12-Hour Shift Pay Calculator
Enter your hourly wage and how many 12-hour shifts you work per week to see your pay per shift, weekly earnings, monthly salary, and annual income. The calculator automatically splits each shift into regular and overtime hours and applies the overtime multiplier you choose. Results update instantly as you type.
How the 12-hour shift pay formula works
A 12-hour shift is split into a regular portion (typically the first 8 hours) and an overtime portion (the remaining 4 hours). Regular hours are paid at your base hourly wage. Overtime hours are paid at a higher rate, most commonly 1.5 times the base wage under the US Fair Labor Standards Act, though some employers and state laws require double time. The formula is: Pay per shift = (regular hours x base wage) + (overtime hours x overtime wage). For example, at $20/hr with 8 regular and 4 overtime hours at 1.5x: (8 x $20) + (4 x $30) = $160 + $120 = $280 per shift.
Weekly, monthly, and annual projections
Once you know your per-shift pay, the calculator multiplies by the number of shifts you work per week to get your weekly gross. Monthly pay is estimated as weekly pay times 52 weeks divided by 12 months (approximately 4.33 weeks per month). Annual pay is weekly pay times 52. If you work a rotating schedule where the number of shifts alternates week to week (as with Pitman, DuPont, or 2-2-3 patterns), enter your average shifts per week to get a reasonable annual estimate.
Shift differentials for nights, weekends, and holidays
Many employers pay a shift differential, an extra amount per hour, for shifts that fall outside standard daytime weekday hours. Common differentials are $1 to $4 per hour for night shifts and $2 to $5 per hour for weekends or holidays. Toggle the shift differential option to include this bonus in your calculation. Enter the extra dollar amount per hour and how many of your weekly shifts qualify. This differential is added on top of both regular and overtime pay for those shifts.
Gross pay vs. net take-home pay
This calculator computes gross pay, the total before deductions. Your actual take-home pay will be lower after federal income tax (10% to 37% depending on your taxable income bracket), state income tax (0% to 13.3% depending on state), Social Security (6.2% up to the annual wage base), and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% for high earners). Benefits premiums for health insurance, dental, vision, retirement plan contributions, and other withholdings are also subtracted from your paycheck. For a detailed net pay estimate, use a dedicated paycheck calculator after confirming your filing status and deductions.
Common 12-hour shift schedules and weekly hours
| Schedule name | Shifts per week (avg) | Hours per week (avg) | FLSA overtime? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitman (2-3-2-2-3) | 3.5 | 42 | Yes - 2 hrs/week |
| DuPont (4-on, 3-off rotation) | 3.5 | 42 | Yes - 2 hrs/week |
| 2-2-3 (Panama) | 3.5 | 42 | Yes - 2 hrs/week |
| 3 shifts on, 3 off | 3.5 | 42 | Yes - 2 hrs/week |
| 4 on, 4 off | 3.5 | 42 | Yes - 2 hrs/week |
| Fixed 3 days per week | 3 | 36 | No |
| Fixed 4 days per week | 4 | 48 | Yes - 8 hrs/week |
Popular rotating patterns used in healthcare, manufacturing, emergency services, and logistics.
Frequently asked questions
How is pay calculated for a 12-hour shift?
Each 12-hour shift is divided into regular hours (typically the first 8) paid at your base rate, and overtime hours (the remaining 4) paid at 1.5x or 2x depending on your employment agreement. Add the two together to get your gross per-shift pay. For example, at $20 per hour with 8 regular and 4 overtime hours at 1.5x, the calculation is (8 x $20) + (4 x $30) = $280 per shift.
Do I get overtime pay on a 12-hour shift?
In most US states, yes - any hours beyond 8 in a single day or beyond 40 in a single week must be paid at 1.5x under the FLSA or applicable state law. California, Alaska, and some other states have daily overtime rules that trigger at 8 hours regardless of weekly total. Always confirm your specific state and employment agreement, because some salaried-exempt workers are not covered by these rules.
How many hours of overtime do you get in a 12-hour shift?
With a standard 8-hour regular threshold, a 12-hour shift gives you 4 hours of overtime. If your employer sets a different threshold (for example, 10 regular hours), you would have only 2 overtime hours per shift. Adjust the "regular hours per shift" field to match your actual contract.
How much is a 12-hour shift worth per year?
It depends on your wage and how many shifts you work per week. At $20/hr working 3 shifts per week (averaging 36 hours), your gross annual pay is roughly $52,416. At 4 shifts per week (48 hours, all overtime above 40 weekly), the annual gross rises to around $75,088. Use the calculator above for a figure tailored to your exact wage, overtime rate, and shift count.
What is a shift differential and should I include it?
A shift differential is an extra amount per hour your employer pays for shifts worked outside standard business hours, such as nights, weekends, or holidays. It is separate from overtime: you can earn both overtime pay and a shift differential on the same shift. If your employer offers a differential, toggle it on and enter the dollar amount per hour to include it in your weekly and annual totals.
What is the average annual salary for 12-hour shift workers?
Pay varies widely by industry and role. Hospital nurses working three 12-hour shifts per week commonly earn $70,000 to $100,000 annually. Refinery and manufacturing operators on rotating 12-hour schedules typically earn $55,000 to $85,000. Emergency services and security roles range from $35,000 to $65,000. Your specific wage and schedule are the main drivers, which is why a personalised calculator is more useful than an industry average.