Semi-Monthly Pay Calculator

Convert any pay period to semi-monthly pay (24 times per year)

💼 Enter Your Wage Information

Select Input Type

Hourly Wage

Your hourly wage or salary

Hours Per Week

Standard is 40 hours

Days Per Week

Standard is 5 days

💰 Semi-Monthly Pay

Your Semi-Monthly Pay

$2,166.67

Paid twice per month • 24 paychecks per year

Typically on the 15th and last day of each month

Hourly

$25.00

Daily

$200.00

Weekly

$1,000.00

Biweekly (26/year)

$2,000.00

Semi-Monthly (24/year)

$2,166.67

Monthly

$4,333.33

📊 Semi-Monthly vs Biweekly

Key Difference

Semi-Monthly: 24 paychecks/year$2,166.67

Biweekly: 26 paychecks/year$2,000.00

Difference per paycheck:+$166.67

Semi-monthly paychecks are 8.3% larger than biweekly paychecks, but you receive 2 fewer per year.

Annual Salary (Both Are Equal)

$52,000.00

Semi-monthly: $2,166.67 × 24 = $52,000.00

Biweekly: $2,000.00 × 26 = $52,000.00

Example Calculation

Given Information

Annual Salary: $52,000

Pay Periods per Year: 24 (semi-monthly)

Calculation Steps

1. Identify annual salary: $52,000

2. Divide by 24 pay periods: $52,000 ÷ 24

3. Semi-Monthly Pay = $2,166.67

Alternative: From Monthly Wage

Monthly Salary: $52,000 ÷ 12 = $4,333.33

Semi-Monthly Pay: $4,333.33 ÷ 2 = $2,166.67

Two semi-monthly payments equal one monthly payment

📐 Formulas

From Annual

Semi-Monthly = Annual ÷ 24

From Monthly

Semi-Monthly = Monthly ÷ 2

From Weekly

Semi-Monthly = (Weekly × 52) ÷ 24

From Hourly

Semi-Monthly = (Hourly × Hours/Week × 52) ÷ 24

📅 Pay Periods

Weekly52/year

Biweekly26/year

Semi-Monthly24/year

Monthly12/year

💡 Payment Tips

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Semi-monthly usually means 15th and last day of month

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If payment date falls on weekend, moved to business day

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Semi-monthly = 24 paychecks, biweekly = 26 paychecks

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Both result in same annual salary

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Budget differently for each pay schedule

Understanding Semi-Monthly Pay

What Does Semi-Monthly Pay Mean?

Semi-monthly pay means you receive your salary or wages twice a month, typically on the 15th and the last day of the month (or the 1st and 15th). This results in 24 pay periods per year.

•24 Paychecks: Two payments each month for 12 months
•Fixed Dates: Usually 15th and last day of month
•Weekend Adjustment: Payment moves to nearest business day

Semi-Monthly vs Biweekly

Many people confuse semi-monthly with biweekly pay, but they're different:

•Semi-Monthly: 24 times per year, fixed calendar dates
•Biweekly: 26 times per year, every 14 days
•Paycheck Size: Semi-monthly paychecks are larger
•Annual Total: Both equal the same annual salary

💡 Budgeting with Semi-Monthly Pay

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Predictable Dates: Semi-monthly pay is easier to budget with since payments align with fixed calendar dates. Bills due on specific dates (rent, mortgage) are easier to plan for.

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Larger Paychecks: With only 24 payments per year instead of 26, each paycheck is larger. This can help with bigger monthly expenses.

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Month Variation: Unlike biweekly, you'll never receive three paychecks in a month with semi-monthly pay. It's always exactly two per month.

📊 Real-World Example

Scenario: You earn $52,000 per year

Semi-Monthly Calculation:

• Annual Salary: $52,000
• Pay Periods: 24 per year
• Semi-Monthly Pay: $52,000 ÷ 24 = $2,166.67

If paid biweekly instead:

• Pay Periods: 26 per year
• Biweekly Pay: $52,000 ÷ 26 = $2,000.00
• Difference: Semi-monthly pays $166.67 more per check, but 2 fewer checks per year