Paycheck Frequency Calculator: Weekly, Biweekly, Semimonthly and Monthly Pay
Turn an annual salary or hourly wage into gross pay per paycheck for weekly (52), biweekly (26), semimonthly (24) and monthly (12) pay, see the monthly average, daily and hourly equivalents, and find which months have three biweekly (or five weekly) paychecks and whether your year has a 27th payday.
How it works
Gross per paycheck = annual salary ÷ paychecks per year · Weekly 52 · Biweekly 26 · Semimonthly 24 · Monthly 12 · Annual salary from hourly = wage × hours per week × 52 · Monthly average = annual ÷ 12 · Per workday = annual ÷ 260
Your annual pay stays the same whatever the schedule; the pay frequency only decides how many checks it is split into and when they arrive. Weekly pay gives 52 checks and biweekly pay (every two weeks, on the same weekday) gives 26. Because a year is 365 or 366 days, not exactly 52 weeks, a weekly or biweekly schedule sometimes fits an extra payday into a calendar year, giving 53 weekly or 27 biweekly paydays. Biweekly workers also get two months a year with three paychecks, and weekly workers get four months with five. Semimonthly pay (twice a month, often the 15th and the last day) always gives 24 checks, and monthly gives 12, so they line up with monthly bills. Enter one of your real paydays and the calculator lists every payday in that year, the months with an extra check and gross pay month by month. If you are paid by the hour, choose Hourly wage: annual pay is the wage times weekly hours times 52, assuming the same hours every week and paid holidays and vacation. All figures are before taxes and deductions.
Worked example
A $60,000 salary is $60,000 ÷ 26 = $2,307.69 per biweekly check, or $5,000 a month on average. The same salary is $1,153.85 weekly (52 checks), $2,500 semimonthly (24) or $5,000 monthly (12). At 40 hours a week it equals $28.85 an hour, and $230.77 per workday. With a first payday of Friday, January 2, 2026, the biweekly paydays fall on 26 Fridays, and January (2, 16, 30) and July (3, 17, 31) each bring three checks: $6,923.08 of gross pay in those months.
Sources: Calculator.net: Salary calculator (pay period conversions)
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly pay?
Biweekly is every two weeks on the same weekday: 26 checks a year, with two months that contain three paychecks. Semimonthly is twice a month on set dates such as the 15th and last day: always 24 checks. Each semimonthly check is larger because there are fewer of them, but the annual total is the same.
Which months have three paychecks in 2026?
It depends on your payday. For a biweekly Friday schedule that starts January 2, 2026, January and July each have three paychecks. If your Friday paydays start January 9, 2026, the three-paycheck months are May and October. Enter one of your paydays to see your own months.
Why do some years have 27 biweekly paychecks?
Twenty-six two-week periods cover 364 days, so the schedule moves one day earlier each year (two in leap years). About every 11 years a payday falls on both January 1 or 2 and the last days of December, creating a 27th. For example, a Thursday biweekly payday that falls on January 1, 2026 also falls on December 31, 2026.
Do I earn more with more frequent paychecks?
No. Your salary is fixed; more frequent pay only means smaller, more numerous checks and steadier cash flow. Hourly workers are paid for the hours they work whatever the schedule.
How do I convert an hourly wage to a biweekly paycheck?
Multiply the hourly wage by your hours in two weeks. At $25 an hour and 40 hours a week, a biweekly check is $25 × 80 = $2,000 before taxes, and the annual equivalent is $25 × 40 × 52 = $52,000.
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Educational estimate of gross pay, not financial or tax advice. Your employer’s payroll calendar, overtime and deductions determine your actual checks.