# What is my gross pay?

Computes gross pay per paycheck, week, and year from hours, hourly rate, and overtime, or the gross pay needed for a take-home amount after federal and state taxes.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/finance/gross-pay-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/finance/gross-pay-calculator.json
- Version: 405cc2e816c8

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Work out gross pay from Hours and rate, Hourly rate $20.00, Regular hours a week 40, Overtime hours a week 0, Overtime rate (times the hourly rate) 1.5, Pay frequency Every two weeks) on the example date Wednesday, September 30, 2026: Your gross pay is $1,600.00 a paycheck, $41,600.00 a year.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| mode | Work out gross pay from | Hours and an hourly rate, or the take-home pay you want (net to gross). |
| rate | Hourly rate | Pay for one regular hour. |
| hours | Regular hours a week | Hours a week paid at the regular rate. |
| ot | Overtime hours a week | Hours a week paid at the overtime rate. |
| otx | Overtime rate (times the hourly rate) | Overtime pay per hour as a multiple of the regular rate: 1.5 for time and a half, 2 for double time. |
| net | Take-home pay a paycheck | The pay you want to receive per paycheck after taxes. |
| freq | Pay frequency | How often you are paid: 52, 26, 24, or 12 paychecks a year. |
| status | Filing status (W-4) | The filing status on your Form W-4. |
| kids | Children under 17 | Qualifying children under 17 on your W-4: $2,200 each in Step 3. |
| stateRate | State and local tax rate | State and local income tax together, as a percent of gross pay. |
| date | Pay date | The date of the paycheck: its year picks the tax rates. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| gross | Gross pay a paycheck | Pay per paycheck before any tax or deduction. |
| yearly | Gross pay a year | Gross pay per paycheck times the paychecks in a year. |
| weekly | Gross pay a week | Gross pay for one week. |
| overtimePay | Overtime pay a week | Overtime hours times the overtime rate. |
| federal | Federal income tax | Federal income tax withheld per paycheck (Pub 15-T), take-home mode. |
| fica | Social Security and Medicare | Social Security and Medicare per paycheck, take-home mode. |
| stateLocal | State and local tax | Gross pay times the state and local rate. |
| takeHome | Take-home pay | Gross pay less the taxes shown. |

## Method

Hours: weekly gross = rate × regular hours + rate × overtime multiplier × overtime hours; yearly = weekly × 52; per paycheck = yearly ÷ paychecks a year. Take-home: find the gross pay G whose take-home pay G − federal withholding (Pub 15-T Worksheet 1A) − Social Security and Medicare − G × state rate equals the amount you want (bisection to a trillionth).

## Assumptions

- An estimate, not tax advice. A year has 52 weeks; every paycheck is the same.
- Take-home mode: a 2020 or later Form W-4 with Step 3 = $2,200 per child under 17, no pre-tax deductions, and state and local tax as one flat rate on gross pay. Social Security and Medicare are the year’s amounts spread evenly.
- Overtime: the multiplier you choose (the Fair Labor Standards Act requires at least 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 a week for non-exempt employees).

## Worked examples

1. mode = hours, rate = $20.00, hours = 40, ot = 5, otx = 1.5, freq = biweekly gives overtimePay = $150.00, weekly = $950.00, yearly = $49,400.00, gross = $1,900.00.
2. mode = hours, rate = $30.00, hours = 37.5, freq = semimonthly gives weekly = $1,125.00, yearly = $58,500.00, gross = $2,437.50.
3. mode = net, net = $1,690.85, freq = biweekly, status = single, date = 2026-03-13 gives gross = $2,000.00, federal = $156.15, fica = $153.00. Source: IRS Pub 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A and Pub 15: $2,000 every two weeks, single, leaves $1,690.85.
4. mode = net, net = $2,563.83, freq = semimonthly, status = mfj, kids = 1, stateRate = 4%, date = 2026-03-13 gives gross = $3,000.00, federal = $86.67, fica = $229.50, stateLocal = $120.00. Source: IRS Pub 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A and Pub 15: $3,000 twice a month, married, 1 child, 4% state leaves $2,563.83.

## FAQ

### What is gross pay?

Gross pay is what you earn before anything is taken out: your hours times your rate, plus overtime, or your salary for the pay period. Net pay, or take-home pay, is what is left after taxes and deductions.

### How do I work out gross pay from hours?

Multiply your regular hours by your hourly rate, then add overtime hours times the overtime rate (usually 1.5 times the regular rate). That is your weekly gross pay. Multiply by 52 for a year, and divide the year by your paychecks: 26 every two weeks, 24 twice a month.

### How is overtime paid?

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees get at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a work week. Some employers or states pay double time for some hours; set the overtime rate to 2 for those.

### How does net to gross work?

You enter the take-home pay you want. The calculator tries gross amounts until the federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and your state and local rate taken from one leave exactly that take-home pay. Employers use the same idea to "gross up" a payment.

### How is this different from the gross income calculator?

The gross income calculator adds up income from any pay period and other sources, such as tips or rent, and shows gross monthly income for loan forms. This page works from hours and overtime, and can work backward from take-home pay.

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA (1.5 times the regular rate over 40 hours a week). https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/23-flsa-overtime-pay
- IRS, Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A and the Annual Percentage Method tables. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf
- IRS, Publication 15 (2026), section 9: Social Security 6.2% to $184,500, Medicare 1.45%, Additional Medicare 0.9% over $200,000. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf