Hours Calculator CalculatorScale.com
Work Hours & Time TrackingDecimal Hours & Wage Solver

Hours Calculator

Use the calculators below to find the number of hours and minutes between two times. Easily deduct lunch breaks, calculate gross wages, and convert minutes to decimal hours for payroll.

Modify the values and click the calculate button to use

Calculate Hours Between Times

Quick Presets:
Result

Time Worked: 8 hours 30 minutes

From 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM with 30 min break deducted
Decimal Hours
8.5 hrs
For payroll & timesheets
Total Minutes
510 mins
30,600 seconds
Estimated Gross Pay
$212.50
@ $25/hour
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How to Calculate Work Hours Between Two Times

Calculating total hours worked between a start time and an end time involves three key steps:

  1. Convert times to 24-hour military format: Add 12 hours to any PM times (except 12:00 PM noon). 12:00 AM midnight becomes 00:00.
  2. Subtract start time from end time: If end time is earlier than start time (e.g. night shift 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM), add 24 hours to the end time before subtracting.
  3. Deduct unpaid lunch breaks: Subtract the total minutes of break time from the gross elapsed duration.

Converting Minutes to Decimal Hours for Payroll

Decimal Hours Formula

Decimal Hours = Hours + (Minutes ÷ 60)

Example: 7 hours and 45 minutes = 7 + (45 ÷ 60) = 7.75 hours.

Gross Pay Calculation

Gross Pay = Decimal Hours × Hourly Wage Rate

Example: 7.75 hrs × $25.00/hr = $193.75.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does this calculator handle overnight shifts?

When the end time is numerically earlier than the start time (such as starting at 10:00 PM and ending at 6:30 AM), the calculator automatically detects that the shift crossed midnight and adds 24 hours to ensure accurate duration calculation.

Why do payroll companies use decimal hours instead of minutes?

Payroll accounting software multiplies hours by dollars per hour. Because currency is base-10 (decimal), hours must be in decimal form (e.g. 8.25 hrs rather than 8 hrs 15 mins) to calculate wages without mathematical distortion.