One pica is exactly 12 points, so converting picas to points is a single multiplication. Enter any figure and the result appears as you type — the arithmetic runs in your browser, so nothing is sent anywhere.
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in. Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real length figures into points so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
picas- The amount you are converting, in picas
12- The exact number of points in one pica
points- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in picas.
- It is multiplied by 12, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in points, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A marathon: 9.97e+06 pica in points
Take a marathon, roughly 9.97e+06 pica. The conversion is a single multiplication — 9.97e+06 × 12 — giving 1.1964e+08 pt. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 2.3928e+08 pt.
The Eiffel Tower: 7.8e+04 pica in points
The Eiffel Tower comes to about 7.8e+04 pica. Multiplying by the factor: 7.8e+04 × 12 = 936,000 pt. Dividing the answer back by 12 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many points are in one pica?
Exactly 12. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert picas to points?
points = picas × 12. Reversed, picas = points ÷ 12, which is the same as multiplying by 0.0833333333333.
Which is the bigger unit, the pica or the point?
The pica. One pica equals 12 points.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a pica?
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
What is a point?
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Picas to points reference tables
| Picas | Points |
|---|---|
| 0.5 pica | 6 pt |
| 1 pica | 12 pt |
| 2 pica | 24 pt |
| 3 pica | 36 pt |
| 5 pica | 60 pt |
| 10 pica | 120 pt |
| 20 pica | 240 pt |
| 25 pica | 300 pt |
| 50 pica | 600 pt |
| 75 pica | 900 pt |
| 100 pica | 1200 pt |
| 250 pica | 3000 pt |
| 500 pica | 6000 pt |
| 1000 pica | 12,000 pt |
| 5000 pica | 60,000 pt |
Exact factor: 1 pica = 12 points.
| Quantity | pica | pt |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 20.22 pica | 242.6 pt |
| A door height | 480 pica | 5760 pt |
| An Olympic pool | 1.181e+04 pica | 1.417e+05 pt |
| The Eiffel Tower | 7.795e+04 pica | 9.354e+05 pt |
| A marathon | 9.967e+06 pica | 1.196e+08 pt |
| Earth’s diameter | 3.01e+09 pica | 3.612e+10 pt |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.