Shift Differential & Premium Pay Calculator
Calculate shift differential & blended hourly pay. At $22/hr with 15% night premium on 8 hrs, earn $906.40/wk ($22.66 blended).
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For payroll training or your own worksheet: 600 shift-pay overtime examples, a free spreadsheet and an embeddable calculator.
A shift premium (also called a shift differential) adds extra pay for nights, weekends, rotating shifts, or hard-to-fill hours. Employers often quote it as a percentage of base pay, which makes the real weekly value easy to underestimate.
Enter ordinary hours and premium-eligible hours separately. The calculator applies the differential only to eligible hours, then shows total weekly pay and the blended hourly rate across the full week.
Shift premium examples
Weekly and annual pay comparisons across standard wage rates assuming 32 regular hours and 8 night/weekend shift hours with a 15% differential.
| Base Hourly Rate | Regular Pay (32 hrs) | Shift Premium (15%) | Total Weekly Pay | Blended Hourly Rate | Annualized Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00/hr | $480.00 | $18.00 | $618.00 | $15.45/hr | $32,136.00 |
| $18.00/hr | $576.00 | $21.60 | $741.60 | $18.54/hr | $38,563.20 |
| $20.00/hr | $640.00 | $24.00 | $824.00 | $20.60/hr | $42,848.00 |
| $22.00/hr | $704.00 | $26.40 | $906.40 | $22.66/hr | $47,132.80 |
| $25.00/hr | $800.00 | $30.00 | $1,030.00 | $25.75/hr | $53,560.00 |
| $30.00/hr | $960.00 | $36.00 | $1,236.00 | $30.90/hr | $64,272.00 |
| $35.00/hr | $1,120.00 | $42.00 | $1,442.00 | $36.05/hr | $74,984.00 |
| $40.00/hr | $1,280.00 | $48.00 | $1,648.00 | $41.20/hr | $85,696.00 |
*Calculated with 32 standard hours and 8 night/weekend premium hours at a 15% shift differential.
How the calculation works
Premium pay = base rate × premium percentage × premium hours.
Total weekly pay adds ordinary base pay for every hour plus the premium. Example: $22/hour, 32 ordinary hours, eight night hours, and a 15% differential = $880 base pay + $26.40 premium = $906.40, a blended $22.66/hour.
Source note: the U.S. Department of Labor night-work guidance explains that federal law does not independently require a night differential.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a 15% shift differential?
Multiply the base hourly rate by 15%, then multiply that premium by the eligible shift hours. At $22/hour for eight premium hours: $22 x 15% x 8 = $26.40 extra.
Is a night shift premium required by federal law?
No. The U.S. Department of Labor says extra pay for night work is generally a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Overtime rules still apply when a covered nonexempt employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek.
Does shift differential count toward overtime?
Ordinary shift differentials generally enter the regular rate used for overtime. This calculator shows straight-time shift earnings only. Use the weighted overtime calculator to include the differential in the federal weekly overtime calculation.
What is a blended hourly rate?
It is total weekly pay divided by total hours. It lets you compare a mixed-shift schedule with another job that quotes one flat hourly rate.
Want the full background? Read Shift Differential & Premium Pay Guide (2026).
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Page updated October 18, 2026. See our methodology and sources. Estimates are informational, not tax, payroll, or legal advice.