Payroll Calculator
What Is a Biweekly Pay Calculator?
A biweekly pay calculator estimates how much you earn during
a two-week payroll period. It can be useful for employees who
are paid every other week and want to understand their gross
earnings, overtime, deductions, estimated take-home pay, and
yearly income.
A standard biweekly schedule divides a 52-week year into
26 pay periods. That is different from being paid twice each
month. Because biweekly payroll follows a 14-day cycle,
employees will normally receive 26 paychecks across a full
year rather than 24.
This calculator supports both hourly workers and salaried
employees. Hourly workers can enter their regular hours,
overtime hours, and overtime multiplier, while salaried
employees can enter their annual salary and receive an
estimated amount for each biweekly paycheck.
Calculation Process
How the Biweekly Pay Calculator Works
The calculator builds your two-week earnings from the pay
information you provide and then applies any optional
deductions before displaying your estimated take-home pay.
01
Select Your Pay Type
Choose hourly pay if you are paid by the hour, or
annual salary if you receive a fixed yearly salary.
02
Enter Earnings
Add your rate, work hours, overtime, salary, bonuses,
commission, or other earnings that apply to the
biweekly period.
03
Review Your Pay
The calculator estimates gross pay, deductions,
take-home pay, monthly net income, and annualized
gross earnings.
Understanding Your Paycheck
Gross Pay vs. Net Biweekly Pay
Gross pay is the amount earned before taxes, benefit
contributions, insurance, retirement contributions, and
other deductions are removed. Net pay is the amount remaining
after those deductions.
For an hourly employee, gross pay may include regular wages,
overtime earnings, bonuses, commissions, or other taxable
earnings. For a salaried employee, the starting biweekly
amount is generally calculated by dividing annual salary by
the number of biweekly pay periods.
Because actual payroll withholding depends on factors such
as location, tax rules, filing information, benefits, and
employer payroll settings, this tool allows you to enter
your own estimated deduction percentage and fixed deductions
instead of presenting an assumed tax rate as exact.
Pay Frequency
Biweekly vs. Semimonthly Pay
Biweekly and semimonthly payroll are often confused, but
they use different schedules. Biweekly means payment every
two weeks, while semimonthly generally means payment twice
during each calendar month.
| Pay Schedule |
Typical Frequency |
Periods Per Year |
Paycheck Pattern |
| Biweekly |
Every 2 weeks |
26 |
Usually same weekday |
| Semimonthly |
Twice per month |
24 |
Usually fixed calendar dates |
| Weekly |
Every week |
52 |
Usually same weekday |
| Monthly |
Once per month |
12 |
One paycheck each month |
Common Questions
Biweekly Pay Calculator FAQs
How do I calculate my biweekly pay?
If you earn an annual salary, divide your salary
by 26 to estimate gross biweekly pay. If you are
paid hourly, multiply your hourly rate by your
regular weekly hours and then multiply by two.
Add any overtime or additional earnings that
apply to the pay period.
How many biweekly pay periods are in a year?
A standard biweekly schedule has 26 pay periods
because employees are paid once every two weeks.
Calendar timing can occasionally create payroll
situations employers handle differently, so use
your employer's actual payroll calendar when
exact paycheck dates matter.
How is overtime included in biweekly pay?
Enter your overtime hours per week and the
overtime multiplier that applies to you. The
calculator multiplies the overtime rate by the
entered overtime hours for both weeks of the
biweekly period.
Is biweekly pay the same as twice-monthly pay?
No. Biweekly generally means every 14 days,
resulting in 26 standard pay periods per year.
Semimonthly or twice-monthly payroll generally
produces 24 pay periods per year.
Can this calculator estimate take-home pay?
Yes. Enter an estimated percentage deduction
rate and any fixed deductions. The calculator
subtracts those values from gross earnings to
estimate net biweekly pay. It is an estimate,
not an official payroll or tax calculation.
How is monthly income calculated from biweekly pay?
This calculator annualizes biweekly income using
26 pay periods and then divides that amount by
12 to provide an average monthly figure. This is
more accurate for comparison purposes than simply
multiplying a biweekly paycheck by two.
Does the calculator store my salary information?
No. The calculations on this page are performed
in your browser using JavaScript. The salary and
pay figures entered into the calculator are not
required to be sent to a calculation server.
Important:
This calculator provides general payroll estimates.
Actual take-home pay can vary based on taxes, payroll
rules, benefits, retirement contributions, insurance,
garnishments, and other deductions that apply to you.