Nurse Shift Differential Pay Calculator

Estimate your gross weekly pay with evening, night, and weekend shift differentials, using the FLSA weighted-average method for overtime.

1Enter your shift details

All values are per week. Differentials are the extra dollars per hour your employer pays on top of your base rate.

Base pay
Evening shift differential
Night shift differential
Weekend differential (optional)
Extra premium stacked on hours already counted above.
Must not exceed your total hours for the week.

2Your estimated weekly pay

Estimated gross weekly pay
$0.00
Total hours worked
0
FLSA regular rate (for overtime)
$0.00/hr
Overtime hours (over 40)
0
Overtime premium (0.5 x regular rate)
$0.00
Total differential pay earned
$0.00
Straight-time earnings breakdown
Line itemMathAmount

Educational estimate only. Actual differentials, premium rules, and overtime policies vary by employer, contract, and state law. Confirm the figures with your pay stub or HR department.

How shift differentials and FLSA overtime interact

Hospitals and health systems pay a shift differential: an extra per-hour premium for less desirable shifts, usually evenings, nights, weekends, and sometimes holidays. Typical ranges are $2 to $8 per hour for evenings and $4 to $12 per hour for nights, though exact amounts are set by the employer or union contract.

The FLSA weighted-average regular rate

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime is not simply 1.5 times your base rate when you earn differentials. Instead, overtime is based on your regular rate: a weighted average of everything you earned at straight time, divided by every hour you worked.

Regular rate = total straight-time earnings / total hours worked

Straight-time earnings include your base pay for all hours plus every shift differential you earned. Once the regular rate is known, the overtime premium is half of it (0.5x) multiplied by the hours over 40 in the workweek. That premium is added to the straight-time earnings you already received for those hours, which is how the familiar "time and a half" total is reached.

A worked example

A nurse works 48 hours at a $38 base rate: 24 day hours, 12 evening hours with a $3.50 differential, and 12 night hours with a $6.00 differential. Straight-time earnings = ($38 x 48) + ($3.50 x 12) + ($6.00 x 12) = $1,938. Regular rate = $1,938 / 48 = $40.375. Overtime premium = 0.5 x $40.375 x 8 = $161.50. Gross = $2,099.50. Notice the overtime premium is higher than 0.5 x $38, because the differentials raise the regular rate.

What this calculator does not cover

  • California daily overtime (over 8 hours) and double-time rules.
  • Holiday premiums, call-back pay, on-call pay, and charge-nurse stipends.
  • State-specific premium stacking rules; some states restrict how differentials combine.
  • Taxes, benefits deductions, and retirement contributions.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a nursing shift differential?
A shift differential is extra hourly pay for working shifts employers have a harder time filling, most commonly evenings, nights, and weekends. It is added to your base hourly rate for each hour worked on that shift.
How is overtime calculated when I earn shift differentials?
Under the FLSA, your employer must compute a weighted-average regular rate: all straight-time earnings (base pay plus every differential) divided by all hours worked. The overtime premium is 0.5 times that regular rate for each hour over 40, added on top of the straight-time pay you already earned for those hours.
Do weekend differentials stack with night differentials?
Often, yes. Many employers pay both a night differential and a weekend premium for the same hour, and the FLSA counts both in your straight-time earnings. Policies vary, so check your facility's pay practices; this calculator lets you stack them.
Why is my overtime rate higher than 1.5 times my base pay?
Because differentials increase your regular rate. If your base is $38 but your weighted regular rate is $40.38 after differentials, your overtime premium is 0.5 x $40.38, not 0.5 x $38. That is the legally required method, and it works in your favor.
Does this calculator handle California overtime rules?
No. California requires daily overtime after 8 hours and double time after 12 hours, which this calculator does not model. It uses the federal FLSA weekly method (overtime after 40 hours in the workweek).
Are shift differentials the same at every hospital?
No. Differentials are set by each employer or union contract and vary widely by facility, region, and specialty. Typical evening differentials run $2 to $8 per hour and night differentials $4 to $12 per hour, but always verify against your offer letter or pay stub.