Time to Decimal Calculator
Payroll systems want decimal hours, humans think in hours and minutes. Enter any time duration below and get the decimal equivalent instantly — with the formula explained.
= ? decimal hours
= ? : ?
How to convert time to decimal
The rule is simple: keep the hours as they are, and divide the minutes by 60. Add the two together. For example, 7 hours 45 minutes = 7 + (45 ÷ 60) = 7 + 0.75 = 7.75 decimal hours.
Quick conversion chart
The most common payroll conversions: 5 min = 0.08, 10 min = 0.17, 15 min = 0.25, 20 min = 0.33, 30 min = 0.5, 45 min = 0.75. See the full minutes-to-decimal chart for every value from 1 to 59.
Frequently asked questions
What is .50 of an hour?
0.50 of an hour is 30 minutes. Decimal hours express fractions of an hour: 0.25 = 15 min, 0.50 = 30 min, 0.75 = 45 min.
Why does payroll use decimal hours?
Decimal hours make multiplication trivial: 7.5 hours × $20/hour = $150. Mixing hours and minutes would require base-60 arithmetic, which is error-prone in payroll software.
How do I convert time to decimal in Excel?
Multiply the time value by 24 and format the cell as a number: =(B2−A2)*24. Or use our calculator above and type the result in.