Convert minutes to decimal hours for timesheets and payroll
Divide minutes by 60 to get decimal hours. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.50 and 45 minutes is 0.75. So 8 hours 20 minutes is 8.33 hours. The chart below covers every minute from 1 to 59.
8.33 hours
8 h 20 min = 8.33 decimal hours
8 h 20 min
8.33 decimal hours = 8 hours 20 minutes
| 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 |
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 16 | 0.27 |
| 17 | 0.28 |
| 18 | 0.30 |
| 19 | 0.32 |
| 20 | 0.33 |
| 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 |
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 41 | 0.68 |
| 42 | 0.70 |
| 43 | 0.72 |
| 44 | 0.73 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Payroll systems multiply hours by a pay rate, so they need a decimal number. A shift from 8:00 to 4:25 with a 30 minute unpaid break is 7 hours 55 minutes, or 7.92 hours. At $22 an hour that is $174.24.
Some employers round to the nearest quarter hour (0.25). Check your own policy, because rounding rules vary and the chart above shows exact two-place values.
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 15 / 60 = 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.50 hours and 45 minutes is 0.75 hours. Round to 2 decimal places for payroll.
0.33 hours. 20 / 60 is 0.3333, which rounds to 0.33.
Keep the whole hours and convert only the minutes. 8 hours 20 minutes is 8 + 20 / 60 = 8.33 hours. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours.
Multiply the decimal part by 60. 8.33 hours is 8 hours plus 0.33 x 60 = 19.8, which rounds to 20 minutes, so 8 hours 20 minutes.
Pay is a rate per hour, so a decimal number multiplies directly. 8.25 hours at $20 an hour is $165. A time like 8:15 has to be converted first.
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Methodology: Decimal hours equal minutes divided by 60, rounded to 2 decimal places. Values are computed from that formula, not typed in. Employers may apply their own rounding rules to timesheets.
Last updated: November 2026