How decimal hours work
An hour has 60 minutes, so each minute is one-sixtieth of an hour. Decimal hours write the minutes as a fraction of an hour in base 10: 15 minutes is a quarter of an hour, or 0.25. That makes it easy to multiply time by an hourly rate.
Decimal hours formula
Decimal hours are the last step in calculating hours worked. To add up many entries first, use the hours and minutes calculator.
Worked example: 38 hours 50 minutes
Converting a weekly total for payroll
- Convert the minutes: 50 ÷ 60 = 0.8333.
- Add the whole hours: 38 + 0.8333 = 38.83 decimal hours, rounded to two places.
- At $20.00 an hour, that is 38.83 × $20.00 = $776.60. Using the unrounded 38.8333 hours gives $776.67, which is why it matters how many decimal places your employer uses.
Minutes to decimal hours chart
Every minute from 1 to 60, rounded to two decimal places.
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.02 |
| 2 | 0.03 |
| 3 | 0.05 |
| 4 | 0.07 |
| 5 | 0.08 |
| 6 | 0.10 |
| 7 | 0.12 |
| 8 | 0.13 |
| 9 | 0.15 |
| 10 | 0.17 |
| 11 | 0.18 |
| 12 | 0.20 |
| 13 | 0.22 |
| 14 | 0.23 |
| 15 | 0.25 |
| 16 | 0.27 |
| 17 | 0.28 |
| 18 | 0.30 |
| 19 | 0.32 |
| 20 | 0.33 |
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 21 | 0.35 |
| 22 | 0.37 |
| 23 | 0.38 |
| 24 | 0.40 |
| 25 | 0.42 |
| 26 | 0.43 |
| 27 | 0.45 |
| 28 | 0.47 |
| 29 | 0.48 |
| 30 | 0.50 |
| 31 | 0.52 |
| 32 | 0.53 |
| 33 | 0.55 |
| 34 | 0.57 |
| 35 | 0.58 |
| 36 | 0.60 |
| 37 | 0.62 |
| 38 | 0.63 |
| 39 | 0.65 |
| 40 | 0.67 |
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 41 | 0.68 |
| 42 | 0.70 |
| 43 | 0.72 |
| 44 | 0.73 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
| 46 | 0.77 |
| 47 | 0.78 |
| 48 | 0.80 |
| 49 | 0.82 |
| 50 | 0.83 |
| 51 | 0.85 |
| 52 | 0.87 |
| 53 | 0.88 |
| 54 | 0.90 |
| 55 | 0.92 |
| 56 | 0.93 |
| 57 | 0.95 |
| 58 | 0.97 |
| 59 | 0.98 |
| 60 | 1.00 |
Decimal hours to minutes chart
| Decimal hours | Minutes | Decimal hours | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.05 | 3 min | 0.55 | 33 min |
| 0.10 | 6 min | 0.60 | 36 min |
| 0.15 | 9 min | 0.65 | 39 min |
| 0.20 | 12 min | 0.70 | 42 min |
| 0.25 | 15 min | 0.75 | 45 min |
| 0.30 | 18 min | 0.80 | 48 min |
| 0.35 | 21 min | 0.85 | 51 min |
| 0.40 | 24 min | 0.90 | 54 min |
| 0.45 | 27 min | 0.95 | 57 min |
| 0.50 | 30 min | 1.00 | 60 min (1 hour) |
Rounding clock times instead? Some employers record time to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth of an hour (6 minutes), or quarter hour (15 minutes). The time card calculator can apply that rounding to each punch.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. For example, 45 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.75 hours, so 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours.
How do I convert decimal hours back to minutes?
Multiply the part after the decimal point by 60. For 7.75 hours, 0.75 × 60 = 45, so the answer is 7 hours 45 minutes.
Is 7.30 hours the same as 7 hours 30 minutes?
No. 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 decimal hours. 7.30 decimal hours is 7 hours 18 minutes. Mixing these up is one of the most common time card mistakes.
How many decimal places should I use?
Payroll usually uses two decimal places. Some minutes repeat forever, such as 20 minutes = 0.3333 hours, so rounding to two places can shift pay by a fraction of a cent per hour. Check which precision your employer uses. For reference, 7.33 hours is 7h 19m 48s.
Why do payroll systems use decimal hours?
Decimal hours can be multiplied directly by an hourly rate. 7.75 hours × $20 = $155. With hours and minutes you would first need to convert the minutes.
Related guides
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How this calculator was built. The formula, defaults, and edge cases are documented in a research record and covered by automated tests. It estimates gross amounts from your inputs; it does not determine legal entitlements, taxes, or take-home pay. Read our methodology and disclaimer.
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