Understanding your weekly earnings is essential for budgeting and financial planning. A weekly wage is the total amount of money an employee earns in a single week before taxes and other deductions (Gross Pay).
The Basic Weekly Wage Formula
For most hourly workers, the calculation is straightforward:
Regular Pay = Hourly Rate × Regular Hours
If you work more than your standard hours (usually 40 hours in many jurisdictions), you may be entitled to overtime pay. This is calculated as:
Let's say you earn $20 per hour and worked 45 hours this week. Your employer pays "time and a half" (1.5x) for any hours over 40.
Regular Pay: 40 hours × $20 = $800
Overtime Pay: 5 hours × ($20 × 1.5) = $150
Total Weekly Wage: $800 + $150 = $950
Important Considerations
Gross vs. Net Pay: The calculator above provides your Gross Pay. This is the amount before Social Security, Medicare, Federal, and State taxes are deducted. Your "take-home pay" (Net Pay) will be lower than the result shown.
Overtime Rules: Different regions have different laws regarding when overtime begins (daily vs. weekly) and the required multiplier. Always check your local labor laws or your employment contract.
Bonus and Commissions: If you receive regular bonuses or commissions, these should be added to your total weekly gross to get an accurate picture of your annual income potential.
function calculateWeeklyWage() {
var hourlyRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('hourlyRate').value);
var regularHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('regularHours').value);
var overtimeHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('overtimeHours').value);
var overtimeMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById('overtimeMultiplier').value);
// Validation
if (isNaN(hourlyRate) || hourlyRate < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid hourly rate.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(regularHours) || regularHours < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid regular hours.");
return;
}
// Defaulting optional fields
if (isNaN(overtimeHours)) overtimeHours = 0;
if (isNaN(overtimeMultiplier)) overtimeMultiplier = 1.5;
// Calculations
var regularPayTotal = hourlyRate * regularHours;
var overtimePayTotal = overtimeHours * (hourlyRate * overtimeMultiplier);
var totalWeeklyPay = regularPayTotal + overtimePayTotal;
// Display results
document.getElementById('resRegularPay').innerText = '$' + regularPayTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('resOvertimePay').innerText = '$' + overtimePayTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('resTotalPay').innerText = '$' + totalWeeklyPay.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('wageResultArea').style.display = 'block';
}