Hours Calculator: Time Between Two Times

Worked examples

9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, 30 min break

That's 8h 30m of paid time, or 8.50 decimal hours. At $18/hr the gross pay is $153.00.

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, no break

A straight 8h 0m, which is exactly 8.00 decimal hours.

Overnight shift 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, 45 min break

The tool adds 24 hours because the end is earlier than the start: 8h span minus 45 minutes = 7h 15m, or 7.25 hours.

How the hours calculator works

Working out time worked is subtraction on a 24-hour clock, with two twists: shifts can cross midnight, and pay systems want the answer as a decimal. This tool handles both.

The core steps are:

Convert each time to minutes since midnight. 9:00 becomes 540, 17:30 becomes 1050.
Subtract start from end. 1050 − 540 = 510 minutes.
Handle overnight. If the result is negative, add 24 hours (1440 minutes).
Subtract the break in minutes, then clamp at 0 so you never see a negative total.
Split into hours and minutes, and separately divide by 60 for decimal hours.

So 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute break is 510 − 30 = 480 minutes, which is 8h 0m, or 8.00 decimal hours.

A worked example

Say you clock in at 9:00 AM and clock out at 6:00 PM, with a 30-minute unpaid lunch.

Start = 540 minutes, end = 1080 minutes.
Gap = 1080 − 540 = 540 minutes (9 hours).
Minus the 30-minute break = 510 minutes.
As hours and minutes: 510 ÷ 60 = 8 remainder 30, so 8h 30m.
As decimal hours: 510 ÷ 60 = 8.50.

Converting between decimal hours and hours:minutes

The two formats describe the same duration. To go from minutes to a decimal, divide by 60:

15 minutes = 0.25 hours
30 minutes = 0.50 hours
45 minutes = 0.75 hours

To go back, multiply the decimal fraction by 60: 0.5 × 60 = 30 minutes. This is why 8.5 hours is 8h 30m, not 8h 50m, a common mistake when reading a decimal as if it were minutes.

Overnight and night shifts

If your end time is earlier on the clock than your start time, the shift crossed midnight. A 10:00 PM start (1320 minutes) and 6:00 AM end (360 minutes) gives 360 − 1320 = −960. Adding 1440 gives 480 minutes, or 8 hours. The calculator does this automatically whenever the end is before the start, so you can enter night shifts without any workaround.

Deducting breaks

Enter only the unpaid break time. A 30-minute lunch you are not paid for goes in the break field; a paid 10-minute rest break does not. The break is subtracted from the raw gap between your times. If the break is larger than the shift (an unusual entry), the total is clamped to 0h 0m rather than showing a negative value.

Turning hours into pay

Add an hourly rate and the calculator multiplies it by the decimal hours to estimate gross pay before tax:

8.50 hours at $18.00/hr = $153.00
7.25 hours at $22.00/hr = $159.50

This is gross pay only. It does not account for overtime multipliers, taxes, or deductions, so treat it as a quick estimate rather than a payslip.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?

Divide the minutes by 60. So 30 minutes is 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5 hours, 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, and 45 minutes is 0.75 hours. This calculator does it for you, showing both 8h 30m and 8.50 side by side.

Does this handle overnight or night shifts?

Yes. If your end time is earlier in the clock than your start time (for example 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM), the calculator assumes the shift crosses midnight and adds 24 hours, so you get 8 hours rather than a negative number.

Why do payroll systems use decimal hours instead of hours and minutes?

Pay is rate times hours, and you can only multiply cleanly with a decimal. 8h 30m at $18 is not 8.30 times 18, it is 8.5 times 18 = $153.00. Payroll converts every entry to decimal hours first, which is why this tool shows both formats.

Is the break deducted before or after the total?

The break is subtracted from the gap between your start and end times to give paid time. Enter the unpaid minutes only. If your break is paid, set the break field to 0.

What if my total comes out negative?

It never will. The calculator clamps the result at 0, so an oversized break or an unusual entry shows 0h 0m rather than a negative time. Double-check your start, end, and break if you see 0 unexpectedly.