PTO Accrual Calculator
Work out how fast you earn paid time off and what your vacation balance will be — by pay period, hours worked, or annual allowance.
| After pay period | PTO hours | ≈ Days |
|---|---|---|
| +1 | 4.00 | 0.5 |
| +2 | 8.00 | 1.0 |
| +3 | 12.00 | 1.5 |
| +4 | 16.00 | 2.0 |
| +5 | 20.00 | 2.5 |
| +6 | 24.00 | 3.0 |
| +7 | 28.00 | 3.5 |
| +8 | 32.00 | 4.0 |
| +9 | 36.00 | 4.5 |
| +10 | 40.00 | 5.0 |
| +11 | 44.00 | 5.5 |
| +12 | 48.00 | 6.0 |
Days assume an 8-hour workday. The projection ignores accrual caps, waiting periods, and carryover limits — check your employee handbook for your plan's rules. Per-hours-worked mode assumes a steady 40-hour week (2,080 hours/year at 40).
Planning a trip and not sure you will have the hours by then? The projection table shows your balance after each upcoming pay period. Track the hours you actually work with the time card calculator, or see what unused PTO is worth in pay with the hourly to salary calculator.
How It Works
Pick your accrual method
Per pay period, per hour worked, or an annual lump sum.
Enter your rate and balance
Plus any time off you already have planned.
Read the projection
Annual accrual in hours and days, and your balance after each upcoming pay period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is PTO accrual calculated?+
Multiply your accrual rate by how often it applies. Earning 4 hours per biweekly paycheck accrues 4 × 26 = 104 hours (13 days) a year. Earning 0.05 hours per hour worked at 40 hours/week accrues 0.05 × 2,080 = 104 hours a year — the same total via a different method.
How many PTO hours is a vacation day?+
For full-time schedules, one day = 8 hours, so 40 hours of PTO is one week off. If you work different shift lengths, divide your balance by your actual daily hours.
What is a typical PTO accrual rate?+
US full-time norms run 10–20 days per year (80–160 hours), often rising with tenure. That works out to roughly 3.1–6.2 hours per biweekly pay period.
What is the difference between accrued and granted PTO?+
Accrued PTO builds gradually each pay period or hour worked. Granted (lump-sum) PTO deposits the full annual allowance up front. This calculator handles both — pick the matching accrual method.
Do accrual caps and carryover limits apply?+
Many employers cap the balance you can hold or limit hours carried into a new year, and state rules on PTO payout vary. This calculator projects raw accrual; check your handbook for caps.
How do I convert PTO hours into days?+
Divide the hours by your standard workday length. At 8 hours a day, 40 PTO hours is 5 days and 104 hours is 13 days. The calculator shows both hours and days, so you can plan time off directly.
Does PTO include sick leave?+
It depends on the employer. Some combine vacation and sick time into a single PTO bank; others track them separately, sometimes because state or local law requires dedicated sick leave. If yours are separate, calculate each pool on its own.