How Many Workdays Are in a Year?
When you glance at your calendar, you might wonder how many of those days are actual workdays. Knowing the number of workdays in a year can be beneficial for budgeting or scheduling projects. It’s helpful to know this information so you can plan ahead, especially when it comes to finances.
We’ll break this information down for you. Read on to learn how many workdays are in a year.
Calculating the Workdays in a Year
Each year has 365 days (52 weeks), except for leap years, which have 366. Starting with this basic number, if you consider a standard work week as Monday through Friday, that gives you five workdays per week.
Therefore, 52 multiplied by five results in 260 workdays in a year. However, this number doesn’t account for public holidays and other non-working days. So, the final number will be slightly less than 260.
Public Holidays
Public holidays can vary based on your country, state, or region. For example, the U.S. has 10 federal public holidays, but some states have additional holidays. Other countries might have more or fewer holidays. For instance, in the U.S., deducting 10 days from the initial 260 results in 250 working days. Check your local public holiday list to get an accurate count.
Personal Leaves and Absences
While our calculations provide a general number, individual working days can vary based on personal situations. Sick days, vacation days, personal days, and any other leave will further reduce the number of workdays in a year for an individual. If you take two weeks of vacation, for example, that could reduce your working days by 10.
Part-Time and Non-Traditional Schedules
Not everyone works the traditional 9-to-5, Monday through Friday job. You might work part-time, weekends, or have rotational shifts. If you have a non-standard schedule, the number of workdays will differ significantly. For example, if you work three days a week, you’ll have roughly 156 workdays (52 weeks multiplied by three results in 156 workdays in a year before holidays and leave).
Leap Years
Every four years, we have an extra day in February, making it a total of 366 days in a year. If this extra day falls on a workday, it will add one more day to the total. For example, if February 29 falls on a Thursday, then there would be 261 workdays for that year (before accounting for holidays).
The Bottom Line
The number of workdays in a year can vary widely based on the country, individual schedules, and personal circumstances. However, the standard Monday-to-Friday workweek is a good guide. There are roughly 260 potential workdays in a year before holidays.
When accounting for public holidays, personal leave, and other variables, this number will decrease. It’s always a good idea to refer to your specific employment contract, local holiday calendar, and personal leave allowances to calculate your exact number of workdays in a year.
Knowing how many workdays there are in a year can help you manage your time efficiently and keep an accurate account of your income and expenses. So, the next time you glance at your calendar, you’ll have a clear idea of how many of those days you’ll be working.
Editor's note: This article was produced via automated technology and then fine-tuned and verified for accuracy by a member of GOBankingRates' editorial team.
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