Calculate piecework pay, minimum-wage top-ups, overtime premium, or the unit rate estimate based on units per hour and target earnings.
Piece Rate Formula
The calculator uses two modes. Use Paycheck mode to estimate gross pay for one workweek of piece-only straight-time compensation. Use Set Unit Rate mode to back into the per-unit rate that delivers a target hourly wage.
Paycheck mode:
Set Unit Rate mode:
- Units — pieces, boxes, bushels, acres, or tasks completed.
- Rate — dollars paid per unit produced.
- Hours — total hours worked in one workweek.
- MinWage — applicable hourly minimum wage floor.
- OT Threshold — hours after which overtime applies (typically 40/week under FLSA).
- Units per Hour — expected production pace.
- Target Hourly — the effective hourly wage you want the rate to deliver.
Paycheck mode multiplies units by rate, then checks the result against the minimum-wage floor. If piece earnings fall short, a top-up is added so the straight-time base equals minimum wage times hours. Overtime adds a half-time premium on the regular rate for hours past the threshold, which models standard FLSA weekly overtime for covered, nonexempt piece-rate workers with no other includable pay. Bonuses, other compensation, special agreements and state or local rules can change the calculation. Set Unit Rate mode divides the higher of your target wage or the legal minimum by your expected output to give the theoretical per-unit rate; the calculator rounds the offered rate upward to cents and uses that rate for shift pay.
Reference Tables
Use these as sanity checks on your inputs and results.
| Pace (units/hr) | Rate per unit | Effective hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1.50 | $15.00 |
| 25 | $0.60 | $15.00 |
| 40 | $0.50 | $20.00 |
| 100 | $0.18 | $18.00 |
| 200 | $0.10 | $20.00 |
| Result signal | What it means |
|---|---|
| Top-up = $0 | Piece earnings meet the entered floor; overtime or other compensation may still be due. |
| Top-up > $0 | Piece earnings fell short. Add the top-up so hourly equals minimum wage. |
| OT premium > $0 | Worker passed the threshold. Add half the regular rate per overtime hour. |
| Effective rate < target | Pace was slower than planned, or the unit rate is set too low. |
Worked Examples
Example 1: Paycheck with overtime and no top-up. A worker completes 320 pieces at $1.50 each in 42 hours. Minimum wage is $7.25; overtime starts after 40 hours. Piece earnings are 320 × $1.50 = $480.00. Minimum required is $7.25 × 42 = $304.50, so no top-up is needed. Regular rate is $480.00 / 42 ≈ $11.428571/hr. Using the unrounded rate, overtime premium is 0.5 × ($480 / 42) × 2 ≈ $11.43. Total pay is $491.43.
Example 2: Setting a unit rate. You expect 25 pieces per hour and want workers to earn $15/hr. Rate per unit is $15 / 25 = $0.60. An 8-hour shift should produce 200 pieces and pay $120.
FAQ
Does piece-rate work have to meet minimum wage? For covered employees, applicable minimum-wage requirements must be met for all hours worked. Use the applicable federal, state or local floor; coverage and exemptions matter. If it does not, the employer owes a top-up.
How is overtime calculated for piece-rate workers? The standard FLSA method computes a regular rate by dividing total straight-time piece earnings by total hours, then pays an extra 0.5 times that rate for each hour over 40 in the week. The piece earnings already cover the straight-time portion of those hours.
Can I use this for contractors? The math works for any per-unit pay arrangement, but minimum-wage and overtime rules generally apply only to employees. For a contractor-only arithmetic estimate, enter a zero floor and choose No overtime. Classification and applicable obligations require separate review.
What if production varies day to day? Enter weekly totals for the most accurate picture. Piece-rate compliance is normally measured across the full workweek, not by the day or by the hour.
