Working Days and Working Hours per Month in 2026: A Month-by-Month Table
October 21, 2026
For payroll, project planning, and freelance billing, it helps to know how many working days a month contains. A year has 52 weeks plus one or two days, so most years have 260 or 261 weekdays. 2026 has 261 weekdays, because January 1 falls on a Thursday and December 31 also on a Thursday, giving one extra Thursday. Divided across twelve months, the average is 21.75 weekdays, which at 8 hours a day is 174 hours; with the standard 2,080-hour year, the commonly used monthly average is 173.3 hours.
Individual months range from 20 to 23 weekdays. February 2026, with 28 days and a start on a Sunday, has exactly 20 weekdays, while July and December each have 23.
Skip the math and get your answer instantly:
Open the Date Calculator →2026 Weekdays by Month
The table counts Monday to Friday, before removing public holidays. Hours assume 8 hours a day. Holidays vary by country, region, and employer, so subtract those that apply to you. For example, many US employers observe New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, about 9 to 11 days a year, reducing the 261 weekdays to about 250.
July 2026 (a 31-day month starting on a Wednesday) and December 2026 (starting on a Tuesday) each reach 23 weekdays because their three extra days fall on weekdays.
| Month (2026) | Weekdays | Hours at 8 h/day |
|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 176 |
| February | 20 | 160 |
| March | 22 | 176 |
| April | 22 | 176 |
| May | 21 | 168 |
| June | 22 | 176 |
| July | 23 | 184 |
| August | 21 | 168 |
| September | 22 | 176 |
| October | 22 | 176 |
| November | 21 | 168 |
| December | 23 | 184 |
Why the Counts Differ
Each month has four full weeks (20 weekdays) plus extra days: 0 for a 28-day February, 2 for a 30-day month, and 3 for a 31-day month. Those extra days contribute weekdays depending on which days they fall on. A 31-day month contributes 1 to 3 extra weekdays and a 30-day month 0 to 2, so 31-day months have 21 to 23 weekdays and 30-day months have 20 to 22. A February with 28 days always has exactly four full weeks, so in any non-leap year it has exactly 20 weekdays.
Converting Pay
To convert between annual, monthly, and hourly pay, use the standard 2,080 hours (40 × 52): hourly = annual ÷ 2,080 and monthly = annual ÷ 12. A $62,400 salary is $30 an hour and $5,200 a month. For hourly workers, the monthly gross varies with the number of working days: $30 an hour pays $4,800 in February 2026 (160 hours) and $5,520 in July (184 hours). Budgeting for hourly workers should take this variation into account, particularly in months with fewer days.
Contractors who bill by the day should compare the 261-day calendar with their actual available days after holidays, vacation, and sick time, often 215 to 230 billable days.
Planning Projects
Use working days, not calendar days, to plan task durations. A 20-working-day task starting on Monday, October 5, 2026 ends on Friday, October 30. A project of 60 working days takes about 12 weeks. Account for team holidays across countries, and allow a buffer of 10% to 20% for sick days and unexpected delays. Tools such as NETWORKDAYS in spreadsheets compute the number of working days between dates and can exclude a list of holidays.
Quick Reference
Average month: 21.75 weekdays or 173.3 hours. Average year: 260.9 weekdays (52.18 weeks × 5). Four-week pay periods are 20 days or 160 hours. A quarter has 62 to 66 weekdays. Use these for rough planning, and compute the exact count for payroll or contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many working days are in 2026?
261 weekdays before subtracting public holidays.
How many working hours are in an average month?
About 173.3 hours, from 2,080 hours divided by 12.
Which months of 2026 have the most weekdays?
July and December, with 23 each.
Why does February 2026 have only 20 weekdays?
It has 28 days starting on a Sunday, making exactly four full weeks.
How do I count workdays between two dates?
Use NETWORKDAYS in a spreadsheet, optionally with a list of holidays.