Pay Period Converter
Convert any pay amount across hourly, weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly, and annual pay periods instantly.
Pay Period Converter
Pay Amount
Gross pay before taxes.
This Amount Is Paid…
Hours Per Week
Used to convert to and from an hourly rate (annual hours = hours/week x 52).
Gross pay before taxes. The highlighted row is the amount you entered. Estimates only, not tax or legal advice.
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How the Pay Period Converter works
The converter follows one method: annualize, then divide. Whatever amount you enter is first turned into a yearly figure, then that yearly figure is split across each pay schedule using its standard number of pay periods. Weekly pay has 52 periods a year, biweekly has 26, semi-monthly has 24, and monthly has 12.
Here's a worked example. A $52,000 salary divided by 26 biweekly periods is $2,000.00 per check. The same salary divided by 24 semi-monthly periods is $2,166.67 per check. Enter the salary as "Annual" and every other schedule fills in at once, including an hourly rate based on the hours per week you provide.
Biweekly vs. semi-monthly vs. monthly: which pays "more"?
None of them pays more over a full year. The annual total is the same no matter how it's split. What changes is the size and timing of each check. Biweekly spreads a salary across 26 checks, semi-monthly across 24, and monthly across 12, so a monthly check looks largest and a biweekly check looks smallest even though the yearly pay is identical.
The 26 vs. 24 gap is where people get confused. Biweekly pays every two weeks, which usually lands 26 times a year (and rarely 27). Semi-monthly pays on two fixed dates each month, which is always 24 times. Because semi-monthly has two fewer checks, each one is a bit larger than a biweekly check for the same salary.
Converting hourly wages across pay periods
To move between an hourly wage and any salary schedule, the converter uses annual hours. Multiply hours per week by 52, then by your hourly rate, to get annual pay. A 40-hour week gives the common 2,080-hour full-time year, so $25/hr works out to $52,000 a year. Change the hours per week and every result updates, which helps with part-time schedules.
Keep in mind this is straight-time pay. If you regularly work past 40 hours in a week, those extra hours may earn time-and-a-half, which this converter does not add. Our overtime calculator handles that math, and the annual work hours calculator can refine your yearly hours if you account for unpaid time off.
Common pay period conversions reference
These multipliers and divisors cover quick mental math:
- Biweekly to annual: multiply by 26. Annual to biweekly: divide by 26.
- Semi-monthly to annual: multiply by 24. Annual to semi-monthly: divide by 24.
- Weekly to annual: multiply by 52. Annual to weekly: divide by 52.
- Monthly to annual: multiply by 12. Annual to monthly: divide by 12.
- Hourly to annual: multiply by hours per week, then by 52.
If your hours come from a timecard, the timecard calculator and payroll time converter turn clock-in and clock-out times into the totals you can drop into this tool. All figures here are gross pay estimates only, before taxes and deductions, and are not tax or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about pay period converter
How many pay periods are in a year?
Weekly pay has 52 pay periods, biweekly (every two weeks) has 26, semi-monthly (twice a month) has 24, and monthly has 12. The converter uses these standard counts to move any amount from one schedule to another.
What's the difference between biweekly and semi-monthly pay?
Biweekly means you're paid every two weeks, which lands 26 times a year (and occasionally 27). Semi-monthly means you're paid twice a month on fixed dates, such as the 15th and the last day, which is always 24 paychecks a year. Same annual total, different number of checks.
How do I convert biweekly pay to annual salary?
Multiply your biweekly gross by 26. For example, $2,000 biweekly is $2,000 x 26 = $52,000 a year. To go back the other way, divide the annual figure by 26.
How do I convert annual salary to biweekly or semi-monthly pay?
Divide your annual salary by the number of pay periods: 26 for biweekly, 24 for semi-monthly. A $52,000 salary works out to $2,000.00 biweekly or $2,166.67 semi-monthly.
Why are my biweekly and semi-monthly paychecks different amounts for the same salary?
Because the year is split into a different number of checks. Semi-monthly spreads the salary across 24 paychecks, while biweekly spreads it across 26. Fewer checks means each semi-monthly check is a little larger, even though the yearly total is identical.
How do I convert an hourly wage to monthly or annual pay?
Multiply your hourly rate by hours per week, then by 52, to get the annual figure (40 hours a week is the common 2,080-hour full-time year). Divide that annual amount by 12 for monthly. The converter does this automatically once you enter hours per week. For overtime weeks, our overtime calculator handles the time-and-a-half math.
Is this calculator before or after taxes?
It shows gross pay, before taxes and deductions. Your take-home pay will be lower once federal, state, and payroll taxes come out. The figures here are for comparing pay schedules, not estimating net pay.
Can a year have 27 biweekly pay periods?
Yes, occasionally. Because 52 weeks split into 26 biweekly periods leaves a small drift, an extra payday lands every 11 years or so, giving 27 checks. This converter uses the standard 26 divisor to keep results consistent.