A full-time employee works 5 days a week for eight hours resulting in 40 hours in a week. Since there are 52 weeks in a calendar year, we’re discussing about 2,080 working hours. Here is the formula:
40 working hours per week x 52 weeks per year = 2,080 working hours/ year.
Since a year has 52 weeks and 1 or 2 days (leap years), then we can say that we have up to 2,096 working hours in a given year.
Knowing the total work hours in a year is important for various reasons:
In 2024 there are 262 working days in 2024, then we speak about 2,096 working hours in 2024, for a standard Monday to Friday 8 hours work week.
Here is our calculation:
262 work days per year x 8 hours per day = 2,096 working hours.
If we deduce 11 federal holidays from the calculation then we have 2,096 - 88 = 2,008 working hours in 2024.
We could have used the formula 52 weeks x work hours per week, however keep in mind that this formula doesn't give us the precise number of hours (as there is a difference between a common year and a leap one), and the year doesn't have exactly 52 days (but 52 + 1 or +2 in leap years such as 2024).
Remember: The number of working days can vary depending on factors such as weekends, public holidays, paid time off and company policies. The average work hours per day typically depends on the standard working hours set by the organization. We expand on this in the next chapters.
To calculate the average work hours in a month, you can divide the total work hours in a year by the number of months.
Since every month has about 19 to 22 work days, that can be shortly resumed to 4 weeks.
40 hours per week x 4 work weeks = 160 work hours / monthly
To calculate the average work hours in a quarter (three-month period), we’re discussing about 3 months with 4 work weeks.
40 hour per week x 4 work weeks x 3 months = 480 work hours / quarter.
How many work hours are in a week on average?
The average work hours per week can vary depending on the organization and local labor laws.
Commonly, it is around 40 hours per week for full-time employment (Monday to Friday 9-5).
However, part-time or flexible work arrangements may have fewer hours.
Start calculating your weekly hours with the work hours calculator.
Non-standard work hours per year
Keep in mind that there the number of work hours pear year differ if you have a non-traditional work schedule:
Learn more about part-time and full-time hours.
Difference between work hours and non-work hours?
Work hours refer to the time spent actively working, completing job tasks, and being present at the workplace. Non-work hours, on the other hand, encompass time outside of work, including rest periods, weekends, holidays, and personal time.
To calculate the number of hours in a year, multiply number of days in a year with 24 hours per day. Keep in mind there are common years and leap years.Â
Continue reading with how many hours in a month?
Since you must consider a set of variables (work hours weekly, number of weeks, public holidays, or paid time off ) to accurately calculate the number of hours per year, we will split this calculation into three steps.
For the overall calculation we use days, that will be converted to hours in the last step. A general formula would be (Work hours in a week x 52) - [(Public Holidays + PTO days) x 8] = Work hours in a year.
A typical employee works Monday to Friday, 8 hours per day. This results in 40 work hour weekly. Within a year we have 52 weeks, we will use the formula
52 weeks in a year x 40 work hours in a week = 2,080.
Note: If you work less hours per day, or have a different schedule, you have to redo the calculation with your weekly numbers.In US we speak about 11 federal holiday, as following:
Note that not all the companies follow these public holidays.
11 holidays multiplied by 8 work hours per day, then we have 88 hours.
2,080 working hours – 88 hours = 1,992 work hours.
While some companies offer more time-off than others, or the number employees receive vary based on tenure, 10 PTO days per year is average. 10 PTO days coresponds to 80 hours.
1,992 working hours – 80 PTO hours = 1,912 hours.
Therefore, for an employee working 40 hours per week, with 11 public holidays and 80 hours of PTO, results in 1,912 working hours per year.
To calculate hourly pay per year, multiply the hourly wage by the total number of work hours in a year.
Hourly Pay per Year = Hourly Wage x Total Work Hours in a Year
For example for someone earning $60,000 per year and working 8 hours per day, we're speaking about about a wage of $28.84 per hour.
$60,000 yearly salary / 2,080 working hours per year = $28.84 per working hours.
Learn more about salary per hour.Â
To calculate work hours in a year (business hours), excluding holidays, subtract the total number of holiday hours from the total work hours in a year. In our case:
2,096 working hours – 88 holiday hours = 2,008 business hours.
[262 work days – 11 holidays = 251 business days]
Tip: The work hours in a year are different than the number of hours in a year.There are various methods to track work hours in teams, including:
Lunch break requirements vary by country and labor laws. In some jurisdictions, employees are entitled to a minimum break period after a certain number of consecutive work hours. For example in California it is required to have a lunch break after 5 hours of work.
Check the specific regulations in your location to determine the required work hours for a lunch break.