Rate guides
Freelance hourly rates by profession
For 92 professions: what employees earn (official BLS May 2025 data) and the hourly rate a freelancer needs to match it once taxes, costs and unbilled time are covered.
Updated 2026-10-01
Admin and support
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | $24.36 | $55 |
| Customer service representative | $21.53 | $50 |
| Data entry specialist | $19.88 | $47 |
| Executive assistant | $36.82 | $80 |
| Legal secretary | $26.72 | $60 |
| Proofreader | $24.58 | $56 |
| Virtual assistant | $22.86 | $52 |
Architecture and engineering
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Architect | $47.73 | $101 |
| CAD drafter | $31.80 | $70 |
| Civil engineer | $48.48 | $102 |
| GIS specialist | $39.13 | $84 |
| Landscape architect | $38.40 | $83 |
| Mechanical drafter | $34.40 | $75 |
| Mechanical engineer | $50.05 | $105 |
Business and finance
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant | $40.23 | $86 |
| Corporate trainer | $33.31 | $73 |
| Email marketing specialist | $37.87 | $82 |
| Event planner | $29.41 | $65 |
| Financial analyst | $49.40 | $104 |
| Grant writer | $34.88 | $76 |
| HR consultant | $36.51 | $79 |
| Management consultant | $48.97 | $103 |
| Marketing consultant | $37.87 | $82 |
| Project manager | $49.19 | $104 |
| Recruiter | $36.51 | $79 |
| SEO specialist | $37.87 | $82 |
| Social media manager | $37.87 | $82 |
| Tax preparer | $26.40 | $59 |
| UX researcher | $37.87 | $82 |
| Wedding planner | $29.41 | $65 |
Coaching and counseling
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Career coach | $30.93 | $68 |
Design, media and the arts
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| 3D artist | $49.06 | $103 |
| Animator | $49.06 | $103 |
| Art director | $55.22 | $115 |
| Audio engineer | $35.16 | $76 |
| Composer | $35.44 | $77 |
| Content writer | $36.98 | $80 |
| Copywriter | $36.98 | $80 |
| Editor | $37.46 | $81 |
| Fashion designer | $38.92 | $84 |
| Ghostwriter | $36.98 | $80 |
| Graphic designer | $30.27 | $67 |
| Illustrator | $26.68 | $60 |
| Industrial designer | $40.34 | $86 |
| Interior designer | $32.31 | $71 |
| Interpreter | $28.93 | $64 |
| Journalist | $29.91 | $66 |
| Motion graphics designer | $49.06 | $103 |
| Musician | $47.80 | $101 |
| PR consultant | $35.94 | $78 |
| Photographer | $21.47 | $50 |
| Technical writer | $43.46 | $92 |
| Translator | $28.93 | $64 |
| Video editor | $36.26 | $78 |
| Videographer | $36.05 | $78 |
| Voice actor | $29.05 | $64 |
| Writer | $36.98 | $80 |
Health and wellness
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Massage therapist | $28.10 | $63 |
| Medical coder | $24.59 | $56 |
| Medical transcriptionist | $19.43 | $46 |
| Nutritionist | $36.73 | $79 |
| Speech-language pathologist | $47.05 | $99 |
Legal
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Court reporter | $28.20 | $63 |
| Lawyer | $76.76 | $157 |
| Paralegal | $30.24 | $67 |
Management and consulting
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional CMO | $80.19 | $164 |
Personal services
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Dog trainer | $19.22 | $45 |
| Makeup artist | $46.71 | $99 |
| Personal trainer | $22.67 | $52 |
Science and research
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Economist | $59.96 | $125 |
Teaching and training
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional designer | $37.23 | $80 |
| Music teacher | $22.50 | $52 |
| Tutor | $20.84 | $48 |
Tech and data
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity consultant | $62.11 | $129 |
| Data analyst | $57.80 | $120 |
| Data scientist | $57.80 | $120 |
| Database administrator | $50.30 | $106 |
| Game developer | $65.38 | $135 |
| IT consultant | $50.89 | $107 |
| IT support specialist | $29.74 | $66 |
| Mobile app developer | $65.38 | $135 |
| QA tester | $50.14 | $105 |
| Software developer | $65.38 | $135 |
| Statistician | $50.79 | $107 |
| Systems administrator | $47.66 | $101 |
| UI designer | $50.00 | $105 |
| UX designer | $50.00 | $105 |
| Web designer | $50.00 | $105 |
| Web developer | $44.54 | $95 |
Trades
| Profession | Employee median | Freelance floor |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician | $30.38 | $67 |
| Handyman | $23.84 | $54 |
| Plumber | $30.67 | $68 |
Freelance floor = employee hourly × 2,080, plus the 7.65% employer tax share and $9,000 a year in costs, divided by 25 billable hours a week over 46 weeks. Try your own numbers in the hourly rate calculator.
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