How shift pay is calculated
Your pay on a rotation is made of three parts:
- Straight time: hours up to 40 in each workweek × your base rate.
- Overtime: hours over 40 in a workweek × 1.5 × your rate (plus daily overtime in states like California).
- Differentials: extra pay per hour for nights, weekends or holidays — usually 5–15% or $1–$5 an hour.
Unlike most calculators, this one plays out a full year of your rotation day by day, so overtime lands in exactly the weeks it does in real life.
Example: 2-2-3 at $28 an hour
182 twelve-hour shifts = 2,184 hours a year. With the common workweek split (36 hours one week, 48 the next), that is 208 overtime hours a year. Straight time: 1,976 × $28 = $55,328. Overtime: 208 × $42 = $8,736. A team working nights half the year with a 10% differential adds about $3,058. Total: roughly $67,000 before taxes.
Hours by 12-hour rotation
| Rotation | Shifts per year | Hours per year | Avg hours/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-2-3 (Panama) | 182 | 2,184 | 42 |
| Pitman | 182 | 2,184 | 42 |
| DuPont | 182 | 2,184 | 42 |
| 4 on 4 off | 182–183 | about 2,190 | 42 |
For a single week, use the time card calculator. For night premiums alone, use the shift differential calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate pay for a 12-hour shift?
Multiply 12 hours by your hourly rate, then add any night differential for night hours. Overtime depends on your total hours in the employer's 7-day workweek: hours over 40 are paid at 1.5× (and in California, hours over 8 in a day too).
How much do you make a year on 12-hour shifts?
A 2-2-3, Pitman, DuPont or 4 on 4 off rotation is about 182 shifts and 2,184 hours a year. At $28 an hour that is about $61,000 straight time, plus overtime and differentials.
Why does my overtime change from week to week?
On 12-hour rotations you work 3 shifts some weeks and 4 (or even 5) in others. Weekly overtime is counted per 7-day workweek, so the busy weeks carry the overtime. Where the workweek starts in your cycle changes the total — the calculator shows the range.
Is night shift differential included in overtime?
Under federal law, shift differentials are part of the regular rate of pay, so overtime should be paid at 1.5× the base rate plus the differential for the week.
How many hours a year is a 12-hour shift schedule?
Most four-team 12-hour rotations average 42 hours a week, about 2,184 hours a year (182 shifts).
Gross pay estimates before taxes and deductions. Your employer's pay rules and contract decide your actual pay.