How do I work out the hours in a shift?
- Convert both times to a 24-hour clock. 9:00 AM is 9:00 and 5:00 PM is 17:00.
- Subtract the start from the end. 17:00 − 9:00 = 8:00. If the end is earlier than the start, add 24 hours first.
- Subtract unpaid breaks. 8:00 − 0:30 = 7:30, or 7.5 decimal hours.
The calculator above does the same thing for any pair of times. Change the start, end or break and the answer updates instantly in hours and minutes, decimal hours and total minutes.
How many hours are common work shifts?
This table shows clock time for typical schedules, the paid hours after a 30-minute or 1-hour unpaid lunch, and the weekly total for five days with a 30-minute lunch. Every figure is computed by the same code as our hours calculator.
| Shift | Clock time | Minus 30-min lunch | Minus 1-hr lunch | 5 days (30-min lunch) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | 8 hr | 7.50 | 7.00 | 37.50 |
| 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM | 9 hr | 8.50 | 8.00 | 42.50 |
| 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | 8 hr | 7.50 | 7.00 | 37.50 |
| 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM | 8 hr 30 min | 8.00 | 7.50 | 40.00 |
| 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM | 9 hr | 8.50 | 8.00 | 42.50 |
| 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM | 9 hr | 8.50 | 8.00 | 42.50 |
| 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM | 8 hr 30 min | 8.00 | 7.50 | 40.00 |
| 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM | 8 hr | 7.50 | 7.00 | 37.50 |
| 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | 9 hr | 8.50 | 8.00 | 42.50 |
| 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | 8 hr | 7.50 | 7.00 | 37.50 |
| 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM | 8 hr 30 min | 8.00 | 7.50 | 40.00 |
| 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM | 8 hr | 7.50 | 7.00 | 37.50 |
| 11:00 PM – 7:00 AM | 8 hr | 7.50 | 7.00 | 37.50 |
| 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM | 12 hr | 11.50 | 11.00 | 57.50 |
| 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM | 12 hr | 11.50 | 11.00 | 57.50 |
Worked examples
Example 1: 9 to 5 with a paid vs unpaid lunch
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM is 8 hr. If the 30-minute lunch is unpaid you work 7.50 hours a day and 37.5 hours a week. If lunch is paid, or you eat at your desk while working, it is 8 hours a day and 40 a week.
Example 2: 8 to 5
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM is 9 hr. With the usual 1-hour unpaid lunch that is 8.00 hours a day, or 40 hours over five days. With a 30-minute lunch it is 8.50 hours a day, or 42.5 a week, so 2.5 hours could be overtime.
Example 3: 7:30 to 4:30
7:30 AM to 4:30 PM is 9 hr, the same length as 8 to 5. With a 1-hour lunch it is 8 paid hours.
Does lunch count as work time?
Under federal rules, a meal break of about 30 minutes or more is unpaid only if you are completely relieved of duty. Short breaks of 5 to 20 minutes are paid work time. So the same 9-to-5 can be a 40-hour or a 37.5-hour week depending on your employer's lunch policy. That 2.5-hour gap adds up to 130 hours a year. Check your offer letter or handbook.
How many hours a year is a 9-to-5 job?
A paid-lunch 9-to-5 is 40 × 52 = 2,080 hours a year; with an unpaid 30-minute lunch it is 1,950. For the actual workdays in a given year, see how many work hours are in a year. To turn an hourly wage into annual pay, use the hourly to salary calculator. To log the shifts on a weekly time card, use the time card calculator.