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Shift Pay Calculator

Calculate gross pay for a single shift from clock-in time, clock-out time, unpaid break and hourly wage. Overnight shifts are handled automatically.

Quick answer

Shift pay quick answer

Answer: Shift pay is paid shift hours multiplied by the hourly rate after subtracting any unpaid break.

Formula: Gross shift pay = (elapsed shift hours − unpaid break hours) × hourly rate.

Example: A 1:30 PM–1:30 AM shift with a 30-minute unpaid break is 11.5 paid hours. At $20/hour, gross straight-time pay is $230.

Reviewed September 1, 2026 · Methodology

Enter your numbers and calculate.

One shift vs. a full time card

Use this page for one shift. For several workdays, weekly overtime or a biweekly total, use the Time Card Calculator. If you only need the overtime rate itself, use Time and a Half.

Examples

ExampleResult
1:30 PM–1:30 AM, 30-minute break, $20/hr11.5 paid hours = $230
8 AM–4:30 PM, 30-minute break, $18/hr8 paid hours = $144
COMMON SHIFT SCENARIOS

Shift pay examples

ShiftUnpaid breakRateStraight-time gross pay
8:00 AM–4:30 PM30 min$20/hr$160
1:30 PM–1:30 AM30 min$20/hr$230
10:00 PM–6:00 AM0 min$25/hr$200

These examples use straight-time arithmetic for one shift. Weekly overtime rules can change actual payroll; use the Overtime Calculator when overtime applies.

Need several workdays instead of one shift? Continue to the Time Card Calculator or Multiple Shift Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Does this handle overnight shifts?

Yes. If the end time is earlier than the start time, it treats the end as the following day.

Does this include overtime?

No. This calculates straight-time pay for one shift. Use the Overtime Calculator for weekly overtime.

Are taxes included?

No. The result is gross pay before deductions.

Public API & AI agent access

Yes — Shift Pay Calculator is callable programmatically through /api/v1/shift-pay, the public calculator API, MCP, A2A and WebMCP. Structured results include a human-facing citation URL.

Formula provenance

API identifier: shift-pay · Formula version: tncalc.shift-pay.1.0.0 · Engine release: 6.6.1. Build provenance · Public validation · Release history.

How to calculate pay for one shift

Find the elapsed hours between clock-in and clock-out, carry the end time into the next day when the shift crosses midnight, subtract the unpaid break, then multiply the remaining paid hours by the hourly rate.

For several shifts or an entire pay period, use the Multiple Shift Calculator or Time Card Calculator.