Average weekly wage calculator
Before the rating, before the disputes, one number gets set that scales every check: the average weekly wage. Temporary disability pays two-thirds of it between the year’s statutory rails; permanent disability runs the same formula against a lower cap. Enter your gross pay in whatever period you know it — the engine does the rest.
The TD check arrives every two weeks: $1,600.00 per cycle at this wage. Price what a rating pays at the PD rate on the settlement calculator, and note the third rail: the life-pension formula caps earnings at $515.38 for 70%+ ratings.
§4453(c) computes AWW differently for regular full-time work, multiple employers (the second job counts — aggregated, and routinely missed), irregular earnings (averaged over up to a year), and the catch-all earning-capacity standard. This calculator converts ordinary pay to weekly by plain calendar arithmetic; which statutory method governs a disputed wage is the legal fight — the AWW guide walks all four.
The rails at every wage
Engine-computed for a 2026 injury. Watch both patterns: the PD rate pegs at its cap almost immediately, and the TD maximum binds only at the top of the wage scale.
| AWW | TD weekly | PD weekly | TD per 2-wk check |
|---|---|---|---|
| $400.00 | $266.67 | $266.67 | $533.34 |
| $600.00 | $400.00 | $290.00 | $800.00 |
| $800.00 | $533.33 | $290.00 | $1,066.66 |
| $1,000.00 | $666.67 | $290.00 | $1,333.34 |
| $1,200.00 | $800.00 | $290.00 | $1,600.00 |
| $1,500.00 | $1,000.00 | $290.00 | $2,000.00 |
| $2,000.00 | $1,333.33 | $290.00 | $2,666.66 |
| $2,646.17 | $1,764.11 | $290.00 | $3,528.22 |
| $3,000.00 | $1,764.11 | $290.00 | $3,528.22 |
Every year’s minimums and maximums since 2005: the rate caps page. The wage decides the rate — the rating decides how many weeks it pays.
Gross earnings, plain calendar conversions; the §4453 method that governs a disputed wage is a legal question. Estimates for informational use only; not legal advice.
Rating-schedule changes, the moment they land.
Occasional updates on California PD rules, rate caps, and new RateString features. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.