# Man-Hours Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/finance/man-hours/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The man-hours (person-hours) calculator works out the total labor hours a job needs, the cost of that labor, and how long it takes with a given crew size.

## Inputs

- Number of people
- Hours per person
- Hourly pay
- Working hours per day

## Results

- Total man-hours
- Cost per person
- Total labor cost
- Duration with this crew

## Formula

```
Man-hours = people × hours per person
Labor cost = man-hours × hourly pay
Duration = man-hours ÷ (people × hours per day)
```

## Explanation

Man-hours (person-hours) measure the amount of work in a task, independent of how many people do it. Ten people working eight hours equals 80 person-hours – the same as one person working 80 hours. Project managers use it for estimating and scheduling.

### How to use the Man-Hours Calculator

- **Number of people**
- **Hours per person**
- **Hourly pay**
- **Working hours per day**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Enter the number of people, the hours each works, the hourly pay and the working hours per day.

### Tips

- Use figures for the same period (a month, a quarter or a year) for every input so ratios compare like with like.
- Track the metric over time – the trend usually tells you more than a single value.
- Compare your result with industry benchmarks, which vary a lot between sectors.
- Treat the result as a starting point for a decision, then check the assumptions behind each input.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Mixing monthly and yearly numbers in the same calculation.
- Using revenue where the formula needs profit (or the other way round).
- Forgetting hidden costs such as taxes, fees, overheads or your own time.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterNumber of peopleA numberHours per personA numberHourly payAmount in your currencyWorking hours per dayA number

### What each result means

- **Total man-hours** = [Number of people]×[Hours per person]
- **Cost per person** = [Hours per person]×[Hourly pay]
- **Total labor cost** = [Number of people]×[Hours per person]×[Hourly pay]
- **Duration with this crew** = [Hours per person]÷[Working hours per day]

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Number of people** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Number of peopleTotal man-hours31204.518062407.5300936012480

## Worked example

Inputs — Number of people: 6; Hours per person: 40; Hourly pay: $28; Working hours per day: 8.

Results — **Total man-hours = 240**; Cost per person = $1,120.00; Total labor cost = $6,720.00; Duration with this crew = 5 working days.

## FAQ

**What is a man-hour?**
One hour of work by one person – also called a person-hour.

**Does adding people always shorten a job?**
Not proportionally – coordination overhead grows with team size.

**How do I estimate man-hours?**
Break the job into tasks and estimate hours per task from past work.

**What formula does the Man-Hours Calculator use?**
Man-hours = people × hours per person.