Start from what employers pay, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for May 2025, then adjust for benefits, business costs and unbilled time to get an indicative freelance rate.
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Indicative freelance hourly rate: US$69.62
Wage data: US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025, Graphic Designers (SOC 27-1024). These are employee wages, not freelance rates. Refine the result with the hourly rate calculator.
| Profession (SOC) | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Indicative freelance rate (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic designer (27-1024) | US$23.58 | US$30.27 | US$39.34 | US$69.62 |
| Web and digital interface (UX/UI) designer (15-1255) | US$35.24 | US$50.00 | US$76.36 | US$115.00 |
| Web developer (15-1254) | US$30.88 | US$44.54 | US$60.69 | US$102.44 |
| Software developer (15-1252) | US$50.58 | US$65.38 | US$82.68 | US$150.37 |
| Management consultant (management analyst) (13-1111) | US$37.48 | US$48.97 | US$64.12 | US$112.63 |
| Marketing specialist (13-1161) | US$28.05 | US$37.87 | US$52.07 | US$87.10 |
| PR specialist (27-3031) | US$27.05 | US$35.94 | US$48.25 | US$82.66 |
| Writer (27-3043) | US$28.00 | US$36.98 | US$49.01 | US$85.05 |
| Accountant (13-2011) | US$32.22 | US$40.23 | US$52.80 | US$92.53 |
| Architect (17-1011) | US$37.48 | US$47.73 | US$60.84 | US$109.78 |
| Lawyer (23-1011) | US$49.51 | US$76.76 | US$106.43 | US$176.55 |
| Photographer (27-4021) | US$17.33 | US$21.47 | US$30.16 | US$49.38 |
The wages are US national hourly wages for employees from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on 2026-10-23. They are what employers pay employees, not what freelancers charge. We don’t publish survey data of freelance rates.
Indicative rate = wage × (1 + benefits) × (1 + business costs) ÷ billable share. For a fuller calculation from your own income target, use the hourly rate calculator. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Angelwood or saved on a server.
The median hourly wage for graphic designers was $30.27 in May 2025. Adding 30% for benefits and 15% for business costs, then dividing by a 65% billable share, gives an indicative freelance rate of about $69.62 an hour.
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No. They’re employee wages from the BLS, converted to an indicative freelance rate with assumptions you control. Use them as a starting point alongside what clients in your market pay.
A freelancer pays for their own benefits, payroll taxes, equipment and software, and can’t bill every working hour. The rate has to cover all of that.
The wages are US national figures. Rates in other countries differ, so adjust using local wage data where you work.
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