How hours are counted
The calculator takes the minutes between the start and end time, subtracts your unpaid break, and shows the result both as hours and minutes and as a decimal, which is what payroll uses.
Example: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute break is 8 hours, or 8.00 in decimal. At $22 an hour that is $176.
To convert minutes to a decimal, divide by 60: 15 minutes is 0.25, 30 is 0.5 and 45 is 0.75.
Minutes to decimal hours
| Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|
| 5 min | 0.08 |
| 10 min | 0.17 |
| 15 min | 0.25 |
| 20 min | 0.33 |
| 25 min | 0.42 |
| 30 min | 0.50 |
| 35 min | 0.58 |
| 40 min | 0.67 |
| 45 min | 0.75 |
| 50 min | 0.83 |
| 55 min | 0.92 |
Example: 7 hours 40 minutes is 7 + 40 ÷ 60 = 7.67 hours. At $18.50 an hour that's 7.667 × $18.50 = $141.83. Rounding to 7.67 first gives $141.90, so keep a few decimals until the end.
Next steps
To turn an hourly rate into a yearly salary, use the salary converter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours for a shift that ends after midnight?
Enter the times as they are. When the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator treats it as the next day.
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