Sources verified: 2026-08
The freelance rates benchmark
Every figure on this page was verified on its source: association rate charts, industry surveys, and government wage data, each dated and linked. No made-up ranges, no anonymous averages. Where sources disagree, we show both.
Writers & copywriters
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| EFA Editorial Rates Chart | 2026 | Work-for-hire writing $70-100/hr (articles), $65-75/hr (business); ghostwriting $75-125/hr |
| Peak Freelance survey (213 writers) | 2021 | $250-399 most common price for a 1,500-word blog post; whitepapers most often $500-999 |
| BLS OEWS, Writers and Authors | May 2025 | Median hourly wage $36.98 (employed + freelance combined) |
Editors & proofreaders
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| EFA Editorial Rates Chart | 2026 | Copyediting median $50-60/hr; developmental $55-75/hr; proofreading $40-55/hr; medical specialties run $10-20 higher |
| BLS OEWS, Editors | May 2025 | Median hourly wage $37.46 |
Graphic designers
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| PayScale, Freelance Graphic Designer (234 profiles) | 2026 | Average $38.06/hr; 10th-90th percentile $20.68-85.11/hr |
| BLS OEWS, Graphic Designers | May 2025 | Median hourly wage $30.27 |
Web developers
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| BLS OEWS, Web Developers | May 2025 | Median hourly wage $44.54; freelance rates typically run well above staff medians once benefits and unbillable time are priced in |
Virtual assistants
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| Project Untethered VA survey (147 VAs) | 2024 | US-based VAs average $35.61/hr; full-time-income VAs average $33/hr; Philippines-based average $11.33/hr |
Grant writers
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Professionals Association survey (via OpenGrants) | 2023 | ~$90/hr working average; freelance range $25/hr (beginners) to $200+/hr (federal specialists) |
| Instrumentl, Grant Writing Fees | 2025 | Beginners $29-36/hr; intermediate ~$60/hr; experts ~$125/hr; percentage-of-grant pricing discouraged |
Podcast editors
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| Podcast Editors Mastermind industry survey | 2024 | Average $199 per hour-long episode |
| Rephonic, podcast editing cost guide | 2024 | Freelancers and studios $50-500 per episode; observed hourly $10-130+ |
Translators
| Source | Year | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| EFA Editorial Rates Chart | 2026 | Translation from English median $60-75/hr; into English $47.50-62.50/hr |
| Inbox Translation / ITI survey (2,803 translators) | 2023 | Median GBP 0.071-0.10 per word; median hourly GBP 26-40; association members charge ~44% more |
| BLS OEWS, Interpreters and Translators | May 2025 | Median hourly wage $28.93 |
Reading the numbers: staff medians (BLS) are floors. Our W-2 vs 1099 calculator converts any salary figure into its honest freelance equivalent.
Methodology
Figures were confirmed directly on each linked source (or the BLS public API for OEWS medians) on the verification date above. BLS medians mix employed and freelance workers, so they read as a floor for freelance rates, not a target: a freelancer covers benefits, unbillable time, and both halves of FICA that a wage hides. Sources that blocked verification (Upwork rate pages, ZipRecruiter, ATA members-only survey) are deliberately absent. Corrections welcome.
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