Decimal Time
Vacation & PTO accrual • any pay schedule

PTO Accrual Calculator

Instantly calculate how many PTO hours you earn each pay period or for every hour worked. Supports weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, and monthly schedules.

Total PTO hours earned per year. 80 hrs = 2 weeks.

Try:
PTO accrued per pay period
3.08hours
80 hrs ÷ 26 pay periods
Per year
80 hrs
10.0 days
Per pay period
3.08 hrs
0.38 days
After 6 months
40.00 hrs
Half the year
Formula (per pay period): annual PTO ÷ pay periods. Formula (per hour worked): annual PTO ÷ annual work hours. Many companies cap the total accrual balance — check your employee handbook.
Both accrual methods
Day & week breakdown
Full-time or part-time
Free — no signup

How to calculate PTO accrual

Pick your method, plug in the numbers, and see your rate.

1

Enter annual PTO

Total PTO hours you receive per year — usually 80, 120, or 160.

2

Pick accrual method

Per pay period (most common) or per hour worked (for variable-hour staff).

3

Set the schedule

Pay periods per year for per-period accrual, or annual work hours for per-hour accrual.

4

See your rate

Hours per period, per day, per week, or per hour worked.

The two accrual formulas

Pick the one that matches your employer’s policy.

Per pay period
annual PTO ÷ pay periods
Simple. Same amount each payday regardless of hours worked. Most salaried roles use this.
Example: 80 hrs ÷ 26 = 3.08 hrs per biweekly paycheck.
Per hour worked
annual PTO ÷ annual work hours
Scales with actual hours. Best for hourly or part-time staff with variable schedules.
Example: 80 hrs ÷ 2,080 = 0.0385 hrs per hour worked.

PTO accrual reference tables

Common values for the per-pay-period and per-hour-worked methods.

Per pay period
Annual PTOPay periodsPer periodDays/yr
40 hrs123.33 hrs5
40 hrs261.54 hrs5
80 hrs126.67 hrs10
80 hrs263.08 hrs10
80 hrs521.54 hrs10
120 hrs264.62 hrs15
160 hrs266.15 hrs20
200 hrs267.69 hrs25
Per hour worked (2,080-hr year)
Annual PTOAnnual hoursPer hour
40 hrs20800.0192 hrs
80 hrs20800.0385 hrs
120 hrs20800.0577 hrs
160 hrs20800.0769 hrs
200 hrs20800.0962 hrs

Who uses this calculator

PTO accrual math comes up constantly for these roles.

HR teams

Model new PTO policies before rolling them out to employees.

Payroll admins

Calculate pay-period accruals for new hires and policy changes.

Employees

Check exactly how much PTO you earn each paycheck.

Small-business owners

Design a competitive benefits package that fits your budget.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about PTO accrual.

What is PTO accrual?▾
PTO accrual is the process of earning paid time off gradually over time rather than receiving it all at once. Each pay period (or each hour worked) adds a small amount to your PTO balance.
How is PTO typically accrued?▾
Most commonly per pay period (e.g., you earn 3.08 hours every two weeks) or per hour worked (e.g., you earn 0.0385 hours of PTO for every hour you work).
What's the difference between per pay period and per hour worked?▾
Per pay period is simpler and gives the same amount each period regardless of how many hours you work. Per hour worked is more precise and adjusts for part-time or variable-hour employees.
How many PTO hours is typical in the U.S.?▾
For full-time employees, 10–15 days (80–120 hours) per year is common. Senior employees often receive 15–25 days. Government and union jobs may offer more; startups and some service industries offer less.
Do part-time employees accrue PTO?▾
It depends on company policy. Many companies offer prorated PTO for part-time employees (based on the per-hour-worked method). Some companies do not offer PTO to part-time staff at all.
Can my PTO balance be capped?▾
Yes. Many companies cap total PTO accrual (for example, you cannot accrue more than 120 hours total) to encourage employees to actually take time off. Once you hit the cap, accrual pauses until you use some PTO.
Is PTO accrual required by law?▾
No federal law requires PTO in the U.S. However, a growing number of states and cities have paid sick leave laws that require accrual of sick time (not necessarily full PTO). California, New York, Washington, and others have such laws.
What happens to accrued PTO when I leave a job?▾
It depends on state law and company policy. States like California and Colorado require employers to pay out unused PTO. Other states let employers write the policy. Always check your state law and employee handbook.
How is PTO different from sick leave?▾
PTO (paid time off) is usually a single bucket covering vacation, personal days, and often sick days. Sick leave is a dedicated bucket just for illness and may have different rules, accrual rates, or legal requirements in your state.
How do I convert accrued PTO hours into days?▾
Divide accrued hours by your standard workday length. For an 8-hour day, 40 hours = 5 days. Use our Hours to Decimal Calculator for a quick conversion.

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