How many hours of PTO do I earn per paycheck?

Annual PTO hours ÷ paychecks per year. 15 days × 8 hours = 120 hours; biweekly (26 checks) that's 4.62 hours per check, weekly 2.31, monthly 10. If your paystub shows a different rate, your employer may accrue based on hours worked rather than flat per-period — common for hourly roles.

Is PTO accrued or granted up front?

Both models exist. Accrual (modeled here) drips hours in per pay period — you can't take a 2-week trip in February on a January start date. Front-loading grants the full annual bank on January 1 or your anniversary. Check your handbook; the difference matters most in your first year and your last.

What happens to unused PTO at year end?

Three policies: carry-over (hours roll forward, sometimes capped at e.g. 1.5× annual accrual), use-it-or-lose-it (forfeited — illegal for accrued vacation in California and a few other states), and payout (rare mid-employment). If you're near a cap, every additional hour accrued is an hour forfeited — book the time.

Do I get paid for unused PTO when I quit?

Depends on state law and policy. California, Montana, Nebraska, and several others treat accrued vacation as earned wages that must be paid out at termination. Most states defer to the employer's written policy. Run the numbers with the vacation payout calculator before giving notice — timing a departure right after a big accrual can be worth hundreds of dollars.

Does PTO accrue while I'm on PTO or unpaid leave?

On paid PTO: usually yes — you're on paid status, so accrual continues. On unpaid leave (including unpaid FMLA): usually no — most policies pause accrual when pay pauses. This is a policy choice, not law, so check the handbook for your employer's rule.

Career & Growth · Free tool

PTO Calculator

Track your paid time off accrual per pay period and project your balance instantly. Free online tool for hourly and salaried setups, no sign-up.

Updated June 2026

PTO days per yearHours per workdayMonths worked so farPTO hours already usedPay period frequency

Annual PTO (hours)

120.0 h

Accrual per period

4.62 h

Hours accrued so far

60.0 h

Hours remaining

52.0 h

Equivalent days left

6.5 days

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What it does

Track paid time off by pay period and see your current balance plus projected year-end. Supports hourly and salaried accrual, carry-over caps, and a start-of-year balance. Useful during benefits enrollment and when planning a trip.

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Example input & output

Input

PTO: 15 days/year · 8-hour days
Pay frequency: biweekly (26 periods)
Months worked: 6 · Hours already used: 8

Output

Accrual per paycheck: 4.62 h
Accrued so far: 60.0 h
Remaining: 52.0 h ≈ 6.5 days

Half the year worked = half the annual 120 hours accrued. The one day already taken (8 h) comes off the accrued total, not the annual total.

How to use it

Enter starting balance and accrual rate.
Set pay-period frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly).
Enter PTO taken this year so far.
Read current balance and projected year-end.

How it works

Annual hours are days × hours per day. Per-period accrual divides that by the pay frequency (52 weekly, 26 biweekly, 24 semi-monthly, 12 monthly). The tool converts months worked into completed periods (months ÷ 12 × periods per year), multiplies to get hours accrued, subtracts hours used, and converts the remainder back into equivalent days.

Common mistakes when using this tool

Confusing semi-monthly with biweekly. Semi-monthly is 24 checks a year (1st and 15th), biweekly is 26 (every other Friday). The per-period accrual differs by ~8%.
Counting calendar months instead of employed months. If you started in March, enter months since March, not months since January.
Assuming the balance is spendable immediately. Some employers impose a 90-day waiting period or accrue in arrears — the paystub is authoritative; this tool tells you what the paystub should say.

When to use this tool

Your employer accrues PTO per pay period (most do) and you want the running balance between paystubs.
Planning leave several months ahead — accrual-to-date plus future accrual tells you the bookable window.
Comparing job offers where one quotes days and the other quotes accrual hours per period.

When not to use it

Front-loaded or 'unlimited' PTO policies — there's no accrual to model; check the policy document instead.
Plans with accrual caps or use-it-or-lose-it cliffs — the tool doesn't model a ceiling, so treat its balance as an upper bound.
FMLA, parental leave, or sabbaticals — those run on separate entitlements, not the vacation accrual bank.

Common use cases

Checking whether you'll have enough hours banked for a December trip if you book it in July.
Verifying the PTO balance on your paystub matches what the accrual math says it should be.
New hires translating '15 days per year, accrued biweekly' into actual usable hours per paycheck.
Deciding whether to burn PTO before a job change in a state where unused time isn't paid out.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of PTO do I earn per paycheck?: Annual PTO hours ÷ paychecks per year. 15 days × 8 hours = 120 hours; biweekly (26 checks) that's 4.62 hours per check, weekly 2.31, monthly 10. If your paystub shows a different rate, your employer may accrue based on hours worked rather than flat per-period — common for hourly roles.
Is PTO accrued or granted up front?: Both models exist. Accrual (modeled here) drips hours in per pay period — you can't take a 2-week trip in February on a January start date. Front-loading grants the full annual bank on January 1 or your anniversary. Check your handbook; the difference matters most in your first year and your last.
What happens to unused PTO at year end?: Three policies: carry-over (hours roll forward, sometimes capped at e.g. 1.5× annual accrual), use-it-or-lose-it (forfeited — illegal for accrued vacation in California and a few other states), and payout (rare mid-employment). If you're near a cap, every additional hour accrued is an hour forfeited — book the time.
Do I get paid for unused PTO when I quit?: Depends on state law and policy. California, Montana, Nebraska, and several others treat accrued vacation as earned wages that must be paid out at termination. Most states defer to the employer's written policy. Run the numbers with the vacation payout calculator before giving notice — timing a departure right after a big accrual can be worth hundreds of dollars.
Does PTO accrue while I'm on PTO or unpaid leave?: On paid PTO: usually yes — you're on paid status, so accrual continues. On unpaid leave (including unpaid FMLA): usually no — most policies pause accrual when pay pauses. This is a policy choice, not law, so check the handbook for your employer's rule.

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