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Hours calculator

Work out how many hours and minutes are between a start and end time, subtract breaks, convert to decimal hours for payroll, and see the pay at your hourly rate.

min
$/h

Breakdown

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Minutes to decimal hours

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Hours between two clock times, minus breaks, is the everyday calculation behind timesheets, invoices and shift planning. The catch is the two formats: people think in hours and minutes, payroll systems want decimals. This calculator gives both, handles shifts that cross midnight, and multiplies by an hourly rate if you give one.

How it is calculated

  1. Convert both times to minutes since midnight and subtract. If the end is earlier than the start, add 24 hours: the shift crossed midnight.
  2. Subtract unpaid breaks in minutes.
  3. Decimal hours = minutes ÷ 60. Forty-five minutes is 0.75 h, not 0.45.
  4. Pay = decimal hours × hourly rate. Overtime rules are not applied here; the time card calculator handles weekly overtime.

Example

Start 9:00, end 17:30, 30-minute lunch: 8 h 30 min shift, 8 h 00 min worked, 8.00 decimal hours. At $22 an hour that is $176.

Rounding on timesheets

US federal rules allow employers to round to the nearest quarter hour as long as rounding is neutral over time: 7 minutes rounds down, 8 rounds up. If your employer rounds, your recorded hours may differ slightly from the exact figure here.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate hours worked?

End time minus start time, minus unpaid breaks. Enter the times above; the result is shown in hours and minutes and as a decimal for payroll.

How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?

Divide by 60. Thirty minutes is 0.5, 20 minutes is 0.33, 45 minutes is 0.75. The table under the result lists the common values.

Does it work for overnight shifts?

Yes. If the end time is earlier than the start, the calculator assumes the shift ends the next day and adds 24 hours.

Are breaks paid?

Depends on your contract and local law. In the US, short rest breaks of 5–20 minutes are usually paid; meal breaks of 30 minutes or more are usually unpaid if you are fully relieved of duty. Enter only unpaid breaks here.

Sources

  1. US Department of Labor: Hours Worked under the FLSA (Fact Sheet #22)
  2. US Department of Labor: Rounding practices (29 CFR 785.48)

By Calcelate Team. Formula from the sources above.

  1. 2026-09-14 · Formula and texts checked