How Many Work Hours In A Year? [The Complete Guide]
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You already know that, if you work full-time, you will work an average of 40 hours a week, but how many working hours does that equal in a year? What about if you work part-time? How many hours are in a year then?
In this article, we will discuss why it’s important to know how many work hours are in a year as well as how many (actual) work hours and workdays there are in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and finally, how to calculate how many hours you need to work in order to pay for the things you need and/or want.
The Importance of Knowing the Number of Hours Worked in a Year
Knowing the number of actual hours you work in a year is important for multiple reasons.
For one, it can help you plan your days and weeks better. Allowing you to schedule important activities ahead of time.
Also, if you are paid an annual salary (rather than by the hour), knowing how many work hours are in a year will help you to calculate your hourly rate of pay.
Calculating the number of work hours in a year (or month) can help with budgeting and planning your finances, as you will have a better idea of your actual income.
Lastly, it can help you understand how to better plan for retirement or other important life decisions based on the hours you work each year.
How To Calculate How Many Work Hours Are in a Year
If you work full-time, in America, you will work a total of 2,080 hours in a year.
This is because full-time employees typically work for 52 weeks each year at a rate of 40 hours per week. If we multiply these numbers, we get 2080 hours worked in an average year.
52 (weeks) X 40 (hours) = 2,080 (hours per year)
Additionally, if you work an average of 5 days per week, you’ll work approximately 260 days a year. (52 weeks X 5 days a week = 260 workdays).
But wait…there’s more.
If you’re a numbers nerd and want to be really specific, the truth is, that there are 52.143 weeks in a typical year and 52.286 weeks in a leap year. Which equates to anywhere between 260-262 workdays and 2080-2096 work hours in any given year.
How Many Part-time Work Hours in a Year?
If you have a job with part-time hours instead of full-time (in the US), then, of course, your yearly total hours will be less.
Here’s how to calculate total work hours for part-time employees:
- 36 hours per week, equals an average of 1,872 hours (36 X 52 = 1872) a year
- 30 hours per week, equals 1,560 hours a year (30 X 52 = 1560)
- 25 hours per week, is approximately 1,300 hours per year (25 X 52 = 1300)
- 20 hours per week, 1,040 hours worked in a year (20 X 52 = 1040)
How Many Workdays Are in a Year?
There are 365 days in an average calendar year. Additionally, there are 366 days in a leap year, which happens once every four years.
This means that there are approximately 260 working days in an average year and 262 working days in a leap year.
52 (weeks) X 5 (days @ 8 hours per day) = 260 (number of workdays in a year)
How Many Work Hours in a Month?
If you work full-time hours (8 hours a day @ 5 days per week), you’ll average 173 hours per month.
How Many Work Weeks in a Year?
There are a total of 52 weeks in any given year. Of which, the majority of Americans who are employed full-time will work approximately 47-48 weeks excluding national holidays and vacation.
But What About Vacation Days?
There are approximately 192 hours in an average calendar year that can be used for personal time off or vacation hours. This total includes vacation, paid federal holidays, and sick days.
If you are employed full-time (in America), you are typically granted anywhere between 40-80 hours of paid vacation days per year.
Some employers will allow you to “rollover” any unused vacation days from one year to the next. If your employer offers this benefit, you may be allowed to accumulate a month or more of vacation time off.
Unfortunately, part-time employees don’t typically receive paid vacation time (PTO), or paid holidays.
The good news is that many full-time employers offer paid sick leave (usually up to 7 days per year).
Additionally, the majority of employees in America receive an average of 7 paid holidays (federal and religious) per year.
Workdays and Hours for 2022
There are a total of 260 workdays (2,080 work hours) in 2022.
Month | Total Workdays | Total Work Hours |
---|---|---|
January | 21 | 168 |
February | 20 | 160 |
March | 23 | 184 |
April | 21 | 168 |
May | 22 | 176 |
June | 22 | 176 |
July | 21 | 168 |
August | 23 | 184 |
September | 22 | 176 |
October | 21 | 168 |
November | 22 | 176 |
December | 22 | 176 |
Total | 260 | 2,080 |
Workdays and Hours for 2023
There are a total of 260 workdays and 2,080 work hours for 2023.
Month | Total Workdays | Total Work Hours |
---|---|---|
January | 22 | 176 |
February | 20 | 160 |
March | 23 | 184 |
April | 20 | 160 |
May | 23 | 184 |
June | 22 | 176 |
July | 21 | 168 |
August | 23 | 184 |
September | 21 | 168 |
October | 22 | 176 |
November | 22 | 176 |
December | 21 | 168 |
Total | 260 | 2,080 |
Workdays and Hours for 2024
In 2024, there will be a total of 262 workdays and 2,096 work hours.
Month | workdays (#) | work hours (#) |
---|---|---|
January | 23 | 184 |
February | 21 | 168 |
March | 21 | 168 |
April | 22 | 176 |
May | 23 | 184 |
June | 20 | 160 |
July | 23 | 184 |
August | 22 | 176 |
September | 21 | 168 |
October | 23 | 184 |
November | 21 | 168 |
December | 22 | 176 |
Total | 262 | 2,096 |
How Many Hours Do You Need to Work?
Did you know, that you can save money by knowing how many hours of your life you need to trade in order to earn enough money to afford a particular item?
In the book “Your Money or Your Life“, authors Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin suggest calculating the total hours you dedicate to job-related tasks each year in order to get a better understanding of how much of your “life energy” goes toward paying for the things you want and/or need.
How To Calculate Your Hourly Wage
Calculating your hourly wage is an essential part of understanding your income and budgeting effectively. To calculate your hourly wage, you will need to know your annual salary or hourly rate. Here’s how to do it:
Annual Salary
If you receive an annual salary, you can calculate your hourly wage using the following formula:
hourly wage = annual salary / total number of work hours in a year
To find the total number of work hours in a year, you can use the information provided earlier or calculate it manually by multiplying the number of workdays in a year by the number of work hours per day.
For example, if there are 260 workdays in a year and you work eight hours per day, the total number of work hours in a year is 2,080 (260 x 8).
Let’s say you earn an annual salary of $52,000 and work 2,080 hours per year. To calculate your hourly wage, you would divide $52,000 by 2,080 to get an hourly wage of $25.
Hourly Rate
If you know your hourly rate, calculating your hourly wage is straightforward. Basically, your hourly wage is simply your hourly rate. For example, if you earn an hourly rate of $15 per hour, your hourly wage is also $15 per hour.
Calculating your hourly wage is crucial for effective budgeting. Once you know your hourly wage, you can calculate your take-home pay and use it to create a budget that works for you.
How to calculate your real hourly wage
In order to find your ‘real’ hourly wage, Joe and Vicki recommend adding up all of the hours you devote to:
- Being at your place of employment
- Getting ready for work
- Commuting to your job
- Vacationing in order to ‘decompress’
- Sick leave due to work stress
Then, calculate the time and money you spend on job-related tasks such as:
- Clothing (Do you wear the same clothing outside on your days off? If not, it’s a work-related expense)
- Travel expenses (fuel, maintenance, public transportation, parking fees)
- Meals (while at work, commuting to work, eating out because you’re too tired after working to cook)
- Education (courses, conferences, books)
- Entertainment used as an ‘escape’ from work (retail therapy, drinks out with coworkers)
- Hired help (house cleaning, yard maintenance, household repairs)
Add in the value of any employer-paid benefits such as:
- Paid vacation
- Health benefits
- Matching retirement pay
- Daycare
Finally, add these hours and subtract the expenses from your starting hours/pay. Your result may look something like this:
Hours/Week | Dollars/Week | Dollars/Hour | |
---|---|---|---|
Job before adjustments | 40 | 800 | 20 |
Adjustments (add hours/subtract dollars) | |||
Commuting | 8 | 125 | |
Clothing | .50 | 25 | |
Meals | 4 | 150 | |
Escape Entertainment | 2.5 | 100 | |
Getting ready for work | 10 | ||
Total time/money spent on job | (+)25 | (-)400 | |
Benefits (add in) | |||
Health care | 150 | ||
Retirement pay | 100 | ||
Total benefits | (+)250 | ||
Actual Total with Adjustments | 65 | 650 | 10 |
In the example above, if you earn $20 an hour working 40 hours per pay period, your real hourly wage, after subtracting work-related expenses, comes out to just $10 dollars an hour.
And that number doesn’t include taxes.
In our example, a $100 night out with friends will cost you 10 hours of your life.
Calculate your life energy here.
Average Work Hours by Industry
The average number of work hours can vary significantly depending on the industry. Understanding this number can help determine if you are working more or less than the norm. It can also help you negotiate better working conditions or a higher salary.
Healthcare
Based on the Occupational Outlook Handbook by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare professionals work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and offices of physicians. The work schedules and hours can differ greatly depending on the setting and occupation.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics “Usual Weekly Hours of Work” report from 2020 mentioned average weekly work hours for healthcare professionals as 33.4, it is essential to consider the varying work schedules and demands for different healthcare occupations.
Technology
The technology industry is known for its flexibility and work-life balance. As per data from Statista, the average workweek for tech employees in the United States is 36.3 hours, with some companies offering unlimited vacation time.
Retail
The retail industry often involves working weekends and holidays, making it challenging to maintain a work-life balance. In 2020, retail workers worked an average of 30.5 hours per week as per the report from Statista.
Finance
The finance industry is known for its long work hours, with many professionals working well over 40 hours per week. To give you an idea, the Wall Street Oasis conducted a survey that revealed that investment bankers work an average of 80 to 100 hours per week.
Are You Working Too Many Hours?
If you feel like you’re working too many hours, there are a few things you can do to cut back and increase your free time.
One option is to talk to your boss about reducing your hours. If you have been working extra hours, they may be open to the idea of you scaling back.
Look for a new job. While job hunting is never a fun task, a change in employment may be just what you need in order to reduce the amount of time and stress your current job requires.
A final solution to working too many hours is to become your own boss. Start a side hustle today that you can turn into a full-time gig later.
8 years ago, after deciding I didn’t want to work for someone else, I started working from home. Being able to set my own work hours has been wildly rewarding and liberating. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a ‘regular’ job!
The Impact of Overtime
Overtime refers to the hours worked beyond the standard workweek, which is typically 40 hours per week. While overtime pay can be a financial incentive for some employees, it can have a significant impact on work-life balance and overall well-being.
Financial Impact
Working overtime can have a positive financial impact, as it often results in higher pay. Overtime pay is typically 1.5 times the regular hourly wage, which means you can earn significantly more by working overtime.
Work-Life Balance
Long hours can lead to burnout, stress, and health issues, making it challenging to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It can also lead to less time with family and friends and can result in a lack of time for hobbies and other leisure activities.
Tips for Managing Overtime
If you are required to work overtime, there are ways to manage it effectively so that you can still achieve a healthy work-life balance. Here are some to keep in mind:
1. Understand your rights.
Educate yourself about the overtime laws and regulations in your region to ensure that your employer is not violating your rights. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the overtime pay rates and rules.
2. Prioritize your workload.
Manage your time effectively to avoid working excessive overtime. Set realistic goals and deadlines for your tasks, and communicate with your manager if you feel overwhelmed.
3. Communicate with your manager.
If you are required to work overtime, communicate with your manager to understand why it is necessary and how it will be compensated. Negotiate if necessary, and ask for flexibility or time off in lieu of overtime pay.
4. Take care of yourself.
Take breaks, get enough rest, and try to maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout. Exercise regularly, make healthy food choices, and prioritize self-care to stay productive and motivated.
5. Keep track of your hours.
Ensure that your employer accurately records your overtime hours. Use a time-tracking system, keep a log, or use a mobile app to keep track of your hours. If you notice any discrepancies, report them to your manager or HR department immediately.
Navigating the Work Hour Landscape
Understanding the total number of work hours in a year is vital for both employees and employers as it helps determine productivity, work-life balance, and overall job satisfaction.
As work hours can vary significantly across industries, occupations, and individual circumstances, it’s crucial to find the balance that suits your personal and professional needs.
Always consider factors such as overtime, paid time off, and workplace culture when assessing the ideal work environment.
Ultimately, a deeper awareness of work hours will empower you to make informed decisions, leading to a healthier and more fulfilling career.