This time and a half calculator finds your overtime rate — 1.5 times your regular hourly wage — and multiplies it by your overtime hours to show exactly what those extra hours are worth. Add your regular 40 hours and it totals your full gross paycheck for the week.
Time and a half is the standard overtime premium required by U.S. federal law for most hourly workers. Whether you are checking a paystub, deciding if an extra shift is worth it, or running payroll for a small team, the math here matches what the Fair Labor Standards Act requires.
How to Calculate Time and a Half
Two steps:
1. Overtime rate = Regular hourly rate × 1.5 2. Overtime pay = Overtime rate × Overtime hours
So a $20/hour worker earns $30/hour on overtime, and 10 overtime hours pay $300. Add regular pay (rate × regular hours) for the full check: 40 × $20 + 10 × $30 = $800 + $300 = $1,100.
Under the FLSA, non-exempt employees must receive at least 1.5× their “regular rate” for every hour beyond 40 in a workweek. The regular rate includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials, so a true legal overtime rate can be slightly higher than 1.5× base wage. Some states go further — California requires daily overtime after 8 hours and double time after 12.
Common Time-and-a-Half Rates
Quick reference — regular rate → overtime rate:
- $12 → $18
- $14 → $21
- $15 → $22.50 (time and a half of 15)
- $16 → $24
- $18 → $27
- $20 → $30
- $22 → $33
- $25 → $37.50
- $30 → $45
The pattern: add half the wage to itself. Each overtime hour at $18/hour pays $27, so an 8-hour overtime Saturday is $216 instead of $144 — a $72 premium for the same shift. Multiply your rate by 1.5 for any wage not shown.
Example: A 50-Hour Week at $20/Hour
You normally work 40 hours at $20/hour and pick up 10 extra hours this week.
- Time-and-a-half rate: $20 × 1.5 = $30/hour.
- Overtime pay: 10 × $30 = $300.
- Regular pay: 40 × $20 = $800.
- Total gross pay: $1,100.
Without the overtime premium, those 10 hours would have paid $200 — the 1.5× multiplier adds $100. Note that overtime kicks in per workweek, not per pay period: working 45 hours one week and 35 the next in a biweekly period still earns 5 overtime hours, because each week stands alone under the FLSA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is time and a half of $15 an hour?
Time and a half of $15 is $22.50 per hour ($15 × 1.5). Ten overtime hours at that rate pay $225, and a 50-hour week at a $15 base wage grosses $600 regular + $225 overtime = $825.
How do you calculate time and a half?
Multiply your regular hourly rate by 1.5 to get the overtime rate, then multiply by your overtime hours. Example: $18/hour × 1.5 = $27/hour; 6 overtime hours × $27 = $162 in overtime pay. Equivalent shortcut: add half your hourly wage to itself.
What is time and a half of $20 an hour?
Time and a half of $20 is $30 per hour. Every overtime hour pays $10 more than a regular hour, so an 8-hour overtime shift earns $240 instead of $160, and a 50-hour week at a $20 base grosses $800 + $300 = $1,100.
Who qualifies for overtime pay?
Non-exempt employees under the FLSA — most hourly workers — must get at least 1.5× pay for hours over 40 in a workweek. Exempt employees (generally salaried executive, administrative, or professional roles earning at least $684/week) are not entitled to it. Independent contractors are not covered, and some states add daily overtime rules.
Is overtime taxed more than regular pay?
No — overtime dollars are taxed at the same rates as regular wages. Your withholding may look higher because a bigger paycheck is annualized by payroll formulas, but that evens out when you file. Overtime only costs more in tax if the extra income pushes some dollars into a higher marginal bracket, and only those dollars are affected.