PTO Calculator: Track Accrual and Year-End Balance
A free PTO accrual calculator. Enter how fast you earn paid time off and your pay schedule, and see hours earned per pay period, your projected year-end balance in hours and days, and a month-by-month forecast.
This free PTO calculator converts your annual PTO allotment into hours earned per pay period, then projects your year-end balance and a month-by-month forecast from your current balance and planned time off.
Your PTO projection
Month-by-month forecast
Estimates only, based on an 8-hour workday. Your employer plan and state law decide the final numbers. This is general employment information, not legal advice. See Terms of Use.
How PTO accrual actually works
Most employers add PTO to your balance on a fixed schedule instead of handing you the full year at once. The most common method grants a set number of hours each pay period. If you earn 15 days a year and are paid biweekly, that is 120 hours divided by 26 paychecks, or about 4.6 hours per period. This calculator runs that math for your schedule, then projects your balance forward so you can plan time off without draining your bank.
A lump-sum grant works differently. You receive your entire annual allotment on one date, usable from day one, which shifts the planning burden to you. Common structures include per-pay-period accrual, monthly grants, lump sums, tenure-based rates that rise with years of service, and hourly accrual for part-time staff.
What you earn and what you keep are two different things. Carryover caps limit how much unused PTO moves into the next year, so hours above the cap are the ones to schedule first. Under a use-it-or-lose-it policy, hours above the cap expire at year end, which means a large balance today can be misleading. Some states restrict or ban use-it-or-lose-it rules, so the fine print depends on where you work.
Payout at termination is the last piece. Some states require employers to cash out accrued, unused PTO when you leave, while others leave it to company policy. If you enter your hourly rate above, the calculator estimates the cash value of your projected balance, which is the number to know before you give notice or negotiate a start date. Results are general employment information, not legal advice.
PTO calculator questions
How is PTO accrued?
Employers add PTO to your balance on a set schedule. The most common method grants a fixed number of hours each pay period. If you earn 15 days a year and are paid biweekly, that is 120 hours divided by 26 paychecks, about 4.6 hours per period. Some employers grant monthly, some grant a lump sum on January 1 or your hire anniversary, and some increase the rate with tenure.
How many PTO hours do I earn per pay period?
Divide your annual PTO hours by your number of pay periods. For example, 15 days times 8 hours is 120 hours a year. On a biweekly schedule of 26 periods, that is about 4.6 hours per paycheck. On a monthly schedule of 12 periods, it is 10 hours per month.
What is a PTO payout calculator?
A PTO payout calculator estimates the cash value of your unused PTO if your employer pays it out, usually your remaining hours times your hourly rate. Enter your hourly rate above to see the estimated value of your projected balance. Payout rules vary by employer and state. Some states require payout of accrued, unused PTO when you leave a job, while others leave it to company policy.
Do unused PTO hours roll over to next year?
It depends on your employer policy and your state. Rollover policies let unused hours carry into the next year, often up to a cap. Use-it-or-lose-it policies forfeit hours above a cap at year end. Some states restrict forfeiture, so check your handbook and local rules.
What is the difference between PTO, vacation, and sick leave?
PTO is a single bank of paid time off you can use for any reason, including vacation, personal days, and often sick time. Some employers keep separate vacation and sick banks instead. A PTO bank is simpler to track, while separate banks can protect sick time from being spent on vacation.