Quick answer: the standard is 2,080 hours (40 x 52). Counting the real calendar, 2026 has 261 weekdays (2,088 hours) and 250 work days after federal holidays (2,000 hours).
Work days and hours by year
Weekdays minus the federal holidays that fall on a weekday (observed dates), computed from the rules in 5 U.S.C. 6103.
| Year | Weekdays | Federal holidays on weekdays | Work days | Work hours at 8 a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 261 | 11 | 250 | 2,000 |
| 2026 | 261 | 11 | 250 | 2,000 |
| 2027 | 261 | 12 | 249 | 1,992 |
| 2028 | 260 | 10 | 250 | 2,000 |
| 2029 | 261 | 11 | 250 | 2,000 |
| 2030 | 261 | 11 | 250 | 2,000 |
Why 2,080?
A 40-hour week for 52 weeks is 2,080 hours. Paid holidays and vacation are still paid hours, which is why salary-to-hourly conversions use 2,080 even though fewer hours are actually worked.
The 2,080 figure is what turns a salary into an hourly rate in the hourly rate and wage calculator, and what PTO accrual rates are based on in the PTO calculator.
Sources: OPM: Federal holidays. Rules checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
Why do some employers use 2,087 hours?
It is the long-run average of weekdays in a year x 8, used in some federal pay calculations. 2,080 is the round standard most employers use.
How many work days are in a year?
260 to 262 weekdays depending on the year; 2026 has 261, or 250 after the 11 federal holidays.