How it works
Shift hours = end − start, plus 24 hours if the end is earlier than the start. Paid hours = shift hours − unpaid break. Night hours = the part of the shift inside your night window, never more than paid hours. Pay = paid hours × rate + night hours × differential, where a percentage differential is rate × percent ÷ 100.
Worked examples
- 19:00 to 07:00 with night hours 22:00–06:00: 12 paid hours, 8 of them at night. At $18 an hour with a 10% differential: 12 × $18 = $216.00, plus 8 × $1.80 = $14.40, total $230.40.
- 22:00 to 06:00 with a 30-minute unpaid break: 7 h 30 min paid, all of it counted as night time.
- Two shifts of 22:00–06:00 with a $2.00 per hour differential: 16 night hours add $32.00.
Common questions
How do I calculate hours for a shift that ends the next day?
Take the time from start to midnight and add the time from midnight to the end. 22:00 to 06:00 is 2 hours + 6 hours = 8 hours. The calculator does this when the end time is earlier than the start time.
What counts as night hours?
It depends on your employer, contract or local rules. Many workplaces use a window such as 22:00 to 06:00 or 23:00 to 07:00. Set the window your workplace uses.
Is a night shift differential required by law?
US federal law (the FLSA) does not require extra pay for night work; a night differential is a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Your contract or union agreement may set one.
How is a percentage night differential worked out?
Multiply your hourly rate by the percentage. A 10% differential on $18 an hour is $1.80 extra for each night hour.
Related tools
- Time Card Calculator
- Paycheck Hours Checker
- Decimal Hours Converter
- Time Duration Calculator
- Time Calculator
- Military Time Converter
- Hourly to Salary Calculator
- Overtime Pay Calculator
- Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Night Work (Checked 2026-10-18)
- Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Overtime Pay (Checked 2026-10-18)