Biweekly vs Semimonthly Payroll: Differences, Pros and Cons

Q: How much is $60,000 semimonthly?

$60,000 / 24=$2,500 gross per paycheck. Biweekly, it is about $2,307.69.

Short answer: Biweekly payroll pays employees every other week on the same weekday, for 26 paychecks a year (27 in some years). Semimonthly payroll pays twice a month on fixed dates, such as the 15th and the last day, for 24 paychecks a year. Biweekly is usually simpler for hourly employees because every pay period has the same two workweeks; semimonthly suits salaried teams and monthly accounting.

Calendar comparing biweekly and semimonthly pay dates — 26 paydays or 24: the choice changes more than the calendar.

Side-by-side comparison

	Biweekly	Semimonthly
How often	Every two weeks	Twice a month
Paychecks per year	26 (27 in some years)	24
Pay date	Same weekday, such as every other Friday	Fixed dates, such as the 15th and the last day
Days in a pay period	Always 14	13 to 16
Workweeks per period	Exactly two	Splits workweeks at the period end
Months with three paydays	Two (three in a 27-payday year)	None
Best fit	Hourly and shift workers	Salaried staff, monthly budgets

For weekly (52) and monthly (12) options too, see how many pay periods are in a year.

Paycheck amounts for salaried employees

A salary is divided by 26 for biweekly pay and by 24 for semimonthly pay. Annual pay is the same; each semimonthly check is larger.

Annual salary	Biweekly (/ 26)	Semimonthly (/ 24)
$40,000	$1,538.46	$1,666.67
$50,000	$1,923.08	$2,083.33
$60,000	$2,307.69	$2,500.00
$70,000	$2,692.31	$2,916.67
$80,000	$3,076.92	$3,333.33
$100,000	$3,846.15	$4,166.67

Biweekly employees do not earn less over the year. They get two more checks, which is why some months have three paydays.

Three-paycheck months in 2026

With biweekly Friday paydays in 2026:

First payday January 2: three paydays in January and July.
First payday January 9: three paydays in May and October.

Both schedules have 26 paydays in 2026. A 27-payday year comes roughly every 11 years, when the payday weekday occurs 53 times and the first payday falls in the first days of January. For salaried employees on biweekly pay, plan ahead for that year: either divide the salary by 27 or budget for the extra check.

Why semimonthly is harder for hourly payroll

Federal overtime is calculated per workweek: hours over 40 in a fixed 7-day week. Biweekly periods line up with workweeks, so each period contains exactly two complete workweeks. Semimonthly periods do not.

Example: the period ends Thursday the 15th, but the workweek runs Sunday to Saturday. An employee works 38 hours from Sunday to Thursday, then 8 hours on Friday and Saturday. The period closes before you know whether the week passes 40. That week’s 6 overtime hours must be calculated after the week ends and paid in the next payroll. The FLSA allows this when overtime cannot be calculated until after the regular payday, as long as it is paid as soon as practicable, generally no later than the next payday.

Semimonthly periods also hold a different number of workdays. In 2026, the halves of each month have 10 to 12 weekdays, so an hourly employee on a fixed schedule gets uneven paychecks.

Pros and cons

Biweekly

Pros: clean overtime math, same payday weekday, consistent hours per period, familiar to hourly workers.
Cons: two more payroll runs a year, uneven monthly totals for accounting, extra planning in 27-payday years.

Semimonthly

Pros: fewer payroll runs, pay dates match monthly bills and benefit deductions, easy for salaried staff.
Cons: split workweeks complicate overtime, paydays land on different weekdays and move when they fall on a weekend or holiday, uneven hours for hourly staff.

How to choose

Check your state’s pay frequency law. Many states set a minimum pay frequency, and some set different rules for different types of workers.
Look at your workforce. Mostly hourly or shift workers: biweekly is simpler. Mostly salaried: semimonthly works well.
Consider running both. Some employers pay hourly staff biweekly and salaried staff semimonthly.
Announce changes early. Give employees notice and a transition schedule so no one has a gap between checks.

More definitions: semi-monthly pay and biweekly pay.

Clean hours for any pay schedule

Whatever schedule you run, payroll starts with hours. The EZTime time clock totals hours by workweek, flags overtime as it happens and exports payroll-ready timesheets for any pay period, biweekly or semimonthly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly?

Biweekly is every other week, 26 paychecks a year. Semimonthly is twice a month on fixed dates, 24 paychecks a year.

Is biweekly or semimonthly better for hourly employees?

Biweekly is usually simpler, because each pay period contains exactly two workweeks for overtime.

How much is $60,000 semimonthly?

$60,000 / 24 = $2,500 gross per paycheck. Biweekly, it is about $2,307.69.

Payroll-ready hours for every pay period. Start your 14-day trial or book a demo.

Updated November 2026. General information only; not legal or tax advice.