If you’re working part-time or considering flexible hours, there’s a key question that may cross your mind when looking at job adverts – around how to work out pro rata salary pay.
In simple terms, pro rata is about pay in proportion to hours worked. If a full-time employee earns a set salary, someone doing fewer hours will earn a percentage of that amount.
The maths isn’t difficult once you know the method, but confusion is common because employers often quote the full-time figure.
This guide explains what pro rata salary means, why it matters, and how to calculate it in real-life scenarios. By the end, you’ll be able to work out your part-time pay or convert a pro rata offer back into a full-time equivalent.
How to work out pro rata salary: Key takeaways
- Pro rata means “in proportion.” With regard to salaries, it usually refers to part-time pay worked out from a full-time salary.
- Working it out helps you compare part-time and full-time roles fairly.
- The calculation uses the full-time salary, the full-time hours, and your actual hours.
- Examples make the sums easier to understand, and we’ll work through some step by step.
- Pro rata can also apply to benefits such as holiday allowance.
What does pro rata salary mean?
The phrase comes from Latin and literally translates as “in proportion.” In pay terms, it means your salary is worked out according to the number of hours or days you actually work.
Here’s an example. Imagine a job advert says: “£38,000 per year, pro rata.” That £38,000 is what you would earn if you worked full-time.
If you’re only doing three days a week instead of five, your pay will be three-fifths of that figure. Employers use pro rata salaries most often in part-time jobs, fixed-term contracts, and job shares.
It makes the pay structure clear and consistent, but it does mean you need to do a little maths to figure out your take-home salary.
A total of 25.63m people are in full-time employment as of 2025, while 8.61m or 25% of the UK working population are in part-time employment, according to government data.
Why pro rata matters
Understanding pro rata prevents surprises. Being familiar with what to expect in a role is a key piece of job search advice.
People sometimes assume that a salary quoted as £30,000 pro rata means they’ll earn £30,000, even if they’re only working half the hours. The reality is that your pay is adjusted downwards to reflect your hours.
It also helps with comparisons. If you’re weighing up a part-time role against a full-time one, you need to know the actual figure to judge fairly.
Without doing the calculation, it’s easy to overestimate or underestimate what you’ll be paid.
Wondering how to ask for a pay rise? Read this – How To Ask For A Pay Rise: A Comprehensive Guide.
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How to work out a pro rata salary
The calculation is straightforward once you know the formula:
Pro rata salary = (full−time salary ÷ full−time hours) × actual hours worked
Let’s walk through a couple of examples.
Example 1: Working by days
A role pays £30,000 full-time, based on a five-day week. You’ll be working for three days.
- First, divide the full-time salary by the number of days: £30,000 ÷ 5 = £6,000 per day.
- Multiply that by the three days you’ll work: £6,000 × 3 = £18,000.
So your pro rata salary is £18,000.
Example 2: Working by hours
The full-time contract is £35,000 per year for 37.5 hours a week. You’re working 20 hours.
- Divide £35,000 by 37.5 = about £933.
- That £933 is the portion of annual salary linked to each weekly hour in the contract.
- Multiply £933 by your 20 hours = roughly £18,660 per year.
How to work out part-time salary from full-time
Say a job advert offers £40,000 a year full-time, based on 37.5 hours a week, but also offers flexible hours. You’re interested but only want to do 25 hours.
Here’s how to figure it out:
- £40,000 ÷ 37.5 = roughly £1,067 per hour (per year).
- £1,067 × 25 = about £26,675.
That’s the amount you’d earn for a 25-hour contract.
How to work out full-time salary from pro rata
Sometimes employers only quote the pro rata figure. Maybe you’re told the salary is £18,000 for three days a week, and you want to know what that equals full-time.
Use the reverse calculation:
- £18,000 ÷ 3 days = £6,000 per day.
- £6,000 × 5 days = £30,000 full-time equivalent.
This way, you can compare it with other full-time jobs and check if the hourly rate is competitive.
Other areas where pro rata applies
Salary isn’t the only thing worked out on a pro rata basis. Benefits often follow the same rule.
Holiday entitlement is the most common example. If full-time staff get 28 days of leave, someone working half the hours would receive 14.
Training allowances, pensions, and bonuses may also be calculated in proportion to time worked, depending on the employer’s policy.
Knowing this means you can ask the right questions during interviews and avoid misunderstandings later.
If you’re wondering what questions to ask in a job interview, we’ve got you covered.
FAQs
What does pro rata mean in salary?
It means your pay is worked out in proportion to the hours or days you work compared to the full-time equivalent.
How do you calculate pro rata for three days a week?
Divide the full-time salary by five (for five days), then multiply by three. For a £25,000 role, the result would be £15,000.
How do you work out a part-time salary?
Take the full-time salary, divide it by the full-time hours, and multiply by your actual hours. That gives you the part-time equivalent.
How do you convert pro rata to full-time salary?
Divide the pro rata salary by the number of days or hours worked, then multiply by the full-time hours or days.
Does pro rata only apply to pay?
No, it can also apply to benefits like holiday leave, bonuses, or allowances. Anything based on time worked may be adjusted this way.
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Final thoughts: How to work out pro rata salary
So, how do you work out pro rata salary? The short answer is: take the full-time pay, break it down into hours or days, then multiply by the time you’ll actually work.
We hope you found this article useful. If so, why not take a look at some of our other blogs, such as:
- How To Tell If An Interview Went Well: Good and Bad Signs
- Tell Me How You Handled A Difficult Situation Example Answers
- Being Self-Employed But Working For An Employer
- Job Promotion Meaning In Business: How to Get Promoted
- Redundant Meaning: What Is The Redundancy Process In The UK?
We know that salary is just one part of the equation. A strong CV and well-prepared interview answers are what get you in the door – check out our CV writing and career coaching services if you’d like some support.
If you’re ready to take the next step, contact us today and let’s get started.
