The definitions
- Weekly: 52 paychecks a year, every week.
- Bi-weekly: every other week, 26 paychecks a year, always on the same weekday (for example every second Friday). Each pay period is exactly 14 days.
- Semi-monthly: twice per month on fixed dates, such as the 15th and the last day, 24 paychecks a year. Pay periods are 13 to 16 days long.
- Monthly: 12 paychecks a year.
How the amounts compare
| Annual pay | Weekly | Bi-weekly (26) | Semi-monthly (24) | Monthly (12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $769.23 | $1,538.46 | $1,666.67 | $3,333.33 |
| $52,000 | $1,000.00 | $2,000.00 | $2,166.67 | $4,333.33 |
| $60,000 | $1,153.85 | $2,307.69 | $2,500.00 | $5,000.00 |
| $75,000 | $1,442.31 | $2,884.62 | $3,125.00 | $6,250.00 |
Each column shows gross pay before taxes. A bi-weekly check is smaller than a semi-monthly check because there are more of them, but the annual total is identical. For an hourly rate, see the hourly to salary calculator.
Worked example: the same salary, two schedules
$60,000 a year
Bi-weekly: $60,000 ÷ 26 = $2,307.69 per check. In two months of the year you receive three checks instead of two. That is not extra pay: 26 smaller checks add up to the same annual total as 24 larger ones.
Semi-monthly: $60,000 ÷ 24 = $2,500.00 per check, on the same two dates every month. Budgeting is simpler because each month has the same two paydays, but the date of a payday may fall on a weekend, so employers pay on the prior business day.
What it means for hourly workers
Pay frequency does not change overtime. Under the federal rule overtime is counted per workweek, so a bi-weekly period contains exactly two workweeks while a semi-monthly period may split one across two checks. If a workweek straddles two pay periods, 29 CFR 778.106 says overtime pay is generally due on the regular payday for the pay period in which the workweek ends. The semi-monthly time card calculator lets you carry earlier hours into the second period, and the bi-weekly calculator handles two full workweeks.
Hourly semi-monthly checks vary with the number of working days in the period: a period with 12 weekdays pays more than one with 10. A bi-weekly hourly check varies only with hours worked.
Which does the law require?
Pay frequency is set mostly by state law. The U.S. Department of Labor publishes a state payday table, last revised January 1, 2023. It shows, for example, that Nevada and Alaska list semi-monthly and monthly pay and that California lists weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly pay (the frequency can depend on the occupation). The table may be out of date and covers only a summary; check your state labor department for your own rules and for exceptions.
Which months have three bi-weekly paychecks?
Because 26 checks do not divide evenly into 12 months, two months of the year contain three bi-weekly paydays. If the first payday of 2026 is Friday, January 2 and checks follow every 14 days, the paydays are Jan 2, 16, 30; Feb 13, 27; Mar 13, 27; Apr 10, 24; May 8, 22; Jun 5, 19; Jul 3, 17, 31; Aug 14, 28; Sep 11, 25; Oct 9, 23; Nov 6, 20; Dec 4, 18. That is 26 paydays with three in January and July. Which months get three depends on the first payday of the year, and in some years the calendar produces 27 paydays.
Budgeting with each schedule
$60,000 a year
On bi-weekly pay, the average monthly gross is $60,000 ÷ 12 = $5,000, but a normal month brings two checks of $2,307.69 = $4,615.38 and a three-check month brings $6,923.07. Many people budget on two checks a month and treat the extra check as savings or a debt payment. On semi-monthly pay every month brings two checks of $2,500.00 = $5,000.00 exactly.
Questions to ask your employer
- What are the exact pay period start and end dates, and how many days after the period ends is payday?
- What day does the workweek begin (this decides overtime)?
- What happens when payday falls on a weekend or holiday?
- Is the first paycheck partial, and how is it calculated?
- If the pay schedule changes, how will it be communicated and how will the transition check be computed?
How to convert between pay schedules
- Bi-weekly check × 26 ÷ 24 = semi-monthly check ($2,307.69 × 26 ÷ 24 = $2,500.00).
- Semi-monthly check × 24 ÷ 26 = bi-weekly check.
- Either check × its number of periods = annual gross.
- Monthly × 12 ÷ 52 = weekly equivalent.
Use this when comparing job offers that quote different pay periods. Always convert to annual before comparing; a larger-looking check is not necessarily a higher salary.
Holidays, weekends and direct deposit
When a payday falls on a weekend or bank holiday, employers usually pay on the previous business day, though this is a payroll policy that varies. Direct deposit timing also differs by bank. If your rent or loan is due the day after payday, build in a one-day cushion, and check the pay calendar your employer publishes at the start of each year.