The number of working days in the United States is about 249-251 for a standard 5-day workweek. By calculating the weekdays and deducing federal holidays, we find the exact number of working days in a year.
Understanding how to calculate the working days in a year is a crucial skill for business professionals. It empowers you to plan and manage your work effectively.
The total number of working days in a year is a flexible calculation, considering factors such as work schedule, holidays, and paid time off. Practically, for this calculation, we follow this formula:
Total number of work days in a year = Total number of days in a year – weekends – federal holidays.
Here are the step-by-step calculations:
Start by identifying the total number of days in a year. A standard year has 365 days, while a leap year has 366 days. 2024 is a leap year, with 366 days between January 1 and December 31.
Then let's find the number of weekdays in the year. We will use the standard 5-days work week (Mon-Fri) for this calculation. To find the number of weekdays, we use the following formula:
Weekdays = Calendar days - Weekends
In 2024, the result will be 366 calendar days - 104 weekend days = 262 weekdays.
We have 262 weekdays for an employee who works a standard five-day work week (Monday through Friday).
In case you're confused about the meaning of a weekday, here is the definition: a day of the week other than Sunday or Saturday. Monday through Friday are weekdays.
To calculate the weekends, we use this formula:
Weekends = Number of Saturdays + Number of Sundays
In 2024, 52 weeks x 2 weekends = 104 weekend days (Sunday and Saturday).
Read on: How many weekends in a year?
If we want to go more granular, here's a breakdown for 2024 for the number of work days per each month:
By summing the number of working days per each of the 12 months, we arrive at 262 working days, including holidays.
It's important to note that the workweek may be longer or shorter in some industries, such as healthcare or transportation. This understanding ensures that the calculation is catered to your specific work environment.
Did you know? In some countries, such as Japan, the standard workweek is 6 days per week, resulting in 312 working days per year.
Since we want to calculate the working days without the official holidays, we are deducting 11 federal holidays as legislated in 5 U.S. Code § 6103:
Note that when a holiday falls on a non-workday, such as a Saturday or Sunday, federal workers typically observe it on Monday in the case of a Sunday holiday or on Friday in the case of a Saturday holiday.
262 weekdays - 11 federal holidays = 251 working days.
Find out the working days in 2024 and for each month.
Now you know that, you will be working approximately 68.5% of the year.
Keep in mind that not all companies observe public holidays, and some industries, such as HoReCa, have employees who also work during holidays.
A more accurate calculation also includes deducting the paid time-off days an employee is entitled to. If the employee gets 10 PTO days annually, then the final calculation is as follows:
251 working working days - 11 PTO days = 241 business days.
Learn more about business days.
Remember: Employers have no obligation under federal law to provide paid or unpaid time off to their employees.
There are 251 working days in 2024. We calculate the number of work days in 2024 by adding up all the weekdays (Monday to Friday) in the year and subtracting the 11 holidays.
How many days are in a work year?
Within a work year or a mean year, we have 262 weekdays and 11 federal holidays. If we divide the holidays from the weekdays we will have 251 working days in a work year\.
How many average work days in a year?
In the United States, for example, there are typically 261 working days per year, assuming a standard 5-day workweek and 52 weeks per year. If we deduce the 11 federal holidays, we average 250 working days per year.
Here is a summary of the work days per year for the following years.
| Year | Total Days | Weekends days | Weekdays | Holidays | Working Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 366 | 104 | 262 | 11 | 251 |
| 2025 | 365 | 104 | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| 2026 | 365 | 104 | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| 2027 | 365 | 104 | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| 2028 | 366 | 106 | 260 | 11 | 249 |
| 2029 | 365 | 104 | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| 2030 | 365 | 104 | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| 2031 | 365 | 104 | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| 2032 | 366 | 104 | 262 | 11 | 251 |
| Average | 365.3 | 104.3 | 261.1 | 11 | 250 |
In some countries, such as Japan, the standard workweek is 6 days per week, resulting in 312 working days per year.
How many work hours are there in a year?
A full-time worker works five days a week (usually Monday through Friday) for eight hours, resulting in 40 hours a week. Since there are 52 weeks in a calendar year, we're discussing about 2080 working hours.
Read on: How many work hours are in 2024?
What is the history of the workweek?
The concept of a standard workweek has evolved over time. Historically, within nations like the Egyptians and Greeks, people worked 6-7 days a week. The modern 5-day workweek was first introduced in the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. The 40-hour workweek was established in the United States in 1938, and it has since become the standard for many countries.
How many weekdays are in a year?
The number of weekdays (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) in the next few years are the following:
Continue reading about weekdays, and find their numbers every month of the year.
How many workdays in a year minus holidays?
The number of workdays in a year minus holidays is about 249.
Calculation
52 weeks x 5 days per week = 260 work days
260 work days - 11 holidays = 249 work days.
Note that this number varies if there is a leap year. This is why, in 2024, there are 251 working days if we deduct holidays (262 weekdays - 11 federal holidays).
How many workdays in a year, including holidays?
The number of workdays in a year including holidays is about 260 days.
Calculation
52 weeks x 5 days per week = 260 work days
Remember that in 2024, there are 366 calendar days and 262 working days, including holidays.
How many paid days off do I get a year?
The number of paid days off per year can vary depending on the country and industry. In the United States, there are 10-15 paid days off per year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides more details about the Average number of sick and vacation days per employee based on their service length.
How many 5-day work days in a year?
The number of work days for a five-day work schedule is about 260.
Calculation
52 weeks x 5 days per week = 260 work days
Since 2024 is a leap year, there are 366 calendar days, and we speak of exactly 262 working days. And 251 working days if we subtract the 11 federal holidays.
The number of work days for a five-week schedule deducing holidays is between 249 and 251.
How many work days in a month on average?
A month typically consists of 20-22 working days (excluding weekends and public holidays).
How to calculate the number of work days in a specific date range?
The formula to calculate the number of work days in a specific date range is:
Number of work days = Total number of days - Number of weekends - Number of holidays
Suppose you want to calculate the number of work days between January 1 and January 31.
How many working days in a year including Saturdays?
To calculate the number of working days in a year including Saturday aside of the 5 weekdays (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday), we will use the following formula 52 weeks x 6 days per week = 312 working days excluding public holidays. If we include public holidays than 312 - 11 = 301 days on average for someone works a six day workweek from Monday to Saturday included. Note that the number varies depending on exact number of weekdays in a year, and in leap years usually are more.
Why is it important to know how many working days are in a year?
Knowing how many working days there are in a year is important for a variety of reasons, including:
Key takeaways