This walking calorie calculator estimates the calories you burn on a walk from your body weight, speed and time, distance or step count. It uses MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities for level ground, treadmill, hills, loads, stairs and hiking. For walks at a set incline it uses the ACSM walking equation. It reports both gross and net calories, plus distance, estimated steps and calories per mile. There is no sign-up, and every result can be shared by link.
Enter your weight in pounds or kilograms and choose how you walked: level ground outdoors, a flat treadmill, a treadmill or hill at a known grade, or a specific activity such as hiking with a pack. Then enter the walk as minutes, as distance or as steps, and the calculator fills in the other two. It works as a kcal burned walking calculator for a single walk, and it also estimates the weekly total for five similar walks.
How walking calories are calculated
A MET (metabolic equivalent) compares an activity's energy cost with sitting quietly. The Compendium defines 1 MET as 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram per minute, or roughly 1 kcal per kilogram per hour (Herrmann et al. 2024). Its conversion is kcal per minute = MET × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200. Multiply by minutes for the whole walk. At 3.8 METs, a 77 kg (170 lb) walker burns 3.8 × 3.5 × 77 ÷ 200 ≈ 5.1 kcal per minute.
Each Compendium walking code has its own MET value. Level walking on a firm surface runs from 2.3 METs for strolling under 2 mph (code 17151) to 8.5 METs at 5.0–5.5 mph (17231). The calculator picks the code whose speed band contains your speed. The Compendium leaves small gaps between bands (for example between 2.4 and 2.5 mph); a speed in a gap takes the slower band. Speeds between 2.5 and 2.8 mph use the 2.5 mph code (3.0 METs), the only value listed there.
Gross vs net calories
Gross calories include the energy your body would use anyway, the 1 MET of resting metabolism. Net calories subtract it, so net kcal = (MET − 1) × 3.5 × kg × minutes ÷ 200. Researchers draw the same line: a 2019 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports defines the net cost of walking as total energy minus resting metabolic rate. If your daily calorie target already accounts for resting burn, as the estimated energy requirement calculator does, adding gross exercise calories counts your resting burn twice. Use the net figure there. Fitness trackers usually label net as “active” calories.
The ACSM walking equation for incline
The Compendium has codes for hill walking, but they cover broad grade bands such as 6–10%. For a treadmill set to a specific grade, the calculator uses the equation from ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (Table 7.3): VO₂ = 3.5 + 0.1 × S + 1.8 × S × G, where S is speed in meters per minute (1 mph ≈ 26.8 m/min) and G is the grade as a decimal (10% = 0.10). Dividing VO₂ by 3.5 gives METs. The ACSM table states that the walking equation is most accurate between 1.9 and 3.7 mph (50–100 m/min), and the calculator warns you outside that range. At level grade the equation gives 3.3 METs at 3 mph, about 13% below the Compendium's 3.8. That gap is a reminder that two respected models can disagree, so the calculator shows the ACSM figure as a cross-check on level walks.
Walking calorie chart by weight and speed
Gross calories for a 30-minute walk on level, firm ground. Double the figure for an hour. Net calories are gross × (MET − 1) ÷ MET, which is 14–36% lower for the speeds shown; the slower the walk, the bigger the share that is resting burn.
| Speed | METs | 120 lb | 150 lb | 180 lb | 210 lb | 240 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0–2.4 mph, slow | 2.8 | 80 | 100 | 120 | 140 | 160 |
| 2.5 mph | 3 | 86 | 107 | 129 | 150 | 171 |
| 2.8–3.4 mph, moderate | 3.8 | 109 | 136 | 163 | 190 | 217 |
| 3.5–3.9 mph, brisk | 4.8 | 137 | 171 | 206 | 240 | 274 |
| 4.0–4.4 mph, very brisk | 5.5 | 157 | 196 | 236 | 275 | 314 |
| 4.5–4.9 mph, very, very brisk | 7 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 400 |
| Speed | 120 lb | 150 lb | 180 lb | 210 lb | 240 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0–2.4 mph, slow | 160 / 103 | 200 / 129 | 240 / 154 | 280 / 180 | 320 / 206 |
| 2.5 mph | 171 / 114 | 214 / 143 | 257 / 171 | 300 / 200 | 343 / 229 |
| 2.8–3.4 mph, moderate | 217 / 160 | 271 / 200 | 326 / 240 | 380 / 280 | 434 / 320 |
| 3.5–3.9 mph, brisk | 274 / 217 | 343 / 271 | 411 / 326 | 480 / 380 | 549 / 434 |
| 4.0–4.4 mph, very brisk | 314 / 257 | 393 / 321 | 472 / 386 | 550 / 450 | 629 / 514 |
| 4.5–4.9 mph, very, very brisk | 400 / 343 | 500 / 429 | 600 / 514 | 700 / 600 | 800 / 686 |
Calories burned walking per mile
Per mile, gross cost is lowest around 2.5–3 mph. It rises at brisk speeds, because the MET value climbs faster than the time per mile shrinks. It also rises at very slow speeds, because resting burn keeps adding up over the longer walk. This is the table to use if you ask “I walked 3 miles, how many calories did I burn?”: multiply the per-mile figure by your distance.
| Speed | 120 lb | 150 lb | 180 lb | 210 lb | 240 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mph (30 min/mi) | 80 | 100 | 120 | 140 | 160 |
| 2.5 mph (24 min/mi) | 69 | 86 | 103 | 120 | 137 |
| 3 mph (20 min/mi) | 72 | 90 | 109 | 127 | 145 |
| 3.5 mph (17 min/mi) | 78 | 98 | 118 | 137 | 157 |
| 4 mph (15 min/mi) | 79 | 98 | 118 | 138 | 157 |
| 4.5 mph (13 min/mi) | 89 | 111 | 133 | 156 | 178 |
Incline walking calories
Raising the grade is the quickest way to raise the cost of a walk without walking faster. Using the ACSM equation at 3 mph, a 30-minute walk costs:
| Grade | METs | 150 lb | 180 lb | 210 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 3.3 | 118 | 141 | 165 |
| 2% | 4.1 | 147 | 177 | 206 |
| 4% | 5 | 177 | 212 | 248 |
| 6% | 5.8 | 207 | 248 | 289 |
| 8% | 6.6 | 236 | 283 | 331 |
| 10% | 7.4 | 266 | 319 | 372 |
| 12% | 8.3 | 295 | 354 | 413 |
| 15% | 9.5 | 340 | 407 | 475 |
Outdoors, the Compendium rates hill walking without a load at 5.3 METs for 1–5% grades at a moderate-to-brisk pace, 7.0 for 6–10% and 8.8 for 11–20% at a slower pace. Downhill walking at 2.5 mph is rated only 3.3 METs. A loop with equal climbing and descending therefore burns more than a flat walk, but less than the climbing half alone suggests.
Steps, distance and calories
To turn a step count into distance, the calculator uses measured walking cadence from the CADENCE-Adults study (Tudor-Locke et al. 2019). In that study, 76 adults aged 21–40 averaged 96 steps per minute at 2 mph, 114 at 3 mph and 129 at 4 mph. The study sample averaged 170.7 cm tall, and the calculator scales step length in proportion to your height. The same method powers our steps to miles calculator.
| Speed | Steps/min | Steps per mile | Steps in 30 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mph | 96.1 | 2,883 | 2,883 |
| 2.5 mph | 105.8 | 2,539 | 3,174 |
| 3 mph | 113.6 | 2,272 | 3,408 |
| 3.5 mph | 121.5 | 2,083 | 3,645 |
| 4 mph | 129 | 1,935 | 3,870 |
The same study found that about 100 steps per minute marks moderate intensity (3 METs) and about 130 steps per minute marks vigorous intensity (6 METs) in young adults. That gives you a quick check without a stopwatch: if you are taking about 100 steps a minute, you are walking at a moderate intensity.
Worked example: 170 lb, 45 minutes at 3 mph
- Convert weight: 170 lb × 0.45359237 = 77.1 kg.
- Find the MET: 3 mph falls in the Compendium's 2.8–3.4 mph moderate band (code 17190), 3.8 METs.
- Gross calories: 3.8 × 3.5 × 77.1 × 45 ÷ 200 = 231 kcal.
- Net calories: (3.8 − 1) × 3.5 × 77.1 × 45 ÷ 200 = 170 kcal.
- Distance: 3 mph × 0.75 h = 2.25 miles (3.62 km). At about 114 steps per minute, that is roughly 5,100 steps for someone of average height.
Put the same walk on a 5% treadmill incline and the ACSM equation gives 5.4 METs, or 326 kcal. Against the equation's own level-ground figure (3.3 METs, 200 kcal), that is about 63% more for the same time and distance.
Walking with a load, on stairs or on rough ground
Carrying weight and uneven ground both raise the cost of walking. From the 2024 Compendium: a day pack on level city streets is 3.5 METs; hiking cross-country is 6; backpacking is 7; walking on sand or a plowed field at a normal pace is 4.5; general stair climbing is 6.8; and a treadmill walk at 2.5 mph with a 40 lb load is 4.8. Pushing a stroller at 2.5–3.1 mph is 3.8 METs, and walking the dog is 3. The dog-walking value is lower than steady walking because of the stops. Nordic walking with poles is 4.3 METs at 2.5–3.5 mph, against 3.8 for ordinary walking at a similar pace. Treadmill codes run from 2.1 METs under 1 mph to 8.3 at 5.0–5.5 mph.
How to get a more realistic number
- Use your moving time. Stops at crossings and pauses to chat lower the average intensity. Enter time actually walking, or use distance with your average moving speed.
- Know your speed. Most people guess their pace wrong. Time a known distance or use a treadmill readout once. Dividing distance by time gives speed, and speed sets the MET.
- Pick net or gross on purpose. Gross for “what did this walk cost in total,” net for “how much extra can I eat or count toward a deficit.” If you track toward a goal weight, the weight loss date calculator expects the extra (net) burn.
- Don't hold the treadmill rails. Supporting your weight on the handrails makes the real cost lower than any equation predicts.
- Expect individual variation. The Compendium notes that resting metabolism differs with age, sex, height and body composition. For example, it reports 8–15% higher treadmill energy costs in women with obesity than in women without. Your real burn can sit above or below the estimate.
Walking pairs well with resistance training. If you also lift, the 1 rep max calculator helps you set training loads.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does walking burn per hour?
At a moderate 3 mph (3.8 METs), a 150 lb person burns about 271 kcal in an hour, a 180 lb person 326 kcal and a 210 lb person 380 kcal. At a brisk 3.5–3.9 mph (4.8 METs) those become 343, 411 and 480 kcal. The figures are gross, so they include resting burn.
I walked 3 miles. How many calories did I burn?
At 3 mph the walk takes 60 minutes. That comes to about 271 kcal at 150 lb, 326 kcal at 180 lb and 380 kcal at 210 lb. Walked briskly at 3.5 mph (4.8 METs, 51.4 minutes), the same 3 miles burns about 353 kcal at 180 lb, because the higher MET outweighs the shorter time.
How many calories does a 30-minute walk burn?
For 170 lb: about 113 kcal slow (2.0–2.4 mph), 154 kcal moderate (2.8–3.4 mph), 194 kcal brisk (3.5–3.9 mph) and 223 kcal very brisk (4.0–4.4 mph).
What is the difference between gross and net calories?
Gross calories are everything you burned during the walk, including the energy you would have used sitting still. Net calories subtract that resting share (1 MET), leaving only the extra cost of walking. Use net when you add exercise on top of a daily calorie budget that already counts your resting burn. Otherwise you count the resting part twice.
How many calories do 10,000 steps burn?
It depends on your weight and pace. At 3 mph, 10,000 steps is about 4.4 miles for someone 5′7″ (170 cm), which works out to about 398 kcal at 150 lb or 531 kcal at 200 lb. Taller people cover more ground per step and burn a little more per 10,000 steps. Enter steps in the calculator for your own number.
Does walking on an incline burn more calories?
Yes, a lot more. The ACSM walking equation adds 1.8 × speed × grade to the oxygen cost. At 3 mph, going from 0% to 10% grade raises the cost from 3.3 to 7.4 METs. For a 180 lb walker over 30 minutes, that means 141 kcal becomes 319 kcal.
Is treadmill walking the same as walking outside?
Close, but not identical. The 2024 Compendium lists separate treadmill codes: 3.8 METs at 3.0–3.4 mph matches outdoor moderate walking, and 4.8 METs at 3.5–3.9 mph matches brisk walking. At 4.0–4.4 mph the treadmill value is 5.8 METs against 5.5 outdoors. Choose the treadmill option in the calculator to use those codes.
Does carrying a backpack or weights increase calories burned?
Yes. The Compendium rates carrying a 5–14 lb load (groceries, a light bag) on level ground at a moderate pace at 4 METs, and backpacking at 7 METs. Hill walking with 21–40 lb is rated at 7.5 METs. Pick those under “Hills, loads, stairs, hiking” in the calculator.
Why do different walking calorie calculators disagree?
They use different models. Some use Compendium MET values, some use the ACSM equation, and some use their own regressions or heart rate. They may also report gross or net calories without saying which. This calculator shows both, names the Compendium code or equation behind every number, and cross-checks level walks against the ACSM equation.
How accurate is a walking calorie estimate?
Treat it as a planning estimate, not a measurement. The Compendium authors say their values are a starting point that does not reflect precise individual energy expenditure, because resting metabolism varies with age, sex, height and body composition. The ACSM table itself notes that its equations are most accurate within set speed ranges (1.9–3.7 mph for walking).
Sources & method
- 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities — Walking (codes 17010–17492, MET values)
- 2024 Adult Compendium — Unit conversions (kcal/min = MET × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200)
- Herrmann et al. (2024), J Sport Health Sci 13(1):6–12 — 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (1 MET = 3.5 mL/kg/min)
- ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, Table 7.3 — metabolic equations (Texas Tech University course copy, PDF)
- Agiovlasitis, Motl & Fernhall (2010), J Rehabil Med 42(7) — ACSM level-walking equation and its accurate speed range
- Tudor-Locke et al. (2019), Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 16:8 — CADENCE-Adults: walking cadence at 0.5–5.0 mph (Table 2)
- Das Gupta, Bobbert & Kistemaker (2019), Scientific Reports 9:9956 — gross vs net metabolic cost of walking
- NIST Guide to the SI (SP 811), Appendix B.8 — mile, pound and inch conversion factors
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.