A full-time employee works 5 days a week for 8 hours per day, totaling 40 hours per week. Since there are 52 weeks in a calendar year, we're discussing 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 (in leap years), we can say we have up to 2,096 working hours each year. However, knowing the exact amount can help you estimate earnings and costs, plan shifts, and manage your projects. Here's what you need to know.
Because you have to consider multiple variables, such as work hours per week, number of weeks, public holidays, paid time off, or sick leave to calculate the number of hours per year accurately, we will split this calculation into three steps.
A general formula would be
(Work hours in a week x 52) - [(Public Holidays + PTO days) x Number of working hours per day] = Work hours in a year.
A typical employee works Monday to Friday, 8 hours per day. This results in 40 work hours weekly. Within a year, we have 52 weeks, so we will use the formula:
52 weeks in a year x 40 work hours in a week = 2,080.
Tip: The average weekly hours is 40; however, in some countries, like those from the European Union, the average working week is 36 hours, with an average of 7.2 hours per day.
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 gives 88 hours.
2,080 working hours – 88 hours = 1,992 work hours.
While some companies offer more time-off/vacation/annual leave than others, and the number of time-off days varies based on tenure, we can consider 10 PTO days per year as the average in the US. 10 PTO days correspond 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, the result is 1,912 working hours per year.
In 2026, there are 261 working days and about 2,088 working hours for a standard Monday-to-Friday 8-hour workweek.
261 work days per year x 8 hours per day = 2,088 working hours.
If we deduct 11 federal holidays from the calculation, then we have 2,088 - 88 = 2,000 working hours in 2026.
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 weeks (but 52 weeks + 1 day in common years like 2026 or +2 days in leap years such as 2028).
Remember: The number of working days can vary depending on factors such as weekends, public holidays, paid time off, and company policies. The average number of work hours per day typically depends on the organization's standard working hours. 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.
1912 hours per year (excluding public holidays and PTO) / 12 months = 159.33 hours/month
You can also calculate starting from the number of hours worked per week. Since every month has about 19 to 22 workdays, this can be roughly summarized as 4 weeks.
40 hours per week x 4 work weeks = 160 work hours / month
To calculate the average work hours in a quarter (three-month period), we consider 3 months with 4 work weeks each.
40 hour per week x 4 work weeks x 3 months = 480 work hours / quarter.
Alternatively, we can divide the total work hours in a year by 4, the number of quarters in a year:
1912 hours per year (excluding public holidays and PTO) / 4 quarters = 478 hours/quarter
The average number of work hours per week can vary by 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.
However, part-time or flexible work arrangements may have fewer hours.
Start calculating your weekly hours with the work hours calculator.
Keep in mind that there the number of work hours pear year differ if you have a non-traditional work schedule:
| Work hours per week | Calculation (work hours per week x 52 weeks per year) | Total work hours per year |
| 20 | 20 x 52 | 1,040 |
| 25 | 25 x 52 | 1,300 |
| 30 | 30 x 52 | 1,560 |
| 35 | 35 x 52 | 1,820 |
| 37.5 | 37.5 x 52 | 1,950 |
| 45 | 45 x 52 | 2,340 |
| 50 | 50 x 52 | 2,600 |
| 55 | 55 x 52 | 2,860 |
| 60 | 60 x 52 | 3,120 |
| 65 | 65 x 52 | 3,380 |
| 70 | 70 x 52 | 3,640 |
| 75 | 75 x 52 | 3,900 |
| 80 | 80 x 52 | 4,160 |
Work hours refer to the time spent actively working, whether being present at the workplace or working remotely. Non-work hours, on the other hand, encompass time outside of work, including rest periods, weekends, holidays, and personal time.
To calculate the non-work hours, use this formula: Total hours - work hours = non-work hours.
For this calculation, we've used the standard 40 hours work week.
Keep in mind that the number of non-work hours per year differs if you have a non-traditional work schedule:
Work hours per week | Calculation (work hours per week x 52 weeks per year) | Total work hours per year | Total non-work hours per year |
20 | 20 x 52 | 1,040 | 7,696 |
25 | 25 x 52 | 1,300 | 7,436 |
30 | 30 x 52 | 1,560 | 7,176 |
35 | 35 x 52 | 1,820 | 6,916 |
37.5 | 37.5 x 52 | 1,950 | 6,786 |
45 | 45 x 52 | 2,340 | 6,396 |
50 | 50 x 52 | 2,600 | 6,136 |
55 | 55 x 52 | 2,860 | 5,876 |
60 | 60 x 52 | 3,120 | 5,616 |
65 | 65 x 52 | 3,380 | 5,356 |
70 | 70 x 52 | 3,640 | 5,096 |
75 | 75 x 52 | 3,900 | 4,836 |
80 | 80 x 52 | 4,160 | 4,576 |
If you want to calculate the percentage spent working, for your specific number of work hours yearly, use this formula:
(Total work hours in a year / 8,736 hours total) x 100 = Percentage spent working.
Since we know the two numbers: the total hours and the working hours per year, we can say that, in a year, we spend working 24% of the time. It means that for every 4 hours, we spend 1 hour working.
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.
Continue reading with how many hours in a year , and how many hours in a month?
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 the salary per hour calculator.
To calculate work hours in a year (business hours), subtract the total number of holiday hours from the total work hours in a year. In our case:
2,080 working hours – 88 holiday hours = 1,992 business hours.
There are 8,670 hours in one year in total, yet if you work 40 hours per week, eight hours per day, every week for 52 weeks, you will work 2,080 hours every year. If you include public holidays, vacations, or overtime, the number of yearly work hours can vary.
There are various methods to track work hours in teams, including:
Knowing the total work hours in a year is important for various reasons:
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, employees must take 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.
A full-time employee working 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, is expected to work 2,080 hours in a year. Consider that this calculation does not take into consideration vacations, sick leave, and public holidays.
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Related: Work hours calculator