$100,181/yr
Per month
$8,348
Per paycheck
$3,853
bi-weekly, 26/yrFree tool, no signup
Shift Pay Calculator
Turn your hourly rate and rotation into a full year of pay. See straight time, built-in overtime, night differential, and weekend or holiday premiums, then break it down to a monthly and per-paycheck figure. Works for fire, EMS, nursing, and any 24/7 shift.
Estimated gross pay
ComponentHoursPay / yr
Straight time2087h$62,613
Overtime (834.8h/yr built in)835h$37,568
Night differential0h--
Weekend premium (est.)835h--
Holiday premium88h--
Total gross2922h$100,181
Hours come from the annualized rotation rate (56 h/week x 52.14 weeks). Weekend hours are estimated as the 2-in-7 share of worked hours since rotations are not fixed to a weekday. An estimate for planning, not payroll or legal advice.
How it works
Three inputs, a full year of pay
Most pay calculators assume a flat 40-hour week and miss the overtime and differentials that make shift work pay what it does. This one starts from your actual rotation, so the hours are right before a single premium is added.
1. Enter your rate
Start with your straight-time hourly rate. Everything else, overtime, differentials, premiums, builds on this one number.
2. Pick your rotation
Choose from 14 patterns, from fire's 24/48 and 48/96 to general-industry DuPont, Panama, 4-on-4-off, and Continental. The rotation sets your annual hours.
3. Add your premiums
Set your night differential, overtime multiplier and threshold, and any weekend or holiday premium. The breakdown updates live.
What goes into your check
Where the money actually comes from
Built-in overtime
From the rotationRotations that average more than 40 hours a week carry overtime whether you pick up extra shifts or not. A straight 24/48 averages about 56 hours a week, so a large share of the year is already overtime.
Night differential
Night hoursPaid as a percentage on top of base for hours worked at night. The calculator knows how many night shifts each rotation runs, so fixed-nights and DuPont show real night pay while fixed-days shows none.
Weekend premium
EstimatedSome contracts pay a premium for weekend hours. Because rotations float across the week, the calculator estimates the two-in-seven share of hours that land on a weekend over the year.
Holiday premium
Days on dutyHoliday pay is applied only to the paid holidays your rotation actually has you working. Enter how many paid holidays your employer recognizes and the premium percentage.
Shift pay questions
Common questions
How does a shift pay calculator work?
You enter your hourly rate and pick your rotation. The calculator projects a full year of worked hours from that rotation's on/off cycle, splits them into straight time and built-in overtime, then layers on any night differential, weekend premium, and holiday premium you add. It totals gross pay for the year and breaks it down to a monthly and per-paycheck figure so you can see where every dollar comes from.
How do you calculate annual hours for a rotating shift?
Each rotation has a fixed number of worked days per cycle and a shift length. Annual hours are the worked hours per cycle multiplied by how many times that cycle repeats in a year (about 365.25 days). A straight 24/48 rotation, for example, works one 24-hour shift every three days, which annualizes to roughly 2,920 hours a year before any Kelly days.
What is a night differential and how is it applied?
A night (or shift) differential is an extra percentage paid on hours worked at night, common in fire, EMS, nursing, and 24/7 operations. Enter your differential and the calculator applies it to the night-shift hours your rotation actually works. Patterns that never run nights (like fixed days) show no night pay; patterns like DuPont or fixed nights show a lot.
Does this include overtime?
Yes. Many rotations build in overtime because they average more than a standard 40-hour week. The calculator computes the weekly overtime hours above your overtime-after threshold, pays them at your overtime multiplier (1.5x by default), and shows them as a separate line. Fire crews measured under FLSA 7(k) should set a higher weekly threshold or use the dedicated overtime calculator for the work-period rule.
How are weekend and holiday premiums estimated?
Rotations repeat on a fixed day-of-cycle, not a day of the week, so the calculator estimates weekend hours as the two-in-seven share of your worked hours over the year. Holiday premium is applied only to the paid holidays your rotation actually has you on duty, times a full shift. Both are planning estimates; your exact weekends and holidays depend on where your cycle lands on the calendar.
Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free and needs no signup. Create a free RescueShift account only if you want to keep your whole rotation, trades, and coverage synced across your phone and the web.
Related tools
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Beyond the calculator
Put your whole rotation on autopilot
RescueShift keeps your shifts, overtime, trades, and coverage in one place, synced across your phone and the web. Free for individual firefighters, EMTs, and shift workers.