How to use the decimal hours converter
- Pick Hours and minutes to decimal hours or the reverse.
- Enter the hours and minutes, or the decimal number.
- Read the converted value. Under it is a chart of every minute from 0 to 59 that you can print or save as a one-page PDF.
Formula
Decimal hours = hours + minutes / 60
Hours and minutes: hours = whole part of the decimal; minutes = remaining decimal x 60, rounded to the nearest minute
If the minutes round up to 60, add one hour and set minutes to 0
Payroll usually rounds to two decimal places, so 20 minutes is 0.33 hours, not 0.3333. Choose more places in More options if you need them.
Worked example: 7 hours 45 minutes
45 minutes is 45 / 60 = 0.75 hours, so 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 decimal hours. At $18 an hour that is 7.75 x $18 = $139.50.
Going the other way, 7.75 hours has 0.75 x 60 = 45 minutes, so the answer is 7 hours 45 minutes. An awkward value such as 0.99999 hours is 59.9994 minutes, which rounds to 60 and carries to 1 hour 0 minutes.
Minutes that do not divide evenly: 20 minutes is 0.33 hours and 40 minutes is 0.67 hours at two places. Three 20-minute tasks add up to 0.99, not 1.00, which is why many payroll teams add minutes first and convert once.
Quick reference
The chart below the result lists every minute. A few anchors worth memorizing:
- 15 minutes = 0.25 hours
- 30 minutes = 0.50 hours
- 45 minutes = 0.75 hours
- 6 minutes = 0.10 hours
Why not just type 7.45?
Because 7.45 on a time clock means 7 hours 45 minutes, while 7.45 in decimal hours means 7 hours 27 minutes. Mixing the two is the most common time card error. Always convert before multiplying by a rate.
Why six minutes matters
Some employers track time in tenths of an hour. One tenth is exactly 6 minutes, so 0.1 = 6 min, 0.2 = 12 min, 0.5 = 30 min and 1.0 = 60 min. That makes decimal time easy to add up without a calculator. Many law firms and contractors bill this way.
Assumptions and limits
- Values are rounded half up at the number of decimal places you pick.
- The converter works on elapsed time, not clock time of day.
- Hours and minutes must be zero or higher.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 18 minutes is 18 / 60 = 0.30 hours.
Is 0.5 hours 50 minutes?
No. 0.5 hours is half an hour, which is 30 minutes.
Should I round each day or the weekly total?
Add minutes across the week first, then convert once. Rounding every day and adding the results can drift by a few hundredths of an hour.