Time to Decimal Calculator

How to convert time to decimal hours

Payroll systems multiply hours by a pay rate, so they need decimal hours, not clock time. This time to decimal calculator converts hours and minutes to a decimal in one step: divide the minutes by 60 and add them to the whole hours. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7 + 45 ÷ 60 = 7.75 hours, not 7.45. Seconds are divided by 3,600.

Worked examples

• 8 h 15 min: 15 ÷ 60 = 0.25, so 8.25 hours.
• 6 h 20 min: 20 ÷ 60 = 0.3333, so 6.33 hours (6.3333 unrounded).
• 2 h 20 min 30 s: 20 ÷ 60 + 30 ÷ 3,600 = 0.3417, so 2.34 hours.

At $20 an hour, 7.75 hours pays $155.00. Using 7.45 by mistake would pay $149.00, a $6 error on a single shift.

Decimal back to hours and minutes

Switch the direction to go the other way. Keep the whole number as hours and multiply the fraction by 60: 8.25 is 8 hours and 0.25 × 60 = 15 minutes. 0.1 hour is 6 minutes, and 0.01 hour is 36 seconds. The chart under the calculator lists the common minute values in 5-minute steps (15 min = 0.25, 30 min = 0.50, 45 min = 0.75).

Common mistakes

• Writing minutes after the decimal point. 7.30 hours is 7 hours 18 minutes, not 7:30.
• Rounding too early. Round only the final decimal, not the minutes fraction, or small errors add up over a pay period. Many employers round to the nearest 0.01 hour or to the nearest quarter hour, as the US Department of Labor allows for the 7-minute rule when it averages out.
• Forgetting unpaid breaks. Subtract the break first, then convert. For a full week of start and end times with overtime, use the hours calculator.

Source: standard unit conversion (60 minutes per hour, 3,600 seconds per hour); rounding practice per 29 CFR 785.48.