PTO Accrual Calculator
See how much paid time off you earn each pay period and what your balance will be by a date.
About the PTO Accrual Calculator
Enter your yearly PTO hours, pay periods per year, current balance, how many pay periods ahead and any cap. The calculator gives the hours earned per period and your balance by then.
Most US employers accrue PTO evenly across pay periods: yearly PTO hours ÷ pay periods per year. Many set a maximum balance (cap) after which you stop earning until you use some. Rules on carry-over and payout at the end of employment vary by employer and state (California, for example, treats accrued vacation as wages).
The formula
Per period = yearly PTO ÷ periods; balance = current + per period × periods
Worked example
120 hours a year, paid every two weeks, 16 hours banked, looking 10 pay periods ahead
- Per period: 120 ÷ 26 = 4.615 hours
- 16 + 10 × 4.615 = 62.15 hours
- About 7.8 eight-hour days
Questions people ask
Do I accrue PTO on leave?
Depends on the policy; many accrue only on hours worked or paid.
Is unused PTO paid out?
Depends on the state and policy.