Quick answer: To convert hours to decimal, keep the whole hours and divide the minutes by 60, then add them. 8 hours 15 minutes = 8 + 15 ÷ 60 = 8.25 decimal hours. Multiply by your hourly rate for pay: 7.75 × $20 = $155.
Common hours and minutes in decimal
The values people look up most, rounded to two decimal places for timesheets, with the exact value alongside.
| Hours and minutes | Clock | Decimal | Exact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h 15 min | 1:15 | 1.25 | 1.2500 |
| 1 h 20 min | 1:20 | 1.33 | 1.3333 |
| 1 h 40 min | 1:40 | 1.67 | 1.6667 |
| 1 h 45 min | 1:45 | 1.75 | 1.7500 |
| 2 h 20 min | 2:20 | 2.33 | 2.3333 |
| 2 h 30 min | 2:30 | 2.50 | 2.5000 |
| 2 h 45 min | 2:45 | 2.75 | 2.7500 |
| 6 h 15 min | 6:15 | 6.25 | 6.2500 |
| 6 h 40 min | 6:40 | 6.67 | 6.6667 |
| 7 h 30 min | 7:30 | 7.50 | 7.5000 |
| 7 h 45 min | 7:45 | 7.75 | 7.7500 |
| 8 h 15 min | 8:15 | 8.25 | 8.2500 |
The hours to decimal formula
decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60The hours stay the same. Only the minutes are converted.An hour has 60 minutes, so each minute is 1/60 of an hour. Keep the whole hours, divide the minutes by 60, and add the two parts.
- Keep the whole hours. From 8:15, the hours are 8.
- Divide the minutes by 60. 15 ÷ 60 = 0.25.
- Add them together. 8 + 0.25 = 8.25 decimal hours.
- Multiply by the rate for pay. 8.25 × $20 = $165.00 gross.
Hours and minutes to decimal chart
Quarter hours always convert to .25, .50 and .75. Any other minute value is divided by 60, so 20 minutes is 0.3333, shown as 0.33.
| Time | Decimal | Time | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:15 | 0.25 | 5:00 | 5.00 |
| 0:30 | 0.50 | 6:30 | 6.50 |
| 0:45 | 0.75 | 7:15 | 7.25 |
| 1:00 | 1.00 | 7:45 | 7.75 |
| 1:30 | 1.50 | 8:00 | 8.00 |
| 2:15 | 2.25 | 8:15 | 8.25 |
| 3:20 | 3.33 | 8:30 | 8.50 |
| 4:10 | 4.17 | 8:45 | 8.75 |
| 4:40 | 4.67 | 9:00 | 9.00 |
| 4:50 | 4.83 | 40:20 | 40.33 |
Worked payroll examples
A single shift: 7 hours 45 minutes at $20 per hour
- Keep the hours: 7
- Divide the minutes: 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75
- Add: 7 + 0.75 = 7.75 hours
- Pay: 7.75 × $20 = $155.00
Result: 7.75 hours, $155.00
A weekly total: 40 hours 20 minutes at $25 per hour
- Keep the hours: 40
- Divide the minutes: 20 ÷ 60 = 0.3333
- Add: 40.3333 hours, shown as 40.33
- Pay with the exact value: 40.3333 × $25 = $1,008.33
Result: 40.33 hours, $1,008.33
The common mistake: entering 8:30 as 8.30
30 minutes is half an hour, so 8:30 is 8.50. Typing 8.30 records 8 hours 18 minutes and undercounts 12 minutes on every shift.
Why payroll uses decimal hours
You cannot multiply a clock time by a wage directly. 8.30 × $20 gives the wrong pay because the minutes are not yet a true decimal. Converting to 8.50 first lets normal arithmetic work: 8.50 × $20 = $170.00.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act recordkeeping rules, US employers must keep accurate records of hours worked. Decimal hours are how payroll teams turn those records into regular pay, overtime and labour cost reports. For the full workflow with overtime, read the guide to converting time to decimal for payroll.
Convert hours to decimal in Excel or Google Sheets
If hours and minutes sit in separate cells, add the minutes divided by 60. If you have clock-in and clock-out times, subtract them and multiply by 24.
// Hours in B1, minutes in C1
=B1+(C1/60)
// Clock-out in A2 minus clock-in in A1
=(A2-A1)*24Format the result cell as Number, not Time, with two decimal places.
Who uses this conversion
- Payroll administrators calculating wages from time cards.
- Employees checking their own pay against a payslip.
- Freelancers billing hourly clients in invoicing tools.
- Small business owners running payroll by hand.
Need to total a full timesheet with breaks?
Open the Hours Worked CalculatorFrequently asked questions
How do I convert hours to decimal?
Keep the whole hours and divide the minutes by 60, then add the two. 7 hours 30 minutes becomes 7 + 30 ÷ 60 = 7.5 decimal hours.
What are decimal hours?
Decimal hours write time as a base-10 number instead of hours and minutes, so it can be multiplied by a pay rate. 1 hour 15 minutes is 1.25 hours and 2 hours 45 minutes is 2.75 hours.
Why is 8:30 equal to 8.50 and not 8.30?
Thirty minutes is half an hour, so it converts to 0.50. Entering 8.30 instead of 8.50 undercounts 12 minutes on every shift.
What is 1 hour 45 minutes in decimal?
1.75 hours. Keep the 1 hour, divide 45 by 60 to get 0.75, then add: 1 + 0.75 = 1.75.
What is 20 minutes in decimal hours?
20 ÷ 60 = 0.3333, which most timesheets round to 0.33. Use the exact value for pay and round only the figure you display.
How do I calculate gross pay from decimal hours?
Multiply the decimal hours by the hourly rate. 7 hours 45 minutes at $20 an hour is 7.75 × $20 = $155.00.
How do I convert hours to decimal in Excel or Google Sheets?
With hours in B1 and minutes in C1, use =B1+(C1/60). For clock-out minus clock-in stored as times, use =(A2-A1)*24 and format the cell as Number, not Time.
How many decimal places should I use?
Two decimal places is standard on timesheets. Keep the unrounded value for the pay calculation, since rounding first can shift a total by a few cents per shift.
Related tools
Accuracy note: This calculator uses the standard formula above and is checked against the worked examples on this page. Rounding rules vary by employer and state, so confirm final pay figures with your payroll provider.
Content Lead, Anchor AI Tools, California, USA. Spotted an error? Email hello@anchoraitools.com and it will be checked and corrected. See our editorial standards.