How many paychecks per year is bi-weekly vs semi-monthly?

Bi-weekly pay produces 26 paychecks a year, semi-monthly produces 24. Annual pay is identical; the per-check amounts differ.

Why do bi-weekly overtime hours not double-count across two weeks?

Federal overtime applies to each single workweek of seven consecutive days. A bi-weekly period is two separate workweeks, each with its own 40-hour threshold.

Which months have three bi-weekly paychecks?

Two months a year contain three bi-weekly paydays, depending on the schedule start. They are typically spread across the year rather than paired.

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Bi-weekly vs semi-monthly pay: what's the difference?

Both schedules deliver the same annual salary, but the calendars differ: bi-weekly pays every two weeks on a set weekday (26 checks), while semi-monthly pays on fixed dates such as the 15th and last day (24 checks). The differences show up in paycheck size, budgeting, and how overtime windows land.

Side by side

	Bi-weekly	Semi-monthly
Paychecks per year	26	24
Payday	Fixed weekday (e.g., every other Friday)	Fixed dates (e.g., 15th and last day)
Hours per paycheck	Exactly 80 for full-time (2 workweeks)	Varies: ~86.7–92 hours depending on month length
Paycheck size (annual ÷)	Annual ÷ 26	Annual ÷ 24
Three-paycheck months	Two per year	None
Overtime window	Each calendar week counted separately	Each calendar week counted separately, crossing paydates

Example: a $52,000 salary pays $2,000.00 per bi-weekly check (52,000 ÷ 26) or $2,166.67 per semi-monthly check (52,000 ÷ 24). The yearly total is the same; the budgeting rhythm is not. Semi-monthly paydates drift across weekdays — the 15th can be a Sunday — while bi-weekly paydays stay on the same weekday.

Overtime never spans the pay period

Federal overtime applies to a single workweek: seven consecutive days, 168 hours. A bi-weekly period is two separate workweeks, each with its own 40-hour overtime trigger — 30 hours in week one and 50 in week two pays 10 overtime hours, not 0. Semi-monthly periods are messier because a workweek can straddle the paydate; hours are still totalled per calendar week, then mapped back to the checks that contain them. California adds daily thresholds (over 8 hours at 1.5x, over 12 at 2x) that apply no matter which schedule the employer uses.

Calculate either schedule

The time card calculator supports weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly views: pick semi-monthly, set the first paydate, and totals regroup by calendar date while overtime stays per-week. Converting pay rates between schedules? Use the salary to hourly calculator.

General information, not legal or payroll advice — check your employer's policy for the exact schedule and overtime rules that apply to you. Last updated: October 18, 2026