Syringe units to mL converter
Convert the unit marks on an insulin syringe to milliliters, and back, for U-100, U-50 and U-40 syringes.
Medically reviewed by Lindsay Short, NP-BC, Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner · last reviewed October 2026
Syringe units to mL converter
Type in either box. Most injection syringes in the US are U-100, where 100 units fill 1 mL. The syringe type is printed on the barrel or the box.
A “50-unit” or “0.5 mL” syringe is still U-100: 50 units = 0.5 mL.
25 units on a U-100 syringe = 0.25 mL
Units here are marks on the syringe, a measure of volume. How much medication a unit contains depends on the concentration of what is in the vial.
Units to mL table
On a U-100 syringe, divide units by 100 to get mL: 10 units is 0.1 mL and 60 units is 0.6 mL. U-100 is the scale used for almost all injections at home in the US. The U-50 and U-40 columns are for the rare syringes printed with those scales. To turn a dose in mg into units, use the tirzepatide or semaglutide dosage calculator.
| Units | U-100 | U-50 | U-40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | 0.01 mL | 0.02 mL | 0.025 mL |
| 5 units | 0.05 mL | 0.1 mL | 0.125 mL |
| 10 units | 0.1 mL | 0.2 mL | 0.25 mL |
| 15 units | 0.15 mL | 0.3 mL | 0.375 mL |
| 20 units | 0.2 mL | 0.4 mL | 0.5 mL |
| 25 units | 0.25 mL | 0.5 mL | 0.625 mL |
| 30 units | 0.3 mL | 0.6 mL | 0.75 mL |
| 35 units | 0.35 mL | 0.7 mL | 0.875 mL |
| 40 units | 0.4 mL | 0.8 mL | 1 mL |
| 45 units | 0.45 mL | 0.9 mL | 1.125 mL |
| 50 units | 0.5 mL | 1 mL | 1.25 mL |
| 60 units | 0.6 mL | 1.2 mL | 1.5 mL |
| 70 units | 0.7 mL | 1.4 mL | 1.75 mL |
| 75 units | 0.75 mL | 1.5 mL | 1.875 mL |
| 80 units | 0.8 mL | 1.6 mL | 2 mL |
| 90 units | 0.9 mL | 1.8 mL | 2.25 mL |
| 100 units | 1 mL | 2 mL | 2.5 mL |
mL to units table
On a U-100 syringe, multiply mL by 100 to get units: 0.5 mL is 50 units and 1.5 mL is 150 units. A standard syringe holds at most 1 mL (100 units), so anything above that takes a larger syringe or more than one draw.
| mL | U-100 | U-50 | U-40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.05 mL | 5 units | 2.5 units | 2 units |
| 0.1 mL | 10 units | 5 units | 4 units |
| 0.2 mL | 20 units | 10 units | 8 units |
| 0.25 mL | 25 units | 12.5 units | 10 units |
| 0.3 mL | 30 units | 15 units | 12 units |
| 0.4 mL | 40 units | 20 units | 16 units |
| 0.5 mL | 50 units | 25 units | 20 units |
| 0.6 mL | 60 units | 30 units | 24 units |
| 0.75 mL | 75 units | 37.5 units | 30 units |
| 0.8 mL | 80 units | 40 units | 32 units |
| 1 mL | 100 units | 50 units | 40 units |
| 1.5 mL | 150 units | 75 units | 60 units |
| 2 mL | 200 units | 100 units | 80 units |
| 2.5 mL | 250 units | 125 units | 100 units |
| 3 mL | 300 units | 150 units | 120 units |
| 5 mL | 500 units | 250 units | 200 units |
How to read a syringe
A syringe's type tells you how many units fill one milliliter. U-100 is the standard in the US: 100 units in 1 mL, so each unit mark is 0.01 mL. Syringes also come in different capacities. A 30-unit syringe holds 0.3 mL and a 50-unit syringe holds 0.5 mL, with finer marks that make small volumes easier to measure.
Mixing up syringe types is a measurement error, not a small one: the same number of units is 2.5 times the volume on a U-40 syringe as on a U-100. If you are unsure which you have, check the barrel or ask your pharmacist.
Answers before you book
How many units are in 1 mL?
On a U-100 syringe, 1 mL is 100 units. On a U-50 syringe it is 50 units, and on a U-40 syringe it is 40 units. The syringe type is printed on the barrel.
How many mL is 50 units?
On a U-100 syringe, 50 units is 0.5 mL. On a U-40 syringe, 50 units would be 1.25 mL, which is why the syringe type matters.
Is 10 units the same as 0.1 mL?
Yes, on a U-100 syringe. Each unit mark is 0.01 mL.
Is 5 units 5 mL?
No. On a U-100 syringe, 5 units is 0.05 mL. 5 mL would be 500 units, five full 1 mL syringes.
Is 0.5 mL equal to 5 units?
No. 0.5 mL is 50 units on a U-100 syringe; 5 units is 0.05 mL.
How many mL is 1 unit?
0.01 mL on a U-100 syringe. So 25 units is 0.25 mL and 35 units is 0.35 mL.
How many units is 1.5 mL?
150 units on a U-100 syringe. That is more than a standard 1 mL (100-unit) syringe holds, so it takes a larger syringe or two draws. 2 mL is 200 units, and 5 mL is 500 units.
How many units is 0.2 mL?
20 units on a U-100 syringe. Multiply mL by 100 to get units: 0.1 mL is 10 units, 0.4 mL is 40 units.
Is IU the same as a unit on the syringe?
For U-100 insulin, yes: it has 100 international units (IU) in each mL, which is why insulin syringes are marked in units. For other products measured in IU, such as vitamin D, an IU is an amount of the substance, not a volume, so the mL depends on the concentration printed on the label.
Is a 50-unit syringe the same as a U-50 syringe?
Usually not. A "50-unit" syringe is normally a U-100 syringe that holds 0.5 mL, so 50 units is 0.5 mL. True U-50 syringes are rare in the US. Check the scale printed on the barrel or the box.
Does a unit mean the same amount of medication in every vial?
No. A unit is a volume mark on the syringe. How much medication it holds depends on the concentration of the vial. For GLP-1 medications, use the dose calculators, which account for concentration.
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