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PTO Accrual Calculator

Enter how your employer grants paid time off. The PTO accrual calculator shows what you earn each pay period and each year, converts it to days, and projects your balance month by month with the time you plan to use and any cap.

Runs in your browserFree, no signupFormula shown below
For example, 15 days × 8 hours = 120 hours.
An average, to project your balance.

PTO earned per pay period

4.62 h

120 h a year, or 15.0 workdays of 8 hours.

Accrual and balance
Per year120 h
Starting balance16 h
Balance in 12 months84 h
Projected PTO balance
Projected PTO balance
0 mo16 h
1 mo24 h
3 mo32 h
4 mo40 h
6 mo47 h
7 mo55 h
8 mo63 h
10 mo71 h
11 mo79 h
12 mo84 h

PTO Accrual Calculator, printed from employeecalculators.com/pto-accrual-calculator/. Estimates of gross amounts before taxes and deductions, based on the values entered; not payroll or legal advice.

How the PTO accrual calculator works

  1. Pick your accrual method: a yearly amount spread across paychecks, a set amount each pay period, or a rate per hour worked.
  2. Choose your pay frequency and enter the numbers from your policy.
  3. Add your current balance, the PTO you expect to use each period, and any cap.
  4. Read your accrual rate and the projected balance chart.

PTO accrual formulas

Accrual methods, caps, and carryover are explained in how PTO accrual works.

Per pay period = annual PTO hours ÷ pay periods per year
Per hour worked = PTO hours earned ÷ hours worked to earn them
Next balance = min(cap, balance + accrual − PTO used)

Worked examples

120 hours a year, paid every two weeks

  1. 120 ÷ 26 = 4.62 hours per pay period, or 15 eight-hour days a year.

1 hour for every 30 worked, 40 hours a week, paid every two weeks

  1. 1 ÷ 30 = 0.0333 hours per hour worked.
  2. 80 hours per pay period × 1/30 = 2.67 hours per pay period, about 69.33 hours a year.

PTO accrual table

Hours earned per pay period for common annual grants.

Annual PTOWeeklyBiweeklySemimonthlyMonthly
40 h (5 days)0.771.541.673.33
80 h (10 days)1.543.083.336.67
96 h (12 days)1.853.694.008.00
120 h (15 days)2.314.625.0010.00
160 h (20 days)3.086.156.6713.33
200 h (25 days)3.857.698.3316.67

Assumptions

  • Accrual is the same every pay period. Projections use your average PTO use per period.
  • Per-hour accrual assumes the same hours every week. If your hours vary, enter an average.
  • Balances never go below zero and stop at the cap. Carryover limits, waiting periods, and payout rules depend on your policy and state law and are not modeled.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate PTO accrual per pay period?

Divide your annual PTO hours by the number of pay periods. 120 hours a year paid biweekly is 120 ÷ 26 = 4.62 hours per pay period.

How do I calculate PTO per hour worked?

Divide the PTO earned by the hours required. Earning 1 hour for every 30 worked is 1 ÷ 30 = 0.0333 hours of PTO per hour worked, or about 1.33 hours for a 40-hour week.

Is paid time off required by law?

Not by federal law. The Department of Labor notes that the FLSA does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays. Some states and cities have paid leave rules, and most PTO comes from employer policy.

What happens when I hit the PTO cap?

Under most capped policies, you stop earning PTO until your balance drops below the cap. The calculator shows when your projected balance reaches it.

How many days of PTO is 120 hours?

At 8 hours a day, 120 hours is 15 days. Change “Hours in a workday” if your days are longer or shorter.

Related guides

How PTO Accrual WorksHow paid time off accrues per pay period or per hour worked, how to calculate your accrual rate, and how balance caps and usage change your PTO over time.How to Count Business DaysCount business days between dates, decide whether to count the start and end, and handle US federal holidays and observed dates. Includes the 2026 list.How PTO Payout WorksHow unused PTO and vacation are paid out when you leave a job, how to calculate the amount, and why the rules depend on your state and your employer's policy.
Gross Pay CalculatorGross pay for a pay period from hours or salary, overtime, tips, bonuses, and other earnings.Timesheet CalculatorOne- or two-week timesheet with lunch punches, dates, overtime per week, and CSV export.Hourly to Salary CalculatorTurn an hourly rate into weekly, biweekly, monthly, and annual pay.

How this calculator was built. The formula, defaults, and edge cases are documented in a research record and covered by automated tests. It estimates gross amounts from your inputs; it does not determine legal entitlements, taxes, or take-home pay. Read our methodology and disclaimer.

Last updated:

Sources