Calculator
PTO accrual calculator
Yearly allowance in days or hours; balance and value are optional.
Accrual per paycheck4.62 h0.0577 h per hour worked (1 hour per 17.3 worked)
| PTO earned in a year | 120 h |
|---|---|
| Per week | 2.31 h |
| Balance at year end | 80 h |
| Value of that balance | $2,000.00 |
How PTO accrual is calculated
Employers use one of three accrual formulas. All start from the yearly allowance in hours (days × hours per day):
- Per pay period: yearly hours ÷ paychecks. 120 ÷ 26 = 4.62 hours each payday; 120 ÷ 24 = 5.00 semimonthly.
- Per hour worked: yearly hours ÷ hours worked. 120 ÷ 2,080 = 0.0577 hours per hour, common for hourly and part-time staff. A 30-hour week earns 1.73 hours.
- Front-loaded: the whole allowance lands on January 1 or your work anniversary, with nothing to accrue.
| PTO per year | Hours | Per biweekly check | Per semimonthly check | Per hour worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days | 80 | 3.08 | 3.33 | 0.0385 |
| 12 days | 96 | 3.69 | 4.00 | 0.0462 |
| 15 days | 120 | 4.62 | 5.00 | 0.0577 |
| 20 days | 160 | 6.15 | 6.67 | 0.0769 |
| 25 days | 200 | 7.69 | 8.33 | 0.0962 |
| 30 days | 240 | 9.23 | 10.00 | 0.1154 |
How much PTO is typical
Private-industry workers in the US average 11 days of paid vacation after 1 year of service, 16 after 5 years, 18 after 10 and 20 after 20, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (March 2026). State and local government workers average 13 days after 1 year[bls]. Sick leave averages 7 days a year in private industry.
| Years of service | Private industry | State and local government |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 11 | 13 |
| 5 years | 16 | 16 |
| 10 years | 18 | 19 |
| 20 years | 20 | 22 |
PTO rules that change the math
No federal law requires paid vacation; the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, so vacation and PTO are matters of agreement between employer and employee[dolv]. State law fills some gaps:
- Paid sick leave laws set a minimum accrual in many states. California requires at least 1 hour per 30 hours worked, with employers able to cap use at 40 hours or 5 days a year[casick].
- Caps stop accrual once the balance reaches a limit (often 1.5–2× the yearly allowance). Enter your starting balance to see when you would hit one.
- Payout at separation depends on the state and your policy. Some states treat earned vacation as wages that must be paid out; others let the policy decide.
PTO on your paycheckPaid time off is taxed like regular wages. A week of PTO at $25 an hour is $1,000 of gross pay with the usual federal, FICA and state withholding: see the paycheck calculator. Hours worked for accrual can come straight from the time card calculator, and minutes convert with the time to decimal calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate PTO accrual per pay period?
Divide your yearly PTO hours by the number of paychecks. 80 hours a year paid biweekly is 80 ÷ 26 = 3.08 hours per paycheck.
How many hours of PTO do I earn per hour worked?
Yearly PTO hours ÷ yearly hours worked. 120 hours of PTO over 2,080 hours is 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour worked, about 1 hour for every 17.3 hours.
Is 15 days of PTO good?
It is above the private-industry average of 11 vacation days after one year of service (BLS, March 2026), but PTO policies often combine vacation and sick days, which average 7 more.
Does unused PTO get paid out?
It depends on your state and your employer's written policy. Some states require earned vacation to be paid at separation; many do not.