How to Calculate the Hourly Pay for a Shift Worker

If you're a shift worker and need to calculate your hourly pay from a different format, the math is elementary, but there are some variables. For instance, you need to take into account shift length, as well as any variances in scheduling over a given period. An hourly calculation is vital to make clear comparisons with other jobs paid at hourly rates; you would use these commensurate figures to compare wages and see if you are getting a good rate for your work, or in the search for new employment. If you seek to relocate, consider relative living expenses of the new locale, too.

Sum your total hours for a month. This will produce a good average. For instance, if you worked 19 shifts at 7.5 hours per shift, that comes to 142.5 hours. Pick a representative month for a result of the greatest precision.

Count actual hours for the month if your shifts are irregular in duration. For example, if you work 4-hour shifts and 7.5 hour shifts, you'll need to track and sum the hours for each shift individually. The closer your hours count is, the more accurate the hourly pay calculation will be.

Multiply the monthly hours by 12. In this example, the total comes to 1,710.

Divide the annual salary by your Step 3 figure. Here, for a salary of $46,000, dividing it by 1,710 yields an hourly pay of $26.90.

Consider other job perquisites when making comparisons with other potential employment opportunities. Health insurance, scheduling, workplace environment and time off are tangibles and intangibles that can impact the overall value of a job beyond compensation alone.