Shift Schedule Pay Calculator
Weekly hours, overtime, and yearly pay for 2-2-3, 4 on 4 off, DuPont, and other rotating schedules
Last updated: October 2026
Rotating 12-hour schedules are common in hospitals, manufacturing plants, police and fire departments, call centers, and security. They look simple on a calendar, but your paycheck changes from week to week because some weeks have more shifts than others. This shift schedule pay calculator lays out your whole rotation, applies the right overtime rule to every workweek, and turns it into an average weekly, biweekly, monthly, and yearly pay figure.
- 42-hour average: 2-2-3, 4 on 4 off, 3 on 3 off, and DuPont rotations all average 42 hours a week on 12-hour shifts.
- Overtime comes from uneven weeks: you work more than 40 hours in some weeks and fewer in others, and federal overtime is counted one week at a time.
- Workweek alignment matters: on a 2-2-3 at $25 an hour, the same schedule pays $57,200 or $61,100 a year depending on where the payroll week starts.
- State rules can add more: California pays daily overtime after 8 hours, which raises 12-hour shift pay.
How This Shift Schedule Pay Calculator Works
Every rotation repeats after a fixed number of days. A 2-2-3 repeats every 14 days, 4 on 4 off every 8, and DuPont every 28. Payroll weeks, however, are always 7 days. The calculator lines up your rotation against the payroll week until both patterns repeat together, then it works out regular hours and overtime for each week separately, just like your employer has to. Averaging those weeks gives you an accurate yearly figure instead of a rough guess.
The rotation calendar under the results shows every shift, the hours in each week, the overtime hours, and that week's gross pay. If your real paychecks alternate between two amounts, compare them with the weekly pay column.
12-Hour Shift Schedule Pay Comparison
Here is how common schedules compare at $25 an hour, 12-hour shifts (10-hour and 8-hour for 4x10 and 5x8), no unpaid break, and federal overtime rules. Change the rate above to see your own numbers.
| Schedule | Avg Hours / Week | Avg OT / Week | Yearly Pay at $25/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-2-3 Pitman (36 / 48 hr weeks) | 42 | 4 | $57,200 |
| 2-2-3 Pitman (60 / 24 hr weeks) | 42 | 10 | $61,100 |
| 4 On, 4 Off | 42 | 4 | $57,200 |
| 3 On, 3 Off | 42 | 4 | $57,200 |
| DuPont (typical alignment) | 42 | 12 | $62,400 |
| 3 x 12 (36-hour week) | 36 | 0 | $46,800 |
| 4 x 10 | 40 | 0 | $52,000 |
| 5 x 8 (standard week) | 40 | 0 | $52,000 |
The 12-hour rotations pay more than a standard 40-hour job at the same rate for two reasons: you work about 104 more hours a year (2,184 instead of 2,080), and some of those hours fall in overtime weeks at time and a half.
2-2-3 Schedule Pay (Pitman or Panama Schedule)
On a 2-2-3 schedule, you work 2 days, take 2 off, work 3, take 2 off, work 2, then take 3 off. That 14-day cycle contains 7 shifts, or 84 hours on 12-hour shifts. Many people know it as the Pitman or Panama schedule, and it gives you every other weekend off.
The overtime depends on how your employer's workweek falls across the cycle:
- 36 and 48-hour weeks: 8 overtime hours every two weeks. At $25 an hour, that is $2,200 every two weeks, or $57,200 a year.
- 60 and 24-hour weeks: 20 overtime hours every two weeks. At $25 an hour, that is $2,350 every two weeks, or $61,100 a year.
Same schedule, same hours, but a $3,900 difference a year. Use the "Workweek Starts on Rotation Day" setting to match what your pay stub shows. If your hours alternate between 36 and 48, pick the day that produces that pattern.
4 On 4 Off Pay
A 4 on, 4 off rotation repeats every 8 days, so your days on move forward through the week. Across a full 8-week cycle, you work four weeks of 48 hours and four weeks of 36 hours. Under federal rules that is 4 overtime hours a week on average. At $25 an hour, 4 on 4 off pays about $57,200 a year, the same as a 36/48 Pitman schedule, because the total hours and overtime even out.
DuPont Schedule Pay
The DuPont schedule runs on a 28-day cycle: 4 nights on, 3 off, 3 days on, 1 off, 3 nights on, 3 off, 4 days on, then 7 days off in a row. That long break is the big draw. The tradeoff is a heavy week of up to 6 shifts (72 hours), which creates a lot of overtime in one paycheck. With a typical alignment at $25 an hour, DuPont averages 12 overtime hours a week and about $62,400 a year.
3x12 Schedules for Nurses and Hospital Staff
Three 12-hour shifts a week add up to 36 hours, which most hospitals count as full time. Because you stay under 40 hours, there is no weekly overtime under federal law unless you pick up an extra shift. At $25 an hour, a 3x12 schedule pays $46,800 a year. Many hospitals use the 8/80 system instead of the 40-hour week; choose it above to see how hours over 8 in a day are paid.
In California, each 12-hour shift normally earns 4 hours of daily overtime, which raises the same 3x12 schedule to about $54,600 a year at $25 an hour, unless your employer has an approved alternative workweek. If you also earn a night or weekend premium, add it with the Shift Differential Calculator, and if you work at two different pay rates in the same week, use the Blended Overtime Rate Calculator.
Overtime Rules That Apply to Rotating Shifts
- Federal FLSA: overtime at 1.5x for hours over 40 in a fixed 7-day workweek. Hours cannot be averaged across two weeks, which is why the uneven weeks of a rotation matter so much.
- California: 1.5x after 8 hours in a day, 2x after 12 hours in a day, 1.5x after 40 in a week, and special rules for the seventh consecutive day worked in a workweek.
- 8/80 (healthcare only): 1.5x for hours over 8 in a day or over 80 in a 14-day period. Only hospitals and residential care facilities can use it, with an advance agreement.
- Public safety: police and fire departments can use special work periods under section 7(k) of the FLSA, which this calculator does not model.
If you just want a fast answer for one week, the Overtime Pay Calculator works with any number of hours, and the Military Time Calculator counts hours between 24-hour clock times, including overnight shifts.
Take your yearly gross pay from above and see what lands in your bank account after federal and state taxes, 401(k), and insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you make on a 2-2-3 schedule?
A 2-2-3 (Pitman) schedule averages 42 hours a week, or 84 hours every two weeks. At $25 an hour under federal overtime rules, that is about $57,200 to $61,100 a year before taxes, depending on how your employer's workweek lines up with the rotation. The calculator shows your exact figure.
Do you get overtime on a 2-2-3 schedule?
Usually yes. Because one week has more shifts than the other, you go over 40 hours every other week. Depending on where the workweek starts, you work either 36 and 48 hours (8 overtime hours every two weeks) or 60 and 24 hours (20 overtime hours every two weeks).
How many hours is 4 on 4 off a week?
With 12-hour shifts, a 4 on, 4 off rotation averages 42 hours a week. Over an 8-week cycle you work four 48-hour weeks and four 36-hour weeks, which means about 4 hours of overtime per week on average under federal rules.
Is a 3x12 schedule full time?
Three 12-hour shifts equal 36 hours a week. Most hospitals treat that as full time, but it is under the 40-hour overtime threshold, so there is no weekly overtime unless you pick up extra shifts. In California, hours after 8 in a day can still earn daily overtime unless an alternative workweek is in place.
How many shifts a year is a 12-hour rotating schedule?
2-2-3, 4 on 4 off, 3 on 3 off, and DuPont rotations all average 182 shifts of 12 hours each a year, about 2,184 hours. That is about 104 more hours than a standard 2,080-hour work year, which is where most of the extra overtime pay comes from.
What is the 8/80 overtime rule?
The 8/80 system lets hospitals and residential care facilities use a 14-day work period instead of a 7-day week. Overtime is paid for hours over 8 in a day or over 80 in the 14-day period, whichever gives more overtime. It requires an agreement with the employee before the work is done.
Estimates are before taxes and assume every scheduled shift is worked. Overtime rules follow the federal FLSA, California daily overtime, or the 8/80 healthcare system as selected.