Vacation Accrual Rate Calculator
Calculate exactly how much PTO you earn each pay period.
Weekly (52 periods)
Bi-Weekly (26 periods)
Semi-Monthly (24 periods)
Monthly (12 periods)
Calculation Results
Days Per Pay Period
0.00
Hours Per Pay Period
0.00
Accrual Rate Per Hour Worked
0.0000
(Earned for every 1 hour you work)
How to Calculate Vacation Accrual Rates
Understanding your vacation accrual rate is essential for planning time off and ensuring your pay stubs are accurate. Most companies provide a set number of vacation days per year, but you earn them incrementally with every paycheck. This "earning as you go" process is known as accrual.
The Basic Formulas
There are two primary ways to calculate accrual: per pay period or per hour worked.
- Accrual per Pay Period: Divide your total annual vacation hours by the number of pay periods in a year.
Example: 80 hours (10 days) / 26 pay periods = 3.07 hours per paycheck. - Accrual per Hour Worked: Divide your total annual vacation hours by the total number of hours you are expected to work in a year.
Example: 80 hours / 2080 hours (full-time) = 0.0385 hours earned per hour worked.
Standard Pay Periods Reference
To use the calculator or perform manual math, you need to know how many times you are paid annually:
| Frequency | Periods Per Year |
|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 |
| Bi-Weekly (Every 2 weeks) | 26 |
| Semi-Monthly (e.g. 1st & 15th) | 24 |
| Monthly | 12 |
Example Calculation
If you receive 15 days of vacation per year, work a 40-hour week, and are paid bi-weekly:
- Convert days to hours: 15 days × 8 hours = 120 total hours.
- Divide by periods: 120 hours / 26 periods = 4.615 hours per pay period.
- Calculate hourly rate: 120 hours / (40 hours × 52 weeks) = 0.0577 hours per hour worked.