Biweekly Pay Calculator
Turn an annual salary or hourly rate into gross pay per pay period — $52,000 a year is $2,000 every two weeks. Compare biweekly, weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly side by side.
Biweekly vs semi-monthly
These two are easy to mix up. Biweekly means every two weeks — 26 paychecks a year, so two months get a third “bonus” check. Semi-monthly means twice a month — 24 paychecks, always two per month but on fixed dates. The annual total is the same; only the per-check amount and timing differ.
To get gross pay per period, divide the annual figure by the number of periods: 26 (biweekly), 52 (weekly), 24 (semi-monthly), or 12 (monthly).
Frequently asked questions
Divide the annual salary by 26, because a biweekly schedule pays every two weeks and there are 52 weeks in a year (52 ÷ 2 = 26 pay periods). A $52,000 salary is $2,000 every two weeks before taxes.
Biweekly pays every two weeks — 26 paychecks a year, and two months each year have three paychecks. Semi-monthly pays twice a month (for example the 15th and last day) — 24 paychecks a year, always two per month. The per-check amount differs: annual ÷ 26 versus annual ÷ 24.
26 in most years. Because 26 × 14 days = 364, roughly every 11 years a biweekly schedule has 27 pay periods. This calculator uses the standard 26.
Gross — before taxes and deductions. Your take-home per paycheck is lower after federal, state, and FICA withholding. Use the paycheck calculator for an after-tax estimate.