How do I calculate the hours in my shift?

Subtract the shift start time from the shift end time to get the elapsed span, then subtract any unpaid break. A 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM shift with a 30-minute break is 8 hours 30 minutes elapsed minus 30 minutes, so 8 hours worked.

How do I calculate a shift with a lunch break?

Enter the shift start and end times, then put the unpaid lunch in the break field. The calculator shows the shift length before the break, the break itself, and the worked hours after the break is deducted.

How do I calculate an overnight shift?

Enter the start and end times as normal. If the end time is not later than the start time, the calculator treats the shift as crossing midnight and adds 24 hours, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is counted as 8 hours.

How many hours is a 9 to 5 shift?

A 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM shift is 8 hours elapsed. With a 30-minute unpaid lunch it is 7 hours 30 minutes worked (7.50 decimal hours). With a 60-minute unpaid lunch it is 7 hours worked (7.00 decimal hours).

How do I convert shift hours to decimal hours?

Divide the minutes by 60 and add the result to the hours. 15 minutes is 0.25, 30 minutes is 0.50 and 45 minutes is 0.75 — never 0.30. The calculator shows the decimal value for every shift automatically.

How do I calculate two shifts in one day?

Click "Add another shift" and enter each period separately. The calculator shows each shift’s worked hours and decimal hours, then combines them into a single total at the bottom.

Does the calculator subtract unpaid breaks?

Yes. The unpaid break is deducted from the elapsed span to give worked hours. If a break is longer than the shift, the calculator flags it as an error rather than producing a negative total.

Can I calculate shift pay from my hours?

Yes. Enter an hourly rate and the calculator multiplies the total decimal hours by that rate to show an estimated shift pay. Tax, deductions and overtime are not included.

Shift Calculator

Calculate hours worked for one or more shifts from shift start and end times. Enter an unpaid break and the calculator splits out the shift length before the break, the break itself and the worked hours — with overnight support, decimal hours and optional shift pay. Everything updates instantly in your browser.

Time format

Break entry

Hourly rate (optional)

Combined hours worked

0h 0m

Combined decimal hours

0.00

Shifts counted

How to Use the Shift Calculator

Enter the shift start time and shift end time for each period you worked. Add an unpaid break if you had one — either as a single minutes value or as hours and minutes, using the toggle above the first shift. The calculator instantly shows the shift length before the break, the break duration, the hours worked and the decimal hours for each shift. Use "Add another shift" to stack several periods; the combined total updates at the bottom. Switch to 12-hour AM/PM entry if you prefer times like "9:00 AM" over 24-hour clock times.

How Shift Hours Are Calculated

The formula for a single shift is:

Shift End − Shift Start − Unpaid Break = Hours Worked

The calculator first works out the elapsed span from start to end, then subtracts the unpaid break to get the worked time. If the end time is not later than the start time, the shift is treated as crossing midnight and 24 hours are added before the break is deducted.

Shift Calculation Example

Start: 8:30 AM. End: 5:00 PM. Break: 30 minutes.

Elapsed = 8h 30m
Break = 30m
Worked = 8h 00m
Decimal = 8.00

Overnight Shift Example

Start: 10:00 PM. End: 6:00 AM. Because the end time is earlier than the start time on the clock, the calculator treats the end as the following day and adds 24 hours. The elapsed span is 8 hours, so with no break the worked time is 8h 00m (8.00 decimal hours). The shift is labelled overnight so you can see the wrap was applied.

Shift Hours in Decimal Format

Payroll systems usually want decimal hours, where minutes are a fraction of an hour. Divide the minutes by 60 to convert:

7h 15m = 7.25 decimal hours
7h 30m = 7.50 decimal hours
7h 45m = 7.75 decimal hours

The common mistake is writing 30 minutes as 0.30 — it is actually 0.50, because there are 60 minutes in an hour, not 100.

Calculating Multiple Shifts

If you work a split day or want to total several shifts together, click "Add another shift" and enter each period on its own row. Each shift shows its own before-break, break, worked and decimal figures, and the combined hours worked and combined decimal hours appear in the results panel. This is useful for adding up a morning and evening shift on the same day without doing the arithmetic by hand.

Shift Calculator vs Time Card Calculator

The Shift Calculator works out the duration of individual shifts from start and end times. The Time Card Calculator takes those durations further: it lays out a full Monday–Sunday week of clock-in and clock-out punches, splits regular and overtime hours, and estimates weekly pay. Use the Shift Calculator for a single shift or a couple of periods; use the Time Card Calculator for an entire weekly time card.

Shift Calculator vs Timesheet Calculator

The Timesheet Calculator starts from hours you have already worked — you type the hours for each day and it totals them into a weekly or biweekly timesheet. The Shift Calculator goes the other direction: it calculates those hours from shift start and end times and breaks. If you have punch times, start here; if you already know your daily hours, the Timesheet Calculator is faster.

Common Shift Calculation Mistakes

AM/PM errors. Entering 7:00 when you meant 7:00 PM flips a 12-hour shift into the wrong half of the day. The 12-hour AM/PM mode makes the marker explicit.
Forgetting unpaid breaks. A 9-to-5 with an unpaid lunch is 7 or 7.5 worked hours, not 8. Always deduct breaks that you are not paid for.
Overnight shift errors. A 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM shift is 8 hours, not −16. The calculator wraps past midnight automatically.
Decimal conversion mistakes. 30 minutes is 0.50, not 0.30. Minutes are divided by 60, not treated as cents.
Subtracting breaks incorrectly. The break comes off the elapsed span, not off the decimal total. This calculator deducts it before the worked hours are shown.

FAQs

How do I calculate the hours in my shift?: Subtract the shift start time from the shift end time to get the elapsed span, then subtract any unpaid break. A 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM shift with a 30-minute break is 8 hours 30 minutes elapsed minus 30 minutes, so 8 hours worked.
How do I calculate a shift with a lunch break?: Enter the shift start and end times, then put the unpaid lunch in the break field. The calculator shows the shift length before the break, the break itself, and the worked hours after the break is deducted.
How do I calculate an overnight shift?: Enter the start and end times as normal. If the end time is not later than the start time, the calculator treats the shift as crossing midnight and adds 24 hours, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is counted as 8 hours.
How many hours is a 9 to 5 shift?: A 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM shift is 8 hours elapsed. With a 30-minute unpaid lunch it is 7 hours 30 minutes worked (7.50 decimal hours). With a 60-minute unpaid lunch it is 7 hours worked (7.00 decimal hours).
How do I convert shift hours to decimal hours?: Divide the minutes by 60 and add the result to the hours. 15 minutes is 0.25, 30 minutes is 0.50 and 45 minutes is 0.75 — never 0.30. The calculator shows the decimal value for every shift automatically.
How do I calculate two shifts in one day?: Click "Add another shift" and enter each period separately. The calculator shows each shift’s worked hours and decimal hours, then combines them into a single total at the bottom.
Does the calculator subtract unpaid breaks?: Yes. The unpaid break is deducted from the elapsed span to give worked hours. If a break is longer than the shift, the calculator flags it as an error rather than producing a negative total.
Can I calculate shift pay from my hours?: Yes. Enter an hourly rate and the calculator multiplies the total decimal hours by that rate to show an estimated shift pay. Tax, deductions and overtime are not included.