Paid Holiday Statistics [2026]: Average Paid Holidays In The United States

Research Summary: While the U.S. has numerous federal and state-recognized holidays, employers are not mandated to provide paid time off for these occasions. This often leaves employees uncertain about the typical paid holiday benefits available to them.

Fortunately, we have compiled crucial information regarding the average number of paid holidays in the U.S. Our data analysis team found the following:

• The average employee in the U.S. receives approximately 7.6 paid holidays.

• The United States stands out as the only advanced economy lacking a guarantee of paid holidays, resulting in one in four American workers not receiving any paid holidays.

• Surveys indicate that 76% of American workers believe it is essential for employers to offer paid vacation time, 74% for paid sick leave, and 74% for paid holidays.

• American employees forfeit about 430 million vacation days annually, equating to 1,178,082 years of unused vacation time each year.

• Only 54% of Americans utilize their paid time off for vacations or holidays, with 40% expressing concerns about returning to an overwhelming workload.

For further insights, we categorized the data as follows:
Length and Usage | Industry | Location | Schedule

Most Common Paid Holidays

While the federal government does not mandate paid holidays, many companies still reference federal holidays as a guideline for their policies. The most common paid holidays in the United States include Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

• Thanksgiving and Christmas are the most popular paid holidays, with 97% of civilian workers receiving paid time off for each.

• Independence Day (July 4th) ranks as the third most common paid holiday, with 92% of civilian workers enjoying paid time off for the celebrations.

• 90% of all civilian workers are given a paid holiday on New Year’s Day (January 1) to welcome the new year.

• Memorial Day also leads to a three-day weekend for 90% of civilian workers who receive a paid holiday.

• Recognizing American workers, 91% of employees receive a paid holiday on Labor Day (the first Monday in September).

• Only 32% of civilian workers receive a paid holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday (the third Monday in January).

• 24% of civilian workers receive a paid holiday for President’s Day (the third Monday in February).

• Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are significantly less common, with less than 30% of Americans receiving paid holidays for these occasions.

Paid Holiday Statistics for Full-Time Employees by Length and Usage

The length of paid holidays varies based on job type, company size, hours worked, and other factors. In 2026, the highest averages range between six to ten days.

• One in Four employees does not receive paid holidays.

  This amounts to nearly 40 million individuals who miss out on paid time off for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

• The median number of paid holidays is six days.

  While the national average stands at 7.6, statistics reveal that 21% of U.S. employees receive six paid holidays each year.

• Only 3% of civilian workers in the U.S. receive more than 14 days of paid holidays.

  Having two weeks or more of paid holidays remains a rare benefit.

• 48% of companies offer “floating” holidays, allowing employees to observe a holiday of their choice.

  Some organizations provide additional paid holidays beyond the standard.

• 46% of Americans opt not to use their paid holidays.

  Only 54% of Americans report taking their paid time off for vacations or holidays, with 40% indicating they avoid using it to escape a backlog of work.

Paid Holiday Statistics by Industry

If you’re curious about which industries offer the best paid holiday benefits, look no further. The manufacturing sector boasts the most favorable paid holiday statistics, while the leisure and hospitality sector consistently lags behind.

• Manufacturing offers the best paid holidays for employees.

  A remarkable 97% of employees in manufacturing have access to an average of nine paid holidays, making this industry the leader.

• The Leisure and Hospitality industry ranks lowest for paid holidays.

  Only 37% of individuals in this sector receive paid holidays, with an average of just six.

• Information and Financial Activities industries provide excellent access to paid holidays.

  97% of employees in the information sector and 94% in the financial sector receive paid holiday benefits.

• Manufacturing and Financial Activities industries offer the most paid holidays.

  Both sectors provide an average of nine paid holidays, exceeding the typical averages.

• Trade, Transportation, Utilities, and Construction offer fair benefits.

  These sectors average seven paid holidays, with 73% of construction employees and 81% of trade, transportation, and utility workers having access.

Average Number of Days of Paid Holidays Per Industry

Paid Holiday Statistics by Geographic Location

Your workplace’s state and region can significantly influence the number of paid holidays you receive, as well as the percentage of employees lacking them.

• These holidays are typically paid in every state.

  Regardless of your state, you can expect paid holidays for New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, as they are recognized nationwide.

• The Northeast excels in paid holidays.

  Surveys indicate that Maine, New York, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania offer the best paid holiday time, averaging 18% above the national average.

• Most states do not recognize or provide paid holidays for the day after Thanksgiving, Election Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve.

  Fewer than 20 states recognize these days as holidays, making paid time off for them uncommon.

• The U.S. lags behind the rest of the world.

  In Finland, employees can receive up to 30 paid holidays, compared to the U.S. average of 7.6 days. Many European and South American countries also offer more generous paid holiday benefits.

Holidays and Which States Recognize Them

Typical Paid Holiday Statistics Schedule

Understanding average paid holiday statistics can clarify the typical holiday schedule. Here’s what we discovered:

• The federal paid holiday schedule includes New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, in that order.

• For non-federal employees, the most common holiday schedule includes New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day, in that order.

Paid Holiday FAQ

1. What does “paid holiday” mean?

   “Paid holidays” refer to days when employees receive their normal pay despite not working. These days are typically offered by employers to acknowledge national, state, or religious holidays.

   Paid holidays differ from paid time off (PTO) as PTO usually refers to personal vacation days while paid holidays are designated company-wide days off.

2. Which holidays offer time and a half?

   The holidays for which you might receive time and a half depend on your employer. State law does not mandate time and a half for federal holidays, although many employers opt to provide this benefit.

   Federal holidays include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

3. How many paid holidays are there in a year?

   Federal employees receive at least ten paid holidays annually, while the national average remains at 7.6. Some employers also provide “floating” holidays, allowing employees to take paid time off for non-standard celebrations.

4. What is the average number of paid holidays for American workers?

   The average American worker receives between 6-8 paid holidays per year. Specifically, the average civilian worker gets 7.6 paid holidays, but the highest number reported in the overall workforce is six.

5. Which industry provides the best paid holidays?

   The manufacturing industry excels in paid holidays, offering an average of nine holidays per year, with 97% of employees having access to them. Conversely, only 37% of workers in the Leisure and Hospitality sector receive paid holidays.

6. What are the 9 major paid holidays?

   The 9 major paid holidays are New Year’s Day, MLK Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

   Eight of these holidays are recognized in all 50 states, while Juneteenth is acknowledged in every state except South Dakota. President’s Day is recognized in 41 states, making it the next most significant holiday.

7. How many paid holidays do companies typically offer?

   Most companies provide six paid holidays per year. Specifically, 21% of companies offer six paid holidays, 14% provide ten days, and 13% offer 7, 8, or 9 days respectively.

   20% of employees are fortunate enough to enjoy 11 or more paid holidays each year, while 11% of workers receive five or fewer.

Conclusion

Despite the absence of mandatory paid holidays at the federal and most state levels, many companies still choose to provide them for their employees. The average number of paid holidays for Americans stands at 7.6, but this can differ significantly based on industry, state, and professional tenure.

In summary, the U.S. trails many other nations regarding paid holiday benefits. Additionally, nearly half of Americans opt not to utilize their available paid holidays.

Clearly, the American workforce often embodies a culture of workaholism.

References

• zenefits.com. “The Paid Holidays Most Small Businesses Will Give Their Employees in 2020 | Workest.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• officeholidays.com. “Columbus Day by state | Office Holidays.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• en.wikipedia.org. “Holidays with paid time off in the United States – Wikipedia.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• statista.com. “Percentage of U.S. workers, by number of paid holidays 2020 | Statista.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• bls.gov. “Workers in private industry received an average of 8 paid holidays in 2017: The Economics Daily: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• ncsl.org. “State Unemployment Rates | June 2021.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• employmentlawhandbook.com. “Federal and State Holidays – Employment Law Handbook.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

• bls.gov. “Table 5. Average paid holidays and days of vacation and sick leave for full-time employees.” Accessed on August 9, 2021.

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Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.