Shift Differential Calculator
Enter your base rate and shift premium — as a percentage or dollars per hour — to see your differential pay and blended weekly total.
Gross pay. If you also work overtime, the differential must be included in your overtime rate.
How shift differentials work
A shift differential is extra pay for working less desirable hours — evenings, nights, weekends or on-call rotations. It comes in two flavors:
Typical differentials in the U.S.
| Industry / shift | Typical premium |
|---|---|
| Hospitals — evening shift | 5–10% or $1–$3/hour |
| Hospitals — night shift (11pm–7am) | 10–20% or $3–$7/hour |
| Manufacturing — 2nd shift | $0.50–$1.50/hour |
| Manufacturing — 3rd shift | $1–$3/hour |
| Warehousing / logistics — nights | $1–$2.50/hour |
| Call centers — weekends | 5–10% |
These are market conventions, not legal requirements — actual premiums are set by employer policy or union contract.
Worked example
A hospital tech earns $19/hour base with a 10% night differential. This week: 24 night hours and 16 day hours.
Night rate: $19 × 1.10 = $20.90 → 24 h = $501.60
Day pay: 16 h × $19 = $304.00
Weekly total: $805.60 (blended rate $20.14/h)
Differentials and overtime — the detail employers get wrong
If you work overtime in a week that includes differential hours, the FLSA requires your overtime rate to be based on your regular rate including the differential — a weighted average of all straight-time earnings — not your bare base rate. In the example above, overtime would be owed at 1.5 × $20.14 = $30.21, not 1.5 × $19. If your payslip shows OT computed on base rate only in differential weeks, payroll owes you the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Are shift differentials required by law?
No U.S. federal or state law mandates them for private employers — they exist to attract staff to hard-to-fill shifts. Once promised, though, they become part of your compensation and must be included in overtime calculations.
What is a typical night shift differential?
Roughly 10% of base pay, or $1–$3/hour, is common across industries; hospital night shifts often run higher (up to 20% or several dollars per hour). Federal government employees receive 10% for regularly scheduled night work.
Do I get the differential for a whole shift that only partly falls at night?
Policy-dependent. Common approaches: pay the premium only for the hours inside the differential window; pay it for the entire shift if the majority of hours fall in the window; or pay it if the shift starts in the window. Check your handbook.
Is shift differential taxed differently?
No — it is ordinary wages, taxed and reported exactly like base pay.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-20 · Report an issue