One mil is exactly 0.006 picas, so converting mils to picas 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.
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout. One thousandth of an inch, the standard thickness unit for plastic film and PCB traces.
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 picas so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
mils- The amount you are converting, in mils
0.006- The exact number of picas in one mil
picas- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in mils.
- It is multiplied by 0.006, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in picas, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A door height: 8e+04 mil in picas
At 8e+04 mil (a door height), the same quantity in picas is 8e+04 × 0.006 = 480 pica. One mil is 0.006 picas, so the numbers shrink as expected.
A credit card’s long edge: 3370 mil in picas
At 3370 mil (a credit card’s long edge), the same quantity in picas is 3370 × 0.006 = 20.22 pica. One mil is 0.006 picas, so the numbers shrink as expected.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many picas are in one mil?
Exactly 0.006. 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 mils to picas?
picas = mils × 0.006. Reversed, mils = picas ÷ 0.006, which is the same as multiplying by 166.666666667.
Which is the bigger unit, the mil or the pica?
The pica. One mil is only 0.006 of a pica, so it takes 166.667 mils to make one pica.
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 mil?
One thousandth of an inch, the standard thickness unit for plastic film and PCB traces.
What is a pica?
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
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.
Is there a quick way to do mil to pica in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 170 instead of using the exact factor 0.006. At 100 that shortcut gives 0.58823529 picas, off by 0.01176 picas or about 1.96%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Mils to picas reference tables
| Mils | Picas |
|---|---|
| 0.5 mil | 0.003 pica |
| 1 mil | 0.006 pica |
| 2 mil | 0.012 pica |
| 3 mil | 0.018 pica |
| 5 mil | 0.03 pica |
| 10 mil | 0.06 pica |
| 20 mil | 0.12 pica |
| 25 mil | 0.15 pica |
| 50 mil | 0.3 pica |
| 75 mil | 0.45 pica |
| 100 mil | 0.6 pica |
| 250 mil | 1.5 pica |
| 500 mil | 3 pica |
| 1000 mil | 6 pica |
| 5000 mil | 30 pica |
Exact factor: 1 mil = 0.006 picas.
| Quantity | mil | pica |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 3370 mil | 20.22 pica |
| A door height | 8e+04 mil | 480 pica |
| An Olympic pool | 1.969e+06 mil | 1.181e+04 pica |
| The Eiffel Tower | 1.299e+07 mil | 7.795e+04 pica |
| A marathon | 1.661e+09 mil | 9.967e+06 pica |
| Earth’s diameter | 5.017e+11 mil | 3.01e+09 pica |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.