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Converting between pay periods

Job offers arrive in different units — one quoted per hour, another per month, a third as an annual package — and comparing them in your head is unreliable. This salary calculator converts any of them into all the others, so an hourly rate, a weekly wage, a monthly salary and an annual figure sit side by side and the better offer becomes obvious.

How to use the Salary Calculator

  1. Enter the Salary Amount you have been quoted.
  2. Choose the Pay Frequency that amount refers to.
  3. Set Hours per Week — 40 is the usual full-time assumption.
  4. Read the hourly, weekly, monthly and yearly equivalents.

Formula and a worked example

Annual = Hourly × Hours/week × 52 · Monthly = Annual ÷ 12 · Hourly = Annual ÷ (Hours/week × 52)

The conversion assumes 52 paid weeks a year. If your contract gives unpaid leave, reduce the weeks accordingly. These are gross figures — income tax, pension and social contributions come off afterwards.

Worked example

25 an hour over a 40-hour week is 1,000 a week, about 4,333 a month and 52,000 a year. A 60,000 annual offer works back to roughly 28.85 an hour — so it is the better deal for the same hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is this take-home pay?

No, these are gross figures before tax and deductions. Take-home depends on your country, tax band, allowances and pension contributions.

How many working weeks should I use?

52 is the standard assumption because paid holiday is normally included in an annual salary. Use fewer only if your leave is genuinely unpaid.

How do I compare a contract rate with a salary?

Convert the contract rate to annual here, then subtract what an employer would otherwise provide — paid leave, pension, insurance — before deciding.

Why is monthly pay not four weekly pays?

Because a month averages about 4.33 weeks. Multiplying weekly pay by four understates monthly pay by roughly 8%.

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