without Exception
The single most common overtime dispute between workers and employers comes down to one thing — neither side has accurate records of hours worked. Employers are legally required to keep time records for non-exempt employees, but employees who track their own hours independently are in a far stronger position if a dispute arises.
A simple weekly log — even in a phone notes app — recording start time, end time, and break duration for each shift takes under 30 seconds per day and has resolved countless wage disputes in workers' favour. If your weekly hours regularly exceed 40 and your paycheck does not reflect overtime pay, you may be owed back wages. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division handles these complaints at no cost to the worker.
Published by James Carter | CalcMint Pro | Updated May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How is overtime pay calculated in the US?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. Multiply your hourly rate by 1.5 to get your overtime rate, then multiply by overtime hours worked. Some states like California require overtime after 8 hours in a single day regardless of weekly total.
Do salaried employees get overtime pay?
Salaried employees earning below $684 per week ($35,568 per year) are generally entitled to overtime under FLSA regardless of job title. Salaried employees above this threshold may be exempt if their role meets the executive, administrative, or professional duties test. Being called a manager or receiving a salary alone does not automatically exempt a worker from overtime eligibility.
Is overtime taxed at a higher rate?
Overtime wages are taxed as ordinary income at the same federal rates as regular wages — there is no separate overtime tax rate. However, a week with heavy overtime pushes your gross pay higher, which can increase federal withholding for that specific pay period. Your annual effective tax rate does not change — only the per-period withholding amount fluctuates with income variation.
What is the difference between time and a half and double time?
Time and a half means your overtime rate is 1.5 times your regular hourly rate. At $20 per hour, time and a half pays $30 per overtime hour. Double time means your rate is exactly 2 times your regular rate — $40 per hour at the same base wage. Federal law only requires time and a half. Double time is required in California for certain situations and offered voluntarily by some employers.