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You put your time in at work, hour after hour, day after day. And you may be curious and ask yourself, how many work hours in a year are there? It definitely helps to give us some context when we frame our working hours this way.

It is, after all, our most precious commodity: time. And when we spend the majority of our hours at work, it behooves us to understand how many work hours in a year there are, and what we can do with that information.

So read on to learn exactly how many work hours there are in a year, as well as what other factors play into our time at work.

employees having a meeting to discuss how many work hours in a year they will render

How many work hours in a year are there?

A 40-hour work week, multiplied by 52 weeks, equals 2,080 hours in a year. But of course, not everyone works a traditional 40-hour work week. In fact, many people work more than that. And when you factor in paid vacation days and holidays, the number of work hours in a year goes down even further.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American worker spends about 34.4 hours per week on the job. That’s 1,792 hours per year or about 43% of the total number of hours in a year (8,760).

Many salaried workers put in more than 40 hours per week. And self-employed workers often work “unpaid hours” where they focus on administrative tasks or marketing outside of their normal work hours. 

So it’s important to account for this additional labor for an accurate portrayal of how many work hours in a year the American person works.

Related: How Many Working Hours in a Year Are There? (2022)

How many work hours in a year (minus holidays) are there?

If you were to work five 8-hour days every week of the year and didn’t take any time off for holidays, vacation, or sick leave, you would have 2,080 hours logged in at your job. Some people can work year-round without any time off beyond their weekends, while others find this to be unsustainable.

Luckily, since many employees offer benefits such as paid leave and holidays, the number of work hours in a year for the average person is actually lower than 2,080.

There are 11 federal holidays that are often paid by employees. These include:

  • New Years
  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday
  • Washington’s birthday
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth
  • The 4th of July
  • Columbus Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Christmas day

These holidays often fall on Mondays, which means that many workers get a “long weekend.” And while some companies may require employees to work on these days, others will give their staff the day off.

In addition to federal holidays, there are also state and local holidays that may be observed. These can include religious holidays, like Good Friday or Rosh Hashanah. And while not every employer is required to give their employees time off for these holidays, many do.

So, when you factor in all of the paid holidays that workers receive, the number of work hours in a year goes down significantly.

a woman calculating her work hours in a year

How many work hours in a year are there in 2023?

There are 260 work days in 2023, which translates to 2,080 work hours. This is assuming that the worker works five days a week for eight hours each day. The longest working months are in March and August, where there are 23 work days each.

You can see the full breakdown of the number of work hours in a month for 2023 below.

Months in 2023Workdays Per Month in 2023Work Hours Per Month in 2023
January 202322 workdays176 work hours
February 202320 workdays160 work hours
March 202323 workdays184 work hours
April 202320 workdays160 work hours
May 202323 workdays184 work hours
June 202322 workdays176 work hours
July 202321 workdays168 work hours
August 202323 workdays184 work hours
September 202321 workdays168 work hours
October 202322 workdays176 work hours
November 202322 workdays176 work hours
December 202321 workdays168 work hours
Total 2023260 workdays2,080 work hours

How many work hours in a year are there in 2024?

There are a total of 262 work days in the year 2024. Someone working 8 hours a day five days a week would clock in at 2080 hours for the year. The longest working months are January, May, and October, each with 23 workdays in them.

To get ready for what’s coming, you can see how many work hours in each month for 2024 there are below.

Months in 2024Workdays Per Month in 2024Work Hours Per Month in 2024
January 202423 workdays184 work hours
February 202421 workdays168 work hours
March 202421 workdays168 work hours
April 202422 workdays176 work hours
May 202423 workdays184 work hours
June 202420 workdays160 work hours
July 202423 workdays184 work hours
August 202422 workdays176 work hours
September 202421 workdays168 work hours
October 202423 workdays184 work hours
November 202421 workdays168 work hours
December 202422 workdays176 work hours
Total 2024262 workdays2,096 work hours

Why it’s important to know how many work hours in a year there are

Knowing how many work hours in a year there are is a great way to make sure you’re not over or underworking. It can be easy to lose track of these hours when you’re only looking at daily or weekly outputs.

For example, if you find that you are regularly working more than 40 hours a week, you may want to consider hiring additional help or cutting back on your hours.

If you’re working well under 40 hours a week, you could be losing out on income and opportunities for advancement. Even 5 hours that you don’t spend advancing your position and salary can put you 260 hours behind by the end of the year.

Tracking your time is one of the best ways to see how you’re holding up against the average number of work hours in a year. Doing so can help you make sure you’re making the most of your time at work and not letting opportunities pass you by. 

There are plenty of programs and apps that can help you keep track of your work hours, like RescueTime and Toggl.

You may also be interested in: What is a Good Salary for a Single Person?

How many work hours in a month are there?

This answer varies depending on the month, as some have more weekends and holidays than others. But on average, since there are between 20 and 23 work days per month, you can expect to work between 160 to 184 hours per month.

Of course, as before, this is going to vary if you don’t work full time or if you regularly find yourself working more than 40 hours per week. Fortunately, the math is pretty easy to work out for yourself.

How many hours is full-time work per year?

If you’re a full-time employee in the United States, you will work approximately 2,080 hours per year. This number is calculated by assuming that you work 40 hours per week for 52 weeks out of the year. You can adjust this amount based on the number of vacation days, sick days, and holidays that you receive.

Many people work longer hours per week, but to their detriment. A study by the World Health Organization has shown that those who work more than 50 hours a week have diminishing returns when it comes to productivity. 

Even worse, when people work over 55 hours a week, physical and mental health problems start to arise. This can actually be another good reason to know how many work hours there are in a year, as if you have some stress-related issues, tracking your hours to see if you’re working too much may be a good way to address these.

Related: How Much is 4 Figures in Money – and Can It Actually Be a Good Salary?

How many hours does the average American work a year?

The average full-time American worker spends about 2,080 hours at work each year. This number is calculated by assuming that the average person works 40 hours per week for 52 weeks out of the year.

While Americans are granted many holidays and sick days, it’s been reported that they usually leave about half of their vacation days on the table. This means that the average American worker is only taking advantage of about 1,040 hours of vacation time each year.

However, this number may be skewed as many Americans are working more than one job to make ends meet. In fact, it’s estimated that about 7 million Americans are working two full-time jobs.

a person keep track of how many work hours in a year he will work

How can I work fewer hours and still get paid the same?

There are a few ways that you can work fewer hours and still get paid the same. Here are the top strategies so that you can free up your precious time for the things you love outside of work:

1. Negotiate a flexible schedule with your boss

Oftentimes, the traditional 9-5 workday doesn’t allow for much flexibility. If you have children at home or other obligations that make it difficult to work a full eight hours, try negotiating a more flexible schedule with your boss.

You could propose working four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days. Or, you could ask for one hour off each day while promising to make up the time by getting more done during those 7 hours than the rest of your team.

Usually, if your boss sees results and added value, they’ll be open to negotiating a schedule that works better for you.

2. Telecommute a few days each week

If your job allows it, try telecommuting a few days each week. This way, you can avoid the commute altogether and use that time to get started on your workday.

Not only will this save you time, but it can also save you money on gas and other transportation costs. Plus, you’ll be able to work in the comfort of your own home.

Related: 30 Day Challenge Ideas to Improve Your Life in One Month

3. Take on a less demanding role at work

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload, it may be time to consider taking on a less demanding role at work. This could involve accepting a demotion or switching to a different team altogether.

While it may not be what you want in the long term, making this change can help you reduce your stress levels and free up some of your time. You can always look for new opportunities when you’re feeling more rested and ready to take on more responsibility. 

You may also be interested in: 8 Key Strategies to Live Without a Job (and Thrive While Not Working)

4. Delegate and outsource tasks whenever possible

One of the best ways to free up your time is to delegate and outsource tasks whenever possible. If you have team members who are able to take on some of your workloads, let them know that you’re happy to pass on those responsibilities. If not, you can ask your company to add a new team member.

You can also look into outsourcing tasks such as administrative work, bookkeeping, or even social media management. This way, you can focus on the tasks that are most important to your job and leave the rest to someone else.

5. Automate repetitive tasks

If you find yourself doing the same tasks over and over again, it may be time to automate them. There are plenty of programs that can help you automate repetitive tasks, including email marketing, social media, and even data entry.

By automating these tasks, you can free up your time to focus on more important projects. Plus, you’ll be able to avoid the monotony of doing the same thing over and over again.

a woman on her laptop searching how many work hours in a year

6. Ask for a raise

If you feel like you’re working too hard for your current salary, it may be time to ask for a raise or promotion. This can be a tricky conversation to have with your boss, but it’s important to remember that you deserve fair compensation for the work that you do.

Be sure to come into the conversation prepared with a list of your accomplishments and the value that you bring to the company. If you can convincingly show that you’re worth more than you’re currently being paid, there’s a good chance that your boss will be open to giving you a raise.

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