How to work out FTE (full-time equivalent)
The short answer: FTE (full-time equivalent) is the hours you work divided by the full-time hours for the job. Working 30 hours where full-time is 37.5 hours is 30 ÷ 37.5 = 0.8 FTE. Your pay is the full-time salary multiplied by your FTE: £32,000 × 0.8 = £25,600.
The formula
| FTE | Your hours ÷ full-time hours |
| Hours from FTE | FTE × full-time hours |
| Your pay | Full-time (FTE) salary × FTE |
Common FTE values on a 37.5-hour week
| Hours a week | FTE | Pay on £32,000 FTE | Pay a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37.5 | 1.00 | £32,000 | £2,667 |
| 30 | 0.80 | £25,600 | £2,133 |
| 22.5 | 0.60 | £19,200 | £1,600 |
| 18.75 | 0.50 | £16,000 | £1,333 |
| 15 | 0.40 | £12,800 | £1,067 |
Full-time hours vary
FTE always depends on what the employer counts as full-time, so check the contract. The same 30 hours means different things:
- full-time 35 hours: 30 ÷ 35 = 0.86 FTE
- full-time 37.5 hours: 30 ÷ 37.5 = 0.80 FTE
- full-time 40 hours: 30 ÷ 40 = 0.75 FTE
NHS staff on Agenda for Change work 37.5 hours full-time; teachers and many council staff use different measures. Our NHS part-time pay calculator does this for NHS bands.
FTE using days
If you work full days, you can use days instead: 3 days out of 5 is 3 ÷ 5 = 0.6 FTE. This only works if your days are the same length as a full-time day.
FTE for term-time and part-year jobs
If you only work some weeks of the year, there is a second step: multiply by the share of the year you are paid for. A term-time teaching assistant working 30 hours a week for 39 weeks, plus paid holiday, might have:
- hours FTE: 30 ÷ 37.5 = 0.80
- weeks factor: (39 + 5.6 weeks holiday) ÷ 52.14 = 0.86
- overall: 0.80 × 0.86 = 0.68 of the full-time salary
Each employer has its own weeks figure, so ask for it. See term-time only pay explained.
FTE for a whole team
Employers use FTE to count staff. Add everyone's hours and divide by full-time hours. A team working 37.5, 37.5, 30, 22.5, 15 hours has 5 people but 3.80 FTE.
What FTE changes besides pay
- Holiday: pro rata. 0.6 FTE gets 0.6 × 28 = 16.8 days of statutory leave. See part-time holiday.
- Pension: worked out on what you actually earn, not the FTE salary.
- Overtime: part-timers usually get their normal rate until they pass full-time hours, unless the contract says otherwise.
- Equal treatment: part-time staff must not be treated less favourably than comparable full-timers, so the hourly rate should be the same.
Reading job adverts
Adverts often show the FTE salary with "pro rata" after it. "£32,000 pro rata, 22.5 hours" means you will be paid £19,200, not £32,000. Always check what full-time means for that employer. See what pro rata means and going down to 4 days a week.
FTE to hours for different full-time weeks
| FTE | 35-hour week | 37.5-hour week | 40-hour week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 35 hrs | 37.50 hrs | 40 hrs |
| 0.8 | 28 hrs | 30 hrs | 32 hrs |
| 0.6 | 21 hrs | 22.50 hrs | 24 hrs |
| 0.5 | 17.50 hrs | 18.75 hrs | 20 hrs |
| 0.4 | 14 hrs | 15 hrs | 16 hrs |
FTE from monthly or yearly hours
If your hours vary, use a longer period. Full-time on a 37.5-hour week is 162.5 hours a month or 1,950 hours a year. Someone working 1,300 hours in a year is 1,300 ÷ 1,950 = 0.67 FTE. Annualised hours contracts work this way: you are paid the same each month, even though the hours worked change.
Pro rata and FTE: the same idea
Pro rata means in proportion. FTE is the proportion. A "pro rata" salary is just the full-time salary multiplied by your FTE. Holiday, bonuses and allowances that are paid pro rata use the same FTE figure.
This is general information. Your employer's own FTE method and full-time hours decide your pay.
Common questions
How do you calculate FTE?
Divide the hours someone works by the full-time hours for the job. 30 hours where full-time is 37.5 hours is 30 ÷ 37.5 = 0.8 FTE.
What is 0.8 FTE in hours?
It depends on full-time hours. On a 37.5-hour week it is 30 hours; on 40 hours it is 32 hours; on 35 hours it is 28 hours.
What does FTE salary mean?
The salary you would earn if you worked full-time. Your actual pay is the FTE salary multiplied by your FTE. £32,000 FTE at 0.6 FTE pays £19,200.
What is the difference between FTE and WTE?
None. Whole-time equivalent (WTE) is the term the NHS often uses. Both mean the same thing.
How many hours is full-time in the UK?
There is no legal number. Most employers set full-time at 35 to 40 hours a week, with 37.5 the most common.
How do you calculate FTE from monthly hours?
Divide your monthly hours by the full-time monthly hours. With a 37.5-hour week, full-time monthly hours are 37.5 × 52 ÷ 12 = 162.5.