Freelance rates by job: from BLS wages to a rate floor
What employed people in each job earn, and the hourly rate a freelancer would need to match that median after unbilled time, business costs and self-employment tax. Each page has percentiles, scenarios and a calculator pre-filled for that job.
| Job | BLS median hourly | BLS median annual | Freelance rate to match (1,250 billable h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web & Digital Interface Designer | $50.00 | $104,000 | $93.39 |
| Animator | $49.06 | $102,030 | $91.71 |
| Web Developer | $44.54 | $92,650 | $83.72 |
| Technical Writer | $43.46 | $90,390 | $81.80 |
| Marketing Specialist | $37.87 | $78,760 | $71.89 |
| Editor | $37.46 | $77,920 | $71.18 |
| Writer | $36.98 | $76,910 | $70.32 |
| Video Editor | $36.26 | $75,420 | $69.05 |
| Graphic Designer | $30.27 | $62,960 | $58.43 |
| Translator & Interpreter | $28.93 | $60,170 | $56.06 |
| Bookkeeper | $24.36 | $50,670 | $47.96 |
| Photographer | $21.47 | $44,660 | $42.84 |
Freelance rate = (median annual × 1.0648 + $6,000 costs) ÷ 1,250 hours. The 1.0648 is the self-employment tax top-up explained on each page; $6,000 and 1,250 hours are example assumptions. OEWS covers employees only, not freelancers.
Work out your own number with the freelance hourly rate calculator or read how to calculate your freelance hourly rate.