PTO Accrual Calculator
Work out how your paid time off builds up. Enter your annual PTO allowance and how you're paid to see how much you accrue each pay period — and how much you'll have banked after a given time.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your annual PTO allowance in days and your hours per work day.
- Choose how often you're paid — accrual is usually per pay period.
- Enter periods worked to see what you've banked so far.
Formula used
Accrual-based PTO earns a fixed slice each pay period rather than being granted all at once. Divide your annual allowance by the number of pay periods (12 monthly, 26 bi-weekly, etc.) to get what builds up each time you're paid.
Example calculation
25 days annual, paid monthly: 25 ÷ 12 = 2.08 days per month (16.7 hours at an 8-hour day).
After 6 months you'd have accrued about 12.5 days — half your annual allowance.
How PTO builds up
Paid time off comes in two broad models. Some employers grant the full annual allowance upfront at the start of the year; many others use accrual, where you earn a fraction of your allowance each pay period, so your available balance grows steadily as you work. Accrual is common because it ties time off to time served and neatly handles people who join or leave partway through a year.
The mechanics are simple division — annual days over pay periods — but the policy details around it vary a lot and matter: carry-over caps (how much unused PTO rolls into next year, if any), waiting periods before new hires can accrue or use PTO, whether unused PTO is paid out on leaving, and how part-time hours are prorated. This calculator handles the core accrual maths so you can track your balance, but always check your employer's specific policy for the rules that surround it.
Why use this calculator?
- See how much PTO you earn each pay period.
- Track your banked balance partway through the year.
- Convert between days and hours of leave.
Frequently asked questions
How is PTO accrual calculated?
Divide your annual PTO allowance by the number of pay periods in a year. 25 days paid monthly is 25 ÷ 12 = about 2.08 days accrued each month. Multiply by hours per day for an hours figure.
How much PTO do I accrue per paycheck?
It depends on your allowance and pay frequency. For 20 days a year paid bi-weekly (26 periods), you accrue about 0.77 days (roughly 6 hours) per paycheck. Enter your figures for an exact amount.
Does unused PTO carry over?
It depends entirely on your employer's policy — some allow full carry-over, others cap it or operate 'use it or lose it', and some pay out unused PTO when you leave. Check your specific policy; this calculator covers the accrual maths only.