Shift Differential Pay Calculator
Nights, evenings and weekends often pay more than your base rate. This free shift differential pay calculator adds it all up: enter your base hourly rate, regular hours, and your night and weekend hours with their differential amounts. You'll see your regular pay, each shift differential bonus, and your total gross pay — with optional overtime at time-and-a-half.
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Your results
Enter your numbers to see your shift pay.
How to use this calculator
Enter your base hourly rate and your total regular hours — count your night and weekend hours inside that total, since the differential is a bonus paid on top of base pay for those hours. Then enter how many of those hours were night shift hours and the night differential per hour from your pay stub or employer policy, and do the same for weekend hours. The defaults show a $25/hour worker doing 40 hours with 8 night hours at a $3/hour differential. Everything recalculates instantly as you type.
If you worked extra hours beyond your normal schedule, tick "Add overtime at 1.5×" and enter your overtime hours. Overtime is treated as additional hours on top of your regular hours, paid at 1.5 times your base rate. If an error appears, check the message — the rate must be above $0 and hours must be between 0 and 168. Fix the input and your results will return on their own.
How it works
The math follows how most employers pay shift differentials:
Regular pay = base rate × regular hours
Night differential bonus = night hours × night differential
Weekend differential bonus = weekend hours × weekend differential
Overtime pay = overtime hours × base rate × 1.5 (when enabled)
Total gross pay = regular pay + night bonus + weekend bonus + overtime pay
Effective hourly rate = total gross pay ÷ (regular hours + overtime hours)
Example: $25/hour × 40 hours = $1,000 regular pay, plus 8 night hours × $3 differential = $24 bonus, for a total of $1,024. With 4 overtime hours at 1.5×, you add 4 × $37.50 = $150 on top.
Assumptions (estimates): night and weekend hours are assumed to be part of your regular hours, so they earn the base rate once and the differential as a bonus. Overtime hours are assumed to be extra hours on top of your regular hours. Results are gross pay before taxes and deductions. This calculator gives general information, not payroll or legal advice — always check your employer's pay policy and your pay stub.
Frequently asked questions
What is shift differential pay?
Shift differential pay is extra pay, usually a few dollars per hour on top of your base rate, for working less-desirable shifts such as nights, evenings, weekends or holidays. It is a bonus for those specific hours, not a replacement for your regular pay.
Is shift differential taxed at a higher rate?
No. Shift differential is taxed as ordinary wage income at your normal tax rates. A bigger paycheck may have more tax withheld per check, but the differential itself is not taxed at a special higher rate.
What is a typical night shift differential?
Common night shift differentials range from about $1 to $5 per hour extra, or roughly 5% to 15% of the base rate. Healthcare, manufacturing and logistics jobs often pay at the higher end. Enter your actual differential from your pay stub or employer policy for an accurate result.
Is shift differential required by law?
In the US there is no federal law requiring shift differential pay. It is set by employer policy, union contracts or company agreements. The differential you receive depends on what your employer offers, so check your handbook or ask HR.