Hours Calculator
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Hours Between Two Dates
Use this version when the start and end fall on different days, such as a multi-day shift, a trip or a rental period.
Press Calculate to see the results.
This hours calculator counts the hours and minutes between a start time and an end time, and its second form finds the hours between two times on different dates.
Enter a start time and an end time to see how long the stretch between them lasts. The answer appears three ways: hours and minutes, decimal hours and total minutes. Decimal hours are what payroll and invoicing systems usually want, because they can be multiplied directly by an hourly rate. A shift from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM is 9 hours, or 9.00 decimal hours; from 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM it is 8 hours 45 minutes, which is 8.75 decimal hours.
If the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator assumes the period runs past midnight. A night shift from 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM therefore comes out as 8 hours 30 minutes rather than a negative number.
To convert minutes into decimal hours, divide by 60: 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 20 minutes is 0.33, 30 minutes is 0.5 and 45 minutes is 0.75. Going the other way, multiply the decimal part by 60, so 7.4 hours is 7 hours and 24 minutes.
For periods longer than a day, use Hours Between Two Dates. It works from calendar dates and clock times together and reports the total hours as well as days plus hours. The calculation uses plain clock time and does not adjust for a daylight saving change; if the span crosses one, add or subtract an hour yourself.
A day has 24 hours because the Earth's rotation defines the day, and the counts below follow from the calendar. Month and year totals vary with the number of days, so the averages use the Gregorian calendar's mean year of 365.2425 days or, in the simpler convention many references use, 365.25 days.
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| Day | 24 |
| Week | 168 |
| Month (28 / 29 / 30 / 31 days) | 672 / 696 / 720 / 744 |
| Average month (365.25 ÷ 12 days) | 730.5 |
| Common year (365 days) | 8,760 |
| Leap year (366 days) | 8,784 |
| Average year (365.25 days) | 8,766 |
| Decade (10 × 365.25 days) | 87,660 |
| Century (100 × 365.25 days) | 876,600 |
Frequently asked questions
How many hours are between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM?
Nine hours. From 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM is eight hours, and the last hour to 5:30 PM makes nine.
How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add them to the hours. 6 hours 45 minutes is 6 + 45 ÷ 60 = 6.75 hours.
What if my shift goes past midnight?
Enter the times as they are. When the end time is earlier than the start, the calculator counts forward into the next day.
How many hours are in a year?
8,760 in a common year of 365 days and 8,784 in a leap year. Averaged over the four-year leap cycle it is 8,766.
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