Introduction
This PTO calculator helps you figure out how much paid time off you will earn over a set period of time. Just enter your start date, end date, accrual rate, and any PTO you have already used. The tool does the math for you and shows your final PTO balance in hours or days.
Most jobs give you PTO on a schedule. You might earn a few hours each pay period or each month. Over time, those hours add up. But it can be hard to track how much PTO you have, especially if your company uses a cap or if you have already taken some days off. This calculator makes it simple to see where you stand.
You can choose from several accrual frequencies, including daily, weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or per hour worked. If your employer sets a maximum PTO cap, you can turn that on too. The calculator will stop adding PTO once you hit the limit. After you click calculate, you get a full summary, a step-by-step breakdown of the math, and a chart that shows how your PTO builds up over time.
How to Use Our PTO Calculator
Enter your PTO accrual details below to find out how much paid time off you will build up over a set time frame. The calculator gives you a final PTO balance, a step-by-step breakdown, and a visual chart of your accrual over time.
Display Results In — Pick whether you want your results shown in hours or days. If you choose days, you will also need to enter how many hours are in your workday so the tool can convert correctly. If you need help figuring out how many hours you work in a typical day, try our work hours calculator.
Accrual Start Date — Enter the first date you begin earning PTO. This is usually the start of your company's PTO year or your hire date.
Accrual End Date — Enter the last date of the time period you want to calculate. This must be after the start date. If you need to find the exact number of days between two dates, our date duration calculator can help.
Starting PTO Balance — Enter any PTO you already have saved up before this period begins. If you have no carry-over balance, leave this at zero.
PTO Used During This Period — Enter the total PTO you plan to use or have already used during this period. This amount is subtracted from your final balance.
Accrual Frequency — Choose how often you earn PTO. Options include daily, weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or per hour worked. Most salaried workers accrue semi-monthly or bi-weekly.
PTO Earned Per Period — Enter the amount of PTO you earn each accrual period. For example, if you earn 3.6923 hours every semi-monthly pay period, type that number here. Open the "Common Accrual Rates" dropdown if you need help finding your rate.
Accrual Credit Day — This field appears when you select weekly or bi-weekly frequency. Pick the day of the week your employer credits your PTO.
Hours Worked Per Day — This field appears when you select "Per Hour Worked." Enter how many hours you work each day, such as 8 for a standard shift.
Working Days — Check the boxes for each day of the week you normally work. This helps the calculator count your total work hours in the date range. You can also use our business days calculator to count only weekday working days between two dates.
Days Off (Holidays / Unpaid) — Enter the number of non-working days like holidays or unpaid leave within your date range. These days are removed from the total working day count.
Enable Maximum PTO Cap — Turn this on if your employer limits how much PTO you can save up. Once turned on, enter your cap amount. The calculator will stop adding PTO once your balance hits that ceiling.
After filling in your details, press Calculate PTO to see your results. Press Reset / Clear All to start over with default values.
What Is PTO?
PTO stands for paid time off. It is time you earn at work that lets you take a day off and still get paid. PTO can be used for vacations, sick days, personal errands, or any reason your employer allows. Instead of having separate buckets for sick leave and vacation, many companies combine them all into one PTO balance. If you are planning extended leave, our annual leave calculator can help you map out your full year of time off.
How Does PTO Accrual Work?
Most workers do not get all their PTO at once. Instead, they accrue (earn) it little by little over time. Your employer picks how often you earn PTO. Common schedules include every paycheck, twice a month, once a month, or even for every hour you work. Each time a pay period passes, a small amount of PTO is added to your balance.
For example, if you earn 4 hours of PTO every two weeks, after 10 pay periods you would have accrued 40 hours. That equals 5 full workdays off if you work 8-hour days. If you are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, our biweekly paycheck calculator can help you understand your pay cycle alongside your PTO accrual.
What Is a PTO Cap?
Some companies set a maximum cap on how much PTO you can save up. Once your balance hits that limit, you stop earning more until you use some. This is sometimes called a "use-it-or-lose-it" policy. Knowing your cap helps you plan time off so you don't waste earned hours. Use our days until calculator to count down to an upcoming deadline so you can schedule time off before reaching your cap.
Why Tracking PTO Matters
Keeping track of your PTO balance helps you plan ahead. If you know how much time off you will have by a certain date, you can schedule vacations, appointments, or personal days without worry. It also helps you avoid going over your cap or using more time than you have earned. Pairing PTO tracking with a time card calculator gives you a complete picture of both the hours you work and the time off you earn.
Common PTO Accrual Frequencies
- Daily – A small amount is added every calendar day.
- Weekly – PTO is credited once per week on a set day. If you are on a weekly pay schedule, your PTO likely follows the same cycle.
- Bi-weekly – PTO is credited every two weeks, matching many payroll cycles.
- Semi-monthly – PTO is credited twice a month, usually on the 1st and 16th.
- Monthly – PTO is credited once per month.
- Per hour worked – Common for part-time or hourly workers. You earn a fraction of an hour of PTO for every hour you work. If you want to see how your hourly wage translates to an annual figure, try our hourly to salary calculator.
Hours vs. Days
PTO can be measured in hours or days. Most payroll systems track it in hours because not everyone works the same schedule. To convert hours to days, divide by the number of hours in your workday. For example, 40 hours of PTO equals 5 days if you work 8 hours a day, but only 4 days if you work 10-hour shifts. If you need to convert time values between formats, our time to decimal calculator makes it easy to switch between hours and minutes and decimal hours. You can also use our salary calculator to see how your total compensation and PTO benefits fit together.