How Much Is Overtime Pay? Rates, Examples & Charts (2026)

The Short Answer

For most hourly workers in the United States, overtime pay is 1.5 times your regular hourly rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. That is the federal floor under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Some states and some jobs pay more — double time exists in California and in many union contracts — but nobody covered by the law can be paid less than time and a half.

How Much Is Overtime at Your Hourly Rate?

Multiply your regular rate by 1.5. Here is what that looks like at common wages:

| Your hourly rate | Overtime rate (1.5×) | 5 OT hours add | 10 OT hours add |

| --- | --- | --- | --- |

| $15.00 | $22.50 | $112.50 | $225.00 |

| $18.00 | $27.00 | $135.00 | $270.00 |

| $20.00 | $30.00 | $150.00 | $300.00 |

| $25.00 | $37.50 | $187.50 | $375.00 |

| $30.00 | $45.00 | $225.00 | $450.00 |

| $35.00 | $52.50 | $262.50 | $525.00 |

Those extra dollars are on top of your regular 40 hours. Run your own numbers in the free overtime calculator or the time and a half calculator.

A Full Week, Worked Out

Say you earn $20 an hour and work 46 hours in one workweek:

| Line | Amount |

| --- | --- |

| 40 regular hours × $20 | $800.00 |

| 6 overtime hours × $30 | $180.00 |

| Gross pay for the week | $980.00 |

Six extra hours added $180 — nearly a full day's pay. That is why tracking every hour matters.

When Overtime Pays More Than 1.5×

• California: double time (2×) after 12 hours in a day, and for hours beyond 8 on the seventh consecutive workday. See the California double time calculator.
• Union contracts and company policy: many pay 2× on holidays or Sundays, even though federal law does not require it. Check the holiday pay calculator.
• Your state: a handful of states add daily overtime rules on top of the 40-hour week. Find yours on the state overtime pages.

What Can Change Your Overtime Rate

Your "regular rate" is not always the number on your offer letter. Nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions and many shift differentials must be folded in, which raises the overtime rate. A $20-an-hour worker with a weekly production bonus has a regular rate above $20 — and overtime above $30. The overtime bonus calculator does that math, and the regular rate guide explains the rule.

Questions People Ask

Is overtime taxed more? No. Overtime is taxed as ordinary income — it only feels higher because a bigger check can push more dollars into a higher withholding bracket. The overtime tax calculator shows the real take-home.

Do salaried workers get overtime? Often, yes. A salary alone does not make you exempt — your duties and pay level decide that. Read the salaried nonexempt guide.

Is there overtime after 8 hours in a day? Not under federal law — only after 40 in a week. A few states, including California and Alaska, add daily rules.

For the full legal picture, see our U.S. overtime pay guide.