Nurse Shift Differential Calculator

A $50/hour nurse works a weekend night, 7 PM–7 AM with a 30-minute unpaid break, as charge nurse. Their employer pays a $5/hour night differential, a 10% weekend differential, and a $50 per shift charge stipend.

The percentage is always taken from the base rate, not from base plus other differentials, and the per-shift amount doesn't change with shift length.

• Per hour: amount × paid hours. $5/hr over 11.5 paid hours is $57.50.
• Percent of base: base rate × percent × paid hours. 10% of $50 is $5/hr.
• Per shift: the flat amount, once, however long the shift.
• During certain hours: an hourly differential can be limited to a window, like 11 PM–7 AM. Only the hours inside the window count, with any unpaid break spread evenly across the shift.

Differentials stack: each one is its own line. If overtime applies, hourly differentials can also raise your overtime rate — see the nurse overtime calculator. The concepts are explained in nurse shift differentials explained.

• Turn a differential on only if it applies to this shift. Nurse Pay doesn't decide which days your employer counts as the weekend.
• Some employers pay a differential only if most of the shift falls in the window; others pay it for every hour. Use the window switch to match your policy.
• Per-shift amounts are never included in the overtime rate, because they aren't paid by the hour.

Night + weekend

Both hourly, both on. They add together: $5 + $4 is $9 more for every paid hour.

Charge nurse pay

Usually a flat $/hour. If it's paid per shift, choose $ / shift.

Evening vs night

Add two windowed differentials, e.g. evenings 3 PM–11 PM and nights 11 PM–7 AM, and turn both on for a shift that spans them.

Certification or specialty pay

Add a custom differential. Many are per hour; some are a percentage of base.