How to Calculate Work Hours Between Two Times
The Basic Formula
The simplest way to calculate work hours is:
Convert everything to minutes first, then divide by 60 at the end.
Step-by-Step: Calculate Manually
Step 1 — Convert both times to minutes from midnight
Multiply hours by 60 and add the minutes.
Example: 9:30 AM = (9 × 60) + 30 = 570 minutes
Example: 5:45 PM = (17 × 60) + 45 = 1,065 minutes
Step 2 — Subtract start from end
1,065 − 570 = 495 minutes
Step 3 — Deduct break time
With a 45-minute lunch break: 495 − 45 = 450 minutes
Step 4 — Convert to hours
450 ÷ 60 = 7.5 hours (7 hours 30 minutes)
Common Examples
| Start | End | Break | Work Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 1 hour | 7.0 hours |
| 8:30 AM | 5:30 PM | 30 min | 8.5 hours |
| 10:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 45 min | 7.75 hours |
| 7:00 AM | 3:00 PM | 30 min | 7.5 hours |
| 11:00 PM | 7:00 AM | 30 min | 7.5 hours (night) |
How to Calculate Work Hours in Excel
Basic formula:
Where B2 = start time, C2 = end time. Multiply by 24 to convert Excel's fraction to hours.
With break deduction:
For overnight shifts:
Decimal Hours Quick Reference
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 15 min | 0.25 |
| 30 min | 0.50 |
| 45 min | 0.75 |
| 20 min | 0.33 |
| 40 min | 0.67 |
⏱ Calculate Work Hours Instantly
Enter start time, end time, and break — get your hours in seconds. Handles night shifts automatically.
Open Work Hours Calculator →Weekly Timesheet: Full Example
Here is a complete worked example for a five-day working week with a 30-minute lunch break each day:
| Day | Clock In | Clock Out | Break | Work Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 30 min | 8.0 hrs |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 30 min | 8.0 hrs |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 30 min | 8.0 hrs |
| Thursday | 9:30 AM | 6:00 PM | 45 min | 7.75 hrs |
| Friday | 8:30 AM | 3:00 PM | 30 min | 6.0 hrs |
| Total | 37.75 hrs |
At a standard threshold of 40 hours per week, this employee has not triggered overtime. If Thursday had run until 7:30 PM instead, the total would be 39.25 hours — still under the threshold. Our calculator flags overtime automatically once you set your weekly threshold.
Overtime Rules Explained
Overtime rules vary significantly by country and contract type. The most common frameworks are:
- US (FLSA standard): Overtime applies to hours above 40 per week, paid at 1.5× the regular rate. Daily overtime thresholds do not apply federally, though some states (California, Alaska) add a daily 8-hour threshold.
- UK: No statutory overtime rate — it depends on the contract. Workers must not average more than 48 hours per week over a 17-week reference period (Working Time Regulations).
- India: The Factories Act caps working hours at 9 per day and 48 per week, with overtime paid at double the regular wage.
- Philippines: Overtime applies after 8 hours per day, paid at 125% of the hourly rate (130% on rest days or holidays).
- EU (Working Time Directive): Maximum 48 hours per week averaged over a reference period; individual opt-out available in some member states.
Always check your specific employment contract and local labour regulations. The calculator gives you the raw hour totals — how overtime is compensated depends on your jurisdiction.
Converting Work Hours to Pay
Once you have your total hours, calculating gross pay is straightforward:
Example: 42 hours worked, regular rate $18/hr, overtime at 1.5×.
- Regular pay: 40 × $18 = $720
- Overtime pay: 2 × $27 = $54
- Total gross: $774
Note that gross pay is before tax and deductions. Net pay will be lower once income tax, national insurance, and any other withholdings are applied.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate hours if I cross midnight?
Add 24 hours to your end time before subtracting. If you start at 10 PM (22:00) and finish at 6 AM (6:00), treat end as 30:00 → 30:00 − 22:00 = 8 hours. Our calculator handles this automatically when clock-out is earlier than clock-in.
How do I convert 7 hours 45 minutes to decimal?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add to the hours: 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75. So 7 hours 45 minutes = 7.75 decimal hours. Multiply by your hourly rate to get pay for that shift.
What is the difference between work hours and clock hours?
Clock hours is the total time between your start and end time. Work hours deducts any unpaid breaks (typically a lunch break). Most employers pay for work hours only, so deducting your break time gives the accurate figure for payroll.
How many work hours are in a standard work year?
A standard full-time year in most countries is 52 weeks × 40 hours = 2,080 hours. Subtract paid leave and public holidays for the actual hours worked. In India, a 48-hour week gives 2,496 hours before leave adjustments.
Can I use this to calculate part-time or zero-hours contracts?
Yes. Enter only the days and times you actually worked — leave other days blank. The calculator totals only the rows you fill in, making it equally useful for part-time, shift-based, or zero-hours arrangements.
What is the best way to track work hours across multiple weeks?
For ongoing tracking, use the calculator to total each week and record the result in a simple spreadsheet. Over a month, you can sum the four weekly totals to get your monthly hours worked — useful for freelance invoicing or monthly pay verification.