CalcHoursWhy 15 minutes is 0.25
Decimal hours express minutes as a fraction of 60, because an hour has 60 minutes: 15 ÷ 60 = 0.25. A quarter of an hour is the cleanest conversion there is, 0.25 exactly, which is one reason quarter-hour rounding has survived on time clocks for a century. Under the 7-minute rule any punch within seven minutes of a quarter lands on it.
Hours and 15 minutes in decimal
| Time | Hours and minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1:15 | 1 h 15 min | 1.25 |
| 2:15 | 2 h 15 min | 2.25 |
| 3:15 | 3 h 15 min | 3.25 |
| 4:15 | 4 h 15 min | 4.25 |
| 5:15 | 5 h 15 min | 5.25 |
| 6:15 | 6 h 15 min | 6.25 |
| 7:15 | 7 h 15 min | 7.25 |
| 8:15 | 8 h 15 min | 8.25 |
| 9:15 | 9 h 15 min | 9.25 |
| 10:15 | 10 h 15 min | 10.25 |
| 11:15 | 11 h 15 min | 11.25 |
| 12:15 | 12 h 15 min | 12.25 |
The whole hours are unchanged; only the minutes are converted. So 8 hours 15 minutes is 8.25 hours, never 8.15. The hours to decimal calculator converts any hh:mm value and back.
15 minutes under payroll rounding
| Convention | 15 minutes becomes | Decimal |
|---|---|---|
| Exact (hundredths) | 15 min | 0.25 |
| Tenths of an hour (6-minute steps) | 18 min | 0.3 |
| Quarter hours (15-minute steps, 7-minute rule) | 15 min | 0.25 |
Rounding to tenths or quarters is permitted under 29 CFR 785.48(b) when it averages out over time. 15 minutes sits exactly on a quarter hour, so quarter-hour rounding leaves it alone. The time clock calculator applies each convention to real punches.
What 15 minutes is worth
| Hourly rate | 15 minutes |
|---|---|
| $15.00 | $3.75 |
| $20.00 | $5.00 |
| $25.00 | $6.25 |
| $30.00 | $7.50 |
| $50.00 | $12.50 |
Multiply the decimal by the rate: 0.25 × $20.00 = $5.00. At time and a half the same 15 minutes of overtime pay 0.25 × $30.00 = $7.50. Over a 5-day week, 15 unpaid minutes a day are 1.25 hours, and over a year of 250 workdays 62.5 hours.
Other values: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 50 minutes, 55 minutes. The full minute-by-minute chart is on the minutes to decimal page.
Frequently asked questions
What is 15 minutes in decimal?
0.25 hours. Divide the minutes by 60: 15 ÷ 60 = 0.25, which payroll rounds to two places. As a fraction it is 1/4 of an hour. Any whole number of hours plus 15 minutes is that number plus 0.25: 3 hours 15 minutes is 3.25 hours.
Is 15 minutes 0.15 of an hour?
No. 0.15 of an hour would be 9 minutes, because decimal hours are hundredths of 60 minutes, not minutes. 15 minutes is 0.25 of an hour. Writing minutes after a decimal point is the most common timesheet error and understates the time by 6 minutes.
How much is 15 minutes of overtime?
0.25 hours at the overtime rate. At a regular rate of $20.00 and time and a half, the overtime rate is $30.00 and 15 minutes pay $7.50. Overtime is measured in exact minutes unless the employer uses a lawful rounding rule, so 15 minutes over 40 hours in a workweek is 0.25 overtime hours.
Related calculators
- Minutes to DecimalMinutes become decimal hours when you divide by 60: 20 minutes is 0.33, 45 minutes is 0.75. Type a time above for the exact figure, or read it off the chart for every minute from 1 to 60.
- Hours to Decimal Calculator and Minutes to Decimal ChartEnter a time in hours and minutes to get decimal hours, or enter decimal hours to get hours and minutes. The chart below lists every minute from 1 to 60.
- Time Clock CalculatorEnter your clock-in and clock-out punches, with lunch as a second pair, and get hours worked in hours and minutes and in decimal, exact or rounded the way a time clock rounds. Add a rate for pay.
- Work Hours CalculatorEnter your start time, end time and unpaid breaks to get hours worked for a day, a week or a pay period in hh:mm and decimal hours. Overnight shifts, overtime and pay are handled automatically.