Man Hours Calculator

How it works

man-hours = workers × hours per day × days × productive share · days to finish = job man-hours ÷ (workers × hours per day × productive share) · workers needed = job man-hours ÷ (hours per day × days × productive share), rounded up · labor cost = paid hours × hourly cost

A man-hour (or person-hour) is one hour of work by one person; it is the standard unit for estimating and costing labor in construction, manufacturing, maintenance and projects. A job estimated at 960 man-hours can be done by 6 people in 20 eight-hour days, or by 12 in 10 days — as long as the work can be split. The productive-share input lets you allow for setup, travel and breaks, which make paid hours larger than productive hours. Adding people rarely scales perfectly, so treat crew-size results as a minimum.

Worked example

A crew of 6 workers on 8-hour days for 15 working days puts in 6 × 8 × 15 = 720 man-hours (90 man-days) at 100% productive time, costing $18,000.00 at $25 an hour. A 960 man-hour job with the same crew would take 20.0 days; finishing it in 15 days needs 8 workers.

Frequently asked questions