Convert hours and minutes — or a start and end time — into decimal hours for payroll, timesheets and invoices.
To convert time to decimal hours, divide the minutes by 60 and the seconds by 3600, then add them to the whole hours. The formula is decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60 + seconds ÷ 3600. For example, 7 hours 30 minutes is 7 + 30 ÷ 60 = 7.5 hours, and 45 minutes on its own is 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75 hours. This calculator shows every step and works for shift start and end times too.
Pick a mode. Use Hours & Minutes to convert a plain duration such as 7 h 30 min or 45 min, adding seconds if you need them. Use Start & End Time to work out a shift from clock times, in either 24-hour or 12-hour format — the calculator handles overnight shifts automatically. Add an optional break to deduct unpaid time, choose how many decimal places you want, then press Convert. Use Copy result to paste the decimal hours straight into a timesheet.
Because there are 60 minutes in an hour, each minute is 1 ÷ 60 of an hour (about 0.0167). Each second is 1 ÷ 3600 of an hour. Add these fractions to the whole hours and you have the time in decimal form.
minutes ÷ 60seconds ÷ 3600end − start − breakadd 24 hours to the end time0.5 Quarter hour: 0.25 Three-quarter hour: 0.75
The decimal column is rounded to four places; the last column is the common two-place payroll value.
| Minutes | Decimal hours | Rounded (2 dp) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.0167 | 0.02 |
| 5 | 0.0833 | 0.08 |
| 6 | 0.1000 | 0.10 |
| 10 | 0.1667 | 0.17 |
| 12 | 0.2000 | 0.20 |
| 15 | 0.2500 | 0.25 |
| 18 | 0.3000 | 0.30 |
| 20 | 0.3333 | 0.33 |
| 24 | 0.4000 | 0.40 |
| 30 | 0.5000 | 0.50 |
| 36 | 0.6000 | 0.60 |
| 40 | 0.6667 | 0.67 |
| 45 | 0.7500 | 0.75 |
| 48 | 0.8000 | 0.80 |
| 50 | 0.8333 | 0.83 |
| 54 | 0.9000 | 0.90 |
| 55 | 0.9167 | 0.92 |
| 57 | 0.9500 | 0.95 |
| 59 | 0.9833 | 0.98 |
| Time | Hours & minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter hour | 0 h 15 min | 0.25 |
| Half hour | 0 h 30 min | 0.50 |
| Three-quarter hour | 0 h 45 min | 0.75 |
| Short shift | 1 h 15 min | 1.25 |
| Standard morning | 3 h 45 min | 3.75 |
| Full workday | 7 h 30 min | 7.50 |
| Long shift | 8 h 45 min | 8.75 |
Payroll: a wage system multiplies decimal hours by the hourly rate. A worker who does 38 h 30 min in a week enters 38.5 hours, so at a $30 rate that is 38.5 × 30 = $1,155 before any deductions. Always convert to decimal before multiplying — never multiply by a time like 38:30. Employers and payroll software may use different rounding rules, so always follow your employer's or payroll system's requirements.
Timesheet: if daily entries are 7 h 45 min, 8 h 15 min and 6 h 30 min, convert each to 7.75, 8.25 and 6.5, then add to get 22.5 decimal hours for the three days.
Contractor invoice: a freelancer who logs 3 h 20 min on a task bills 3.33 hours (rounded to two places). At $80 per hour that is 3.33 × 80 = $266.40. Agreeing the rounding rule with the client up front avoids disputes. This is general information, not financial or employment-law advice.
Converting time to decimal hours is everyday work in payroll and rostering, construction and trade timesheets, truck-driver logbooks, freelance and consulting invoices, project time tracking, manufacturing shift records, and healthcare rostering. Anywhere hours are multiplied by a rate or added into a total, decimal hours make the arithmetic clean.
1) 6.5 2) 0.25 3) 3.75 4) 1.5 5) 1.25
1) 8.33 2) 8.5 − 0.75 = 7.75 3) 2.67 4) 8.5 5) 1.5125
How do you convert time to decimal?
Divide the minutes by 60 and the seconds by 3600, then add them to the whole hours. For example, 7 hours 30 minutes is 7 + 30 ÷ 60 = 7.5 decimal hours.
How do you convert hours and minutes into decimal hours?
Keep the hours as they are and divide the minutes by 60, then add the two together. 8 hours 15 minutes becomes 8 + 15 ÷ 60 = 8.25 hours.
What is 7 hours 30 minutes in decimal?
7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 decimal hours, because 30 minutes is 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5 of an hour.
What is 8 hours 45 minutes in decimal?
8 hours 45 minutes is 8.75 decimal hours, because 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75.
What is 1 hour 15 minutes in decimal?
1 hour 15 minutes is 1.25 decimal hours, because 15 ÷ 60 = 0.25.
How many decimal hours is 30 minutes?
30 minutes is 0.5 decimal hours, since 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5.
How many decimal hours is 45 minutes?
45 minutes is 0.75 decimal hours, since 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the number of minutes by 60. So 20 minutes is 20 ÷ 60 = 0.3333… hours, which rounds to 0.33 for payroll.
How do I convert seconds to decimal hours?
Divide the seconds by 3600, because an hour has 3600 seconds. 45 seconds is 45 ÷ 3600 = 0.0125 hours.
How do payroll systems calculate decimal hours?
They convert each worked period to decimal hours, subtract unpaid breaks, add the periods together, then multiply the total by the hourly rate. Decimal hours make the multiplication straightforward.
How do timesheets use decimal hours?
Many timesheets record each entry in decimal form — 7.75 instead of 7 h 45 min — so daily and weekly totals can be added directly without carrying minutes over into hours.
What is the formula for time to decimal?
Decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60 + seconds ÷ 3600. Add the fraction of an hour from the minutes and seconds to the whole hours.
Why is 20 minutes 0.33 and not 0.20 in decimal?
Decimal hours are fractions of 60 minutes, not 100. 20 minutes is 20 ÷ 60 = 0.333… of an hour, which rounds to 0.33 — not 0.20.
How do I handle an overnight shift?
When the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift crosses midnight. Add 24 hours to the end time before subtracting. The calculator does this for you and marks the shift as overnight.
Can I convert military time to decimal hours?
Yes. The calculator accepts both 24-hour (military) time and 12-hour time with AM/PM, and both produce the same decimal-hour result.
Is this Time to Decimal Calculator free?
Yes. It is free with no sign-up, works on any device, and runs in your browser so your entries stay private.