Payroll, billing and timesheet software all work in decimal hours, but punches arrive in minutes. This converter divides any number of minutes by 60, shows the result to the precision you need, gives the exact fraction of an hour, and prints a full 1–60 minute conversion chart with your value highlighted — the same chart timekeepers keep taped next to the time clock.
How to use the minutes converter
- Enter the minutes. Values above 60 are fine; 90 minutes becomes 1.5 hours.
- Optionally add whole hours to convert a full duration such as 3 hours 37 minutes.
- Choose 2, 4 or 6 decimal places. Two is standard for payroll.
- Read the decimal hours, the fraction of an hour, the tenth and quarter-hour roundings and the chart below the result.
Minutes to decimal hours formula
Each minute is 1/60 of an hour, or about 0.016667 hours. Each 6 minutes is exactly 0.1 hour, and each 3 minutes is exactly 0.05 hour.
Worked examples
37 minutes. 37 ÷ 60 = 0.616667, which rounds to 0.62 hours; as a fraction it is 37/60 of an hour.
3 hours 37 minutes. 3 + 0.616667 = 3.616667, or 3.62 hours. At $22 an hour that pays 3.62 × $22 = $79.64.
90 minutes. 90 ÷ 60 = 1.5 hours, which is 1 hour 30 minutes.
Fractions of an hour
| Minutes | Fraction of an hour | Exact decimal | Two places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1/12 | 0.083333… | 0.08 |
| 10 | 1/6 | 0.166666… | 0.17 |
| 12 | 1/5 | 0.2 | 0.20 |
| 15 | 1/4 | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| 20 | 1/3 | 0.333333… | 0.33 |
| 30 | 1/2 | 0.5 | 0.50 |
| 40 | 2/3 | 0.666666… | 0.67 |
| 45 | 3/4 | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| 50 | 5/6 | 0.833333… | 0.83 |
Minute values that are multiples of 3 (3, 6, 9, 12 …) convert to decimals that end; all others repeat forever, so they must be rounded.
Rounding conventions
- Two decimal places is the usual standard on timesheets and invoices.
- Tenths of an hour (6-minute units) are common in legal and consulting billing: 37 minutes is 0.6 hours.
- Quarter hours (15-minute units) are common for hourly payroll: 37 minutes is 0.5 hours on the nearest quarter, because 37 is closer to 30 than to 45.
Rounding should be applied consistently. The Fair Labor Standards Act regulations allow rounding to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth or quarter hour only when it is neutral over time, so employees are paid for all the time they actually work.
Common errors
Writing minutes after the decimal point
“8.37 hours” is not 8 hours 37 minutes; 8 hours 37 minutes is 8.62 hours. Always divide the minutes by 60.
Summing rounded values
Converting each day to two decimals and then adding can drift a cent or two from the exact total. For a whole week, total the minutes first, convert once, and round once — or use the time card calculator, which works from exact minutes.
Mixing up the direction
To turn decimal hours back into minutes, multiply by 60 instead of dividing: 0.62 hours × 60 ≈ 37 minutes. The decimal to time calculator handles that direction, and the time to decimal calculator accepts hours, minutes and seconds together.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 37 minutes is 37 ÷ 60 = 0.6167, or 0.62 hours rounded to two places. For hours and minutes together, convert the minutes and add the whole hours: 3 hours 37 minutes is 3.62 hours.
What is 15 minutes in decimal hours?
15 ÷ 60 = 0.25 hours. The other quarter hours are 30 minutes = 0.50 and 45 minutes = 0.75.
Why do some minute values give long decimals?
Because 60 contains the factor 3, any number of minutes that is not a multiple of 3 gives a repeating decimal. 20 minutes is exactly one third of an hour, 0.3333…, which payroll usually rounds to 0.33.
What is a payroll minute chart?
It is a lookup table listing each minute from 1 to 60 with its decimal-hour equivalent, so timekeepers can convert without a calculator. The chart on this page highlights the value you enter.