Acres per Hour Calculator

Acres per hour = (working width in inches × speed in mph × efficiency) ÷ 99. A 60-inch deck at 6 mph and 80% efficiency covers about 2.91 acres per hour, so 5 acres takes roughly 1 hour 43 minutes. Enter your equipment below.

Equipment

Working width

Ground speed (mph)

mph

Field efficiency (%)

70–85% is realistic for most mowing.

Efficiency preset

Area to cover

Total area

Acres per hour

2.91ac/hr

5 acres takes about 1 h 43 min.

Area

5 acres

Time to finish

1 h 43 min

Total hours

1.72

Show the math

width = 60 in

acres/hour = (60 × 6 × 0.8) ÷ 99 = 2.91

hours = 5 ÷ 2.91 = 1.72 (1 h 43 min)

How to use this calculator

Enter the working width in inches or feet.
Enter the ground speed in mph.
Set a field efficiency — pick a preset for your equipment.
Enter the total area in acres or square feet.
Read acres per hour and the time to finish.

Formula

acres per hour = (width in × mph × efficiency) ÷ 99
(equivalently width ft × mph × efficiency ÷ 8.25)
hours = area (acres) ÷ acres per hour

Worked example

A 60-inch deck at 6 mph, 80% efficiency:

acres per hour = (60 × 6 × 0.8) ÷ 99 = 2.91

5 acres ÷ 2.91 = 1.72 h = 1 h 43 min

Acres per hour calculator diagram of a mower width and travel path

Reference tables

Acres per hour by deck width and speed (80% efficiency)

Deck width	3 mph	5 mph	7 mph
21"	0.51	0.85	1.19
42"	1.02	1.70	2.38
48"	1.16	1.94	2.72
54"	1.31	2.18	3.05
60"	1.45	2.42	3.39
72"	1.75	2.91	4.07

Theoretical coverage × field efficiency. Real output is lower with obstacles and overlap.

Tips & buying advice

Field efficiency accounts for overlap, turns and stops — 70–85% is realistic for most mowing.
Overlapping each pass by a few inches lowers your effective width and your acres per hour.
Faster is not always better: ground speed that scalps or leaves clumps costs time on cleanup.
For planning a route, add travel and trimming time on top of the mowing hours.

Frequently asked questions

How many acres per hour does a zero-turn mow?

A 60-inch zero-turn at 6 mph and about 80% efficiency covers roughly 2.9 acres per hour. Wider decks and higher speeds raise that, but obstacles and trimming lower real-world output.

How long does it take to mow 1 acre with a push mower?

With a 21-inch push mower at walking speed (about 3 mph) and 75–80% efficiency, one acre takes roughly 1.5–2 hours, depending on the terrain and how much trimming is needed.

What is field efficiency?

Field efficiency is the share of time you are actually cutting at full width, after subtracting turns, overlap, refueling and stops. Mowing is typically 70–85% efficient; it is never 100%.

Where does the 99 (or 8.25) come from?

It converts units. There are 5,280 feet per mile and 43,560 square feet per acre. Width in inches × mph × efficiency ÷ 99 gives acres per hour; using width in feet, the divisor is 8.25.

Built and maintained by Sikander Mushtaq. Formulas checked against ASABE D497 machinery management data. See our methodology and sources, or learn about YardageMath.

Last updated: October 7, 2026

Estimates only. Confirm quantities with your supplier or contractor. Read the full disclaimer.