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How to Calculate Gross Pay for a Shift
A practical gross-pay formula for hourly shifts, unpaid breaks, overtime, and real-world schedule changes.
Matthew NewmanAuthor and editorial reviewer · Primary sources checked 2026-08-28A useful shift-pay estimate starts with the hours that are actually paid. Scheduled time, clocked time, and paid time can differ when a shift includes an unpaid meal break or a late start.
Keep the estimate deliberately separate from taxes and deductions. Gross pay is the amount before withholding, benefit deductions, garnishments, or other payroll adjustments.
Find paid hours first
Subtract unpaid break time from the time between the start and end of the shift. A 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. shift with a 30-minute unpaid break contains 11.5 paid hours, not 12.
If you stayed late, left early, or picked up an extra shift, update the actual time before relying on the estimate. Small changes matter across a full pay period.
Apply the base hourly rate
Multiply paid hours by the base hourly rate. If 11.5 hours are paid at $24 per hour, the base gross amount is $276 before any overtime premium.
Keep differentials, bonuses, and special rates separate unless you know exactly how your employer applies them. Employer rules and local law can differ.
Handle overtime as a separate layer
Identify the hours above the overtime threshold and apply the premium only to those hours. Do not assume every long shift automatically receives the same overtime treatment.
Use your employer policy and official records as the source of truth. A planning app can help you spot questions before payday, but it cannot certify payroll.
Authoritative sources
Sources were last reviewed on . We prefer primary government and platform documentation, link claims to their source, and recheck articles when rules or app behavior changes. Always verify the source for the relevant year or situation.