What is the 12-Hour Shift Pay Calculator?
This tool estimates your earnings for a 12-hour shift (or any shift length) where hours worked beyond 8 in a day are paid at time-and-a-half (1.5x). It is commonly used by nurses, factory workers, security staff, and anyone on long rotating shifts who wants a quick gross-pay figure before deductions.
How to use it
Enter your hourly rate, the length of one shift in hours, and how many shifts you want to total. The calculator splits each shift into the first 8 hours (paid at your normal rate) and any remaining hours (paid at 1.5x), then multiplies by the number of shifts.
The formula explained
For each shift, overtime hours are \(\max(H - 8, 0)\) and regular hours are the rest. Pay per shift:
$$\text{Pay} = (R_{reg} \times r) + (R_{ot} \times r \times 1.5)$$Total pay multiplies this by the number of shifts.
Worked example
Suppose you earn $20/hour and work one 12-hour shift. The first 8 hours pay:
$$8 \times \$20 = \$160$$The remaining 4 overtime hours pay:
$$4 \times \$20 \times 1.5 = \$120$$Your shift total is $280. Across 5 such shifts you would earn $1,400.
Pay Across Common Rates and Shift Counts
A standard 12-hour shift under the most common daily-overtime rule (such as California's) breaks into 8 regular hours and 4 overtime hours paid at time-and-a-half. The per-shift gross is therefore:
$$\text{Per shift} = 8r + 4r(1.5) = 8r + 6r = 14r$$For example, at \(r = \$25/\text{hr}\): \(8(25) + 4(25)(1.5) = 200 + 150 = \$350\) per shift, which is $350 for a single shift. Multiply that per-shift figure by the number of shifts to get the total below.
| Hourly rate | Per shift (14×rate) | 1 shift | 3 shifts | 5 shifts | 7 shifts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $210 | $210 | $630 | $1,050 | $1,470 |
| $20 | $280 | $280 | $840 | $1,400 | $1,960 |
| $25 | $350 | $350 | $1,050 | $1,750 | $2,450 |
| $30 | $420 | $420 | $1,260 | $2,100 | $2,940 |
Note: These totals assume overtime begins after 8 hours in a single day. If your employer only pays overtime after 40 hours in a week, the regular/overtime split per shift will differ.
FAQ
Does this use weekly overtime rules? No — it applies daily overtime over 8 hours, common for long-shift workplaces. Many US states like California use this daily rule; federal FLSA uses a 40-hour weekly threshold, so check your local rules.
Is this gross or net pay? It shows gross pay before taxes, insurance, and other deductions.
Can I use a different shift length? Yes. Any shift over 8 hours triggers overtime on the excess; shifts of 8 hours or less are paid entirely at the regular rate.
