Bearing to Compass Point Converter

About this calculator

A compass bearing given in degrees (0-360°, measured clockwise from true or magnetic north) can also be expressed as one of 16 named directions spaced 22.5° apart — N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, and so on around the circle. This calculator divides your bearing by 22.5°, rounds to the nearest point, and returns the matching compass direction, so a bearing of 33° correctly reads as NNE rather than being left as an unfamiliar raw number.

Sailors, pilots, hikers using a map and compass, and surveyors use named compass points because they're far easier to communicate verbally and remember in the field than a precise degree figure — “steer NNE” is unambiguous shorthand, while the calculator remains useful whenever you need to translate between the two systems, such as reading a GPS bearing and calling it out in traditional nautical or aviation terms.