Accurate pressure conversion between pounds per square inch (PSI) and kilopascals (kPa)
Convert PSI to kilopascals instantly with precise calculations. Includes reverse kPa to PSI conversion, bar, atm, mmHg, Pa outputs, full formula reference, and pressure conversion tables for 2026.
Professional pressure conversion for engineering, automotive, medical, and industrial applications
Convert PSI to kilopascals using the exact factor of 1 PSI = 6.89476 kPa, as defined by the International System of Units. Our tool delivers precise results across six pressure units simultaneously โ kPa, Pa, bar, atm, mmHg, and inHg โ giving you a complete multi-unit breakdown from a single input value.
Switch seamlessly between PSI to kPa and kPa to PSI conversion modes. Whether you are reading a pressure gauge in psi and need the metric equivalent for an engineering report, or interpreting a kPa spec from a European manufacturer, both directions are covered instantly without manual calculation or lookup tables.
Essential for automotive tyre pressure, hydraulic systems, HVAC engineering, medical equipment, pneumatic tools, scuba diving, weather forecasting, and any field requiring conversion between imperial and metric pressure units. Particularly important for engineers, mechanics, and scientists working with international specifications and standards in 2026.
Select conversion direction and enter your pressure value below
PSI (pounds per square inch) is the dominant pressure unit in the United States, Canada, and other countries still using the imperial system. It measures the force of one pound-force applied over an area of one square inch. PSI is used everywhere from car tyre pressures and bicycle pumps to hydraulic machinery, natural gas pipelines, and medical oxygen tanks. Kilopascals (kPa) is the metric equivalent used across Australia, Europe, and most of the scientific world, forming part of the International System of Units (SI) where 1 kPa = 1,000 pascals (Pa).
The conversion factor between PSI and kPa is 6.89476 โ meaning 1 PSI equals 6.89476 kPa exactly, derived from the definition of one pound-force and one square inch in SI base units. Because both units measure the same physical quantity โ force per unit area โ the conversion is a straightforward multiplication or division. However, understanding the scale difference is important: a car tyre at 32 PSI equals approximately 220.6 kPa, making the kPa value about 6.9 times larger numerically. You can review the SI pressure unit definitions from the NIST SI Units reference.
1 PSI = 6.895 kPa = 6,894.76 Pa = 0.06895 bar = 0.06805 atm = 51.715 mmHg โ all representing the exact same pressure expressed in different unit systems used worldwide.
The table below provides quick reference values for the most common pressure values used in automotive, industrial, medical, and engineering applications in 2026. For related unit conversions, see our Atmospheres to Pascals Converter.
| PSI | kPa | bar | atm | mmHg | Common Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 PSI | 6.895 kPa | 0.0689 bar | 0.0680 atm | 51.71 mmHg | Low pressure reference |
| 5 PSI | 34.47 kPa | 0.3447 bar | 0.3402 atm | 258.57 mmHg | CPAP therapy (low) |
| 10 PSI | 68.95 kPa | 0.6895 bar | 0.6805 atm | 517.15 mmHg | Pneumatic tools (light) |
| 14.696 PSI | 101.325 kPa | 1.0133 bar | 1.000 atm | 760.00 mmHg | Standard atmosphere (sea level) |
| 15 PSI | 103.42 kPa | 1.0342 bar | 1.0207 atm | 776.72 mmHg | Above standard atmosphere |
| 32 PSI | 220.63 kPa | 2.2063 bar | 2.177 atm | 1,654.88 mmHg | Standard car tyre (recommended) |
| 35 PSI | 241.32 kPa | 2.4132 bar | 2.382 atm | 1,810.02 mmHg | SUV / truck tyre |
| 40 PSI | 275.79 kPa | 2.7579 bar | 2.722 atm | 2,068.60 mmHg | High-pressure tyre / van |
| 60 PSI | 413.69 kPa | 4.1369 bar | 4.082 atm | 3,102.89 mmHg | Road bicycle tyre |
| 100 PSI | 689.48 kPa | 6.8948 bar | 6.805 atm | 5,171.49 mmHg | Industrial pneumatics |
| 120 PSI | 827.37 kPa | 8.2737 bar | 8.165 atm | 6,205.78 mmHg | Air compressor standard |
| 145 PSI | 999.74 kPa | 9.9974 bar | 9.867 atm | 7,498.66 mmHg | โ 1,000 kPa / 10 bar |
Use this table when reading pressure values in kPa from European or Australian specifications, instruments, or vehicle manuals and needing to understand them in the more familiar PSI unit.
| kPa | PSI | bar | atm | Common Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kPa | 1.450 PSI | 0.100 bar | 0.0987 atm | Low gauge pressure |
| 50 kPa | 7.252 PSI | 0.500 bar | 0.4935 atm | CPAP therapy |
| 100 kPa | 14.504 PSI | 1.000 bar | 0.9869 atm | Near-standard atmosphere |
| 101.325 kPa | 14.696 PSI | 1.0133 bar | 1.000 atm | Standard atmosphere (sea level) |
| 150 kPa | 21.756 PSI | 1.500 bar | 1.481 atm | Low tyre / sports ball |
| 220 kPa | 31.908 PSI | 2.200 bar | 2.172 atm | Standard car tyre (metric) |
| 250 kPa | 36.259 PSI | 2.500 bar | 2.467 atm | SUV / light truck tyre |
| 400 kPa | 58.015 PSI | 4.000 bar | 3.948 atm | Road bicycle / racing tyre |
| 700 kPa | 101.526 PSI | 7.000 bar | 6.908 atm | Industrial compressor |
| 1,000 kPa | 145.038 PSI | 10.000 bar | 9.869 atm | Heavy-duty hydraulics |
PSI and kPa are both used constantly in everyday life and professional engineering. Converting accurately between them is critical across many fields.
Most passenger car tyres are recommended at 30โ35 PSI (207โ241 kPa). Australian and European vehicles display tyre pressure specs in kPa on the door jamb sticker, while many traditional gauges read in PSI. A tyre under-inflated by just 6 PSI (41 kPa) can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 3% and significantly increase tyre wear and blowout risk at highway speeds.
Industrial hydraulic systems operate at 1,000โ5,000 PSI (6,895โ34,474 kPa), while pneumatic tools typically require 90โ120 PSI (621โ827 kPa). Engineers specifying system pressures must convert between PSI (common in US equipment manuals) and kPa (required in Australian and European engineering documents and compliance reports) to ensure correct component ratings and safety standards.
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems use both PSI and kPa depending on the equipment manufacturer's country of origin. Refrigerant pressures in R-410A systems typically range from 120โ400 PSI (827โ2,758 kPa) on the high side. HVAC technicians in Australia regularly convert between PSI on US-made gauges and kPa specifications in local standards.
Medical oxygen and anaesthetic gas systems, ventilators, blood pressure cuffs, and CPAP machines all use pressure measurements. Blood pressure is expressed in mmHg (torr), oxygen cylinder pressures in kPa or PSI, and CPAP therapy settings in cm HโO or hPa. Clinical engineers and biomedical technicians frequently need to convert between these units when calibrating or specifying equipment.
Scuba tanks are typically filled to 3,000 PSI (20,684 kPa / 207 bar) for aluminium tanks or 3,500 PSI (24,132 kPa / 241 bar) for steel tanks. Dive computers and gauges sold in the US display PSI while those sold in Australia and Europe display bar or kPa. A diver at 30 metres depth experiences approximately 4 atm (58.8 PSI / 405 kPa) of ambient pressure.
Atmospheric pressure is measured in hPa (hectopascals) or mbar for weather forecasting, equivalent to 100 Pa. Standard sea-level pressure is 101,325 Pa = 101.325 kPa = 14.696 PSI. Weather stations across Australia report pressure in hPa on Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, and converting to PSI or kPa is needed when interpreting international aviation or maritime weather reports.
Pressure is measured as either gauge pressure (PSIG) โ relative to atmospheric pressure โ or absolute pressure (PSIA) โ relative to a perfect vacuum. A car tyre at 32 PSIG has an absolute pressure of approximately 32 + 14.7 = 46.7 PSIA. The same distinction applies to kPa: kPag (gauge) vs kPaA (absolute). When converting PSI to kPa, always confirm whether the value is gauge or absolute, as using the wrong reference can cause significant errors in engineering calculations and safety assessments.
Converting PSI to kPa is a single multiplication. Here is the full process, including all related pressure units.
A frequent error is confusing kPa and Pa โ they differ by a factor of 1,000. A tyre at 220 kPa is not 220 Pa (which would be nearly a vacuum). Also, do not confuse bar and kPa โ 1 bar = 100 kPa, not 1 kPa. Another common mistake is failing to distinguish between gauge pressure (relative to atmosphere) and absolute pressure โ always check whether your source measurement is gauge (PSIG / kPag) or absolute (PSIA / kPaA) before performing critical engineering or safety calculations.
Convert pressure from atmospheres (atm) to pascals for science and engineering
โกConvert energy units from British Thermal Units to joules for engineering use
โฝConvert fuel economy between US miles per gallon and litres per 100 kilometres
โฑ๏ธConvert time durations from days to minutes with a full breakdown
The pascal (Pa) is the SI derived unit of pressure, defined as one newton per square metre (N/mยฒ). It was named after Blaise Pascal and adopted by the International System of Units. The kilopascal (kPa = 1,000 Pa) is the standard pressure unit in most engineering and scientific contexts, replacing older units like PSI, atm, and bar in metric-system countries.
NIST SI Reference โAustralian vehicles manufactured from 2006 onward are required to display tyre pressure in kPa on the tyre placard (door jamb sticker). The recommended range for most passenger cars is 200โ250 kPa (29โ36 PSI). Under-inflation by 20 kPa (3 PSI) can reduce tyre life by 10% and increase fuel consumption โ making accurate PSI to kPa conversion essential for vehicle maintenance.
Atm to Pa โWhether converting tyre pressure from PSI to kPa, atmospheric pressure from atm to Pa, or fuel economy from MPG to L/100km, accurate unit conversion is critical in both everyday and professional settings. Our full suite of measurement converters covers pressure, energy, volume, time, and distance โ all the tools you need for precise metric and imperial conversions in 2026.
BTU to Joules โ