Research the going market rates to hammer out your baseline
"When I first started my career I had no idea what to charge for my work, and I’d always dread hearing, ‘What are your rates?’ from a prospective client. I’d usually end up pulling a number out of thin air and hoped it was ok.
Or if a client came to me with a project and told me what their budget was, I’d just accept it, assuming that this was what illustration costs, and not even realizing that I had the option to negotiate higher.” – Anoosha Syed, Advice from a Professional Illustrator
Depending on industry and competition, your assumptions (whether rooted in gut feeling or prior experience) may still be “woefully underpriced” or actually “wildly above average.”
Do your research. Let existing rates distance you from unhelpful assumptions (“No one will pay me that much!”) and look at pricing more objectively.
Your best data will come firsthand from others in the field:
Industry communities on Slack, Discord, or the like
Forums (like Reddit, or older niche sites)
Social media (like LinkedIn or Twitter)
Personal blogs/websites
Start with an internal search, using hashtags or keywords like “freelancing,” “pricing,” and “charge,” plus your field or niche. (Slack may make this more difficult than it needs to be with their incredible disappearing messages act. Everywhere else should have a healthy repository of previous discussions.)
Don’t only check what the original post put forth. Be sure to comb through the replies looking for rebuttals and other people’s experiences. Conversations around these topics are fruitful.
Other sources for market rate research include: full-length blog breakdowns (try searching, How do I price myself as a script writer? or How do brand specialists figure out what to charge?) and survey reports from insiders like Payoneer, Upwork, SkillScouter, and Indeed:
Pay by specialty* (sources: skillscouter and don’t do it yourself and indeed):
Content writers: $25/hr
Copywriters: $35/hr
SEO specialists: $29/hr
Web designers: $37/hr
Graphic design: $45/hr
Software development: $70/hr
*Note: Some insights extrapolated from yearly pay
According to additional data provided by Upwork, skilled service providers make up almost half (45%) of the total freelance workforce, with an overall average rate of $28/hr.
Content writers are, generally, the lowest earners. They can see up to $80 an hour but the range dives as low as $10/hr (to give you an idea of how some people at large view the value of writing).
Copywriters on Upwork, who may be able to prove a greater value-add, appear to be compensated more fairly, in rare cases commanding over $200 per hour.
SEO specialists and web designers make an annual average of $60k (almost $29 an hour) and $77k ($44 on the hour) respectively.
Graphic designers and developers are the best paid bracket, on average, with designers able to earn up to $150 per hour, and coding with the potential for $1k/hr payouts. The more specialized your knowledge, the greater your earning potential.
If you’re looking for data that’s tailored to your own niche, try searching:
how much do X charge OR how much do X agencies charge
X freelance earnings/income
what are the prices to hire a freelance X
X freelance price ranges
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