HR & work · 53 figures

Freelance Rate Statistics 2026

MBO Partners counts a record 74.9 million Americans working independently in 2026, and Upwork says freelancers doing AI work earn 34 percent more per hour than those who do not. Editorial Freelancers Association members report median copyediting rates of $40 to $50 an hour for fiction, while Fiverr's marketplace take rate reached 28.2 percent. Self-employed people pay both halves of payroll tax, 12.4 percent for Social Security and 2.9 percent for Medicare, according to the IRS.

Download CSV Cite this pageUpdated November 4, 2026 · 23 sources · 58/58 quotes re-checked

74.9 millionA record 74.9 million Americans worked independently in 2026, according to MBO Partners' State of Independence survey.MBO Partners
38%Skilled freelancers made up 38 percent of US knowledge workers in Upwork's 2026 survey, up from 28 percent a year earlier.Upwork
$40 to $50Editorial Freelancers Association members reported a median rate range of $40 to $50 per hour for copyediting fiction in 2025.Editorial Freelancers Association
34%Freelancers doing AI work on Upwork earned 34 percent more per hour than those not using AI, based on 2026 platform data.Upwork
58%58 percent of self-employed US adults said their income varied from month to month in 2025, compared with 28 percent of people who worked for someone else, according to the Federal Reserve's household survey.Federal Reserve Board
$373Fiverr's annual spend per buyer reached $373 as of September 30, 2026, up 12.9 percent from $330 a year earlier.Fiverr
28.2%Fiverr's marketplace take rate was 28.2 percent for the 12 months ended September 30, 2026, up from 27.6 percent a year earlier.Fiverr
12.4% + 2.9%The US self-employment tax rate is 12.4 percent for Social Security plus 2.9 percent for Medicare.Internal Revenue Service

This page collects what freelancers charge, what clients spend through the big marketplaces, what platforms and payment services keep, and the taxes that come out of freelance income in the US. It mixes official statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IRS, the Social Security Administration and the Federal Reserve with company filings from Upwork and Fiverr, published fee schedules from Freelancer.com and PayPal, and surveys from MBO Partners, the Editorial Freelancers Association and Stack Overflow. Australian and Canadian official counts add context outside the US. Most figures describe 2025 and 2026; the BLS count of independent contractors is from July 2023, the latest edition of that survey.

Freelancing is large and still growing. MBO Partners counts 74.9 million Americans working independently in 2026, an estimated 5.8 million of whom earn more than $100,000 a year, and full-time independents make up 22 percent of all full-time US workers. The official BLS count is narrower: 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job in July 2023, or 7.4 percent of employment. Upwork's 2026 survey of skilled knowledge workers found 38 percent freelance, up from 28 percent a year earlier. Official data elsewhere points the same way: the Australian Bureau of Statistics counted 1.1 million independent contractors in August 2025, and Statistics Canada reported self-employment up 1.9 percent year over year in September 2026.

Rates depend heavily on skill and specialization. The Editorial Freelancers Association's 2026 rate chart shows median copyediting rates of $40 to $50 an hour for fiction and $60 to $75 for medical work, and developmental editing for medical clients at $75 to $95. On Upwork, freelancers doing AI work earn 34 percent more per hour, but the premium is uneven: complex AI-augmented work saw earnings rise 45 percent while per-contract earnings for generative AI and creative production fell 13 percent. Income is also less predictable: the Federal Reserve found 58 percent of self-employed adults had income that varied month to month in 2025, against 28 percent of employees.

Clients are spending more per head but there are fewer of them on the big marketplaces. Fiverr's annual spend per buyer rose 12.9 percent to $373 while active buyers fell 25.8 percent to 2.4 million. Upwork reports $914.1 million in quarterly gross services volume and $5,418 in spend per active client. Platforms keep a meaningful slice: Fiverr's take rate is 28.2 percent, Upwork's freelancer fee ranges from 0 to 15 percent per contract, and Freelancer.com charges freelancers 10 percent. Billing clients directly through PayPal invoicing costs 3.49 percent plus a fixed fee when the client pays with PayPal.

Taxes are the cost freelancers most often underestimate. The IRS self-employment tax rate is 12.4 percent for Social Security plus 2.9 percent for Medicare, applied to 92.35 percent of net earnings once they reach $400. The Social Security part stops at $184,500 of earnings in 2026, and the Social Security Administration has set the 2027 cap at $192,300. Comparing freelance rates with BLS median employee wages, such as $62,960 for graphic designers, is a useful check that a rate covers these extra costs.

How many people freelance

Estimates of the freelance workforce vary by definition. MBO Partners counts anyone working independently, including side work, which gives the largest number. The BLS counts only people whose sole or main job is as an independent contractor, which is narrower and comes from a 2023 survey, the latest edition. Upwork and Stack Overflow survey specific groups, skilled knowledge workers and developers, so their shares are not national rates. Official data from Australia and Canada shows independent work still growing in 2025 and 2026, which keeps price competition strong for routine work.

Share of US skilled knowledge workers who freelance

Upwork Future Workforce Index surveys of US skilled knowledge workers; 2026 survey of 2,400 workers, March to April 2026.

28%

38%

2025 survey2026 survey

Source: Upwork, Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026

74.9 million
A record 74.9 million Americans worked independently in 2026, according to MBO Partners' State of Independence survey.
MBO Partners · MBO Partners by Beeline: U.S. Independent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million as Full-Time Independence Accelerates (Sep 2026)
Exact quote
The U.S. independent workforce reached a record 74.9 million people in 2026, but the bigger shift is happening within the workforce itself.
5.8 million
An estimated 5.8 million US independent professionals earned more than $100,000 a year in 2026, nearly double the 2020 number, according to MBO Partners.
MBO Partners · MBO Partners by Beeline: U.S. Independent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million as Full-Time Independence Accelerates (Sep 2026)
Exact quote
An estimated 5.8 million independent professionals now earn more than $100,000 annually, nearly double the number in 2020.
22%
Full-time independent workers made up 22 percent of all full-time US workers in 2026, nearly twice their 2019 share, according to MBO Partners.
MBO Partners · MBO Partners by Beeline: U.S. Independent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million as Full-Time Independence Accelerates (Sep 2026)
Exact quote
Full-time independents now represent 22% of all full-time U.S. workers, nearly twice their share in 2019.
78%
78 percent of US independent professionals surveyed by MBO Partners in 2026 planned to remain independent or build a larger business.
MBO Partners · MBO Partners by Beeline: U.S. Independent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million as Full-Time Independence Accelerates (Sep 2026)
Exact quote
Among independent professionals, 78% plan to remain independent or build a larger business.
11.9 million
11.9 million Americans worked as independent contractors on their sole or main job in July 2023, 7.4 percent of total employment; this BLS survey is the latest available.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023 (news release, November 8, 2024) (Nov 2024)
Exact quote
In July 2023, there were 11.9 million people who were independent contractors (7.4 percent of total employment), 2.8 million on-call workers (1.7 percent of total employment), 945,000 temporary help agency workers (0.6 percent of total employment), and 862,000 workers provided by contract firms (0.5 percent of total employment).
38%
Skilled freelancers made up 38 percent of US knowledge workers in Upwork's 2026 survey, up from 28 percent a year earlier.
Upwork · Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
Exact quote
Skilled freelancers now represent 38% of U.S. knowledge workers, up from 28% the prior year.
58%
58 percent of US full-time employees surveyed by Upwork in 2026 said they were considering freelancing, up from 36 percent a year earlier.
Upwork · Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
Exact quote
At the same time, 58% of full-time employees now say they are considering freelancing, up from 36% the prior year.
13.9%
13.9 percent of developers worldwide in the 2025 Stack Overflow survey described themselves as independent contractors, freelancers or self-employed.
Stack Overflow · 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey: Work (2025)
Exact quote
All Respondents Employed 69.8% Independent contractor, freelancer, or self-employed 13.9%
10%
In the US, 10 percent of developers in the 2025 Stack Overflow survey were independent contractors, freelancers or self-employed.
Stack Overflow · 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey: Work (2025)
Exact quote
USA Employed 74.8% Independent contractor, freelancer, or self-employed 10%
1.1 million
Australia had 1.1 million independent contractors in August 2025, 7.6 percent of all employed people and 33,000 more than a year earlier, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australian Bureau of Statistics · Working arrangements, August 2025 (Dec 2025)
Exact quote
In August 2025, there were 1.1 million independent contractors, an increase of 33,000 from August 2024. This represents 7.6% of all employed people.
51,000
Self-employment in Canada was up 51,000, or 1.9 percent, in September 2026 compared with a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey.
Statistics Canada · The Daily: Labour Force Survey, September 2026 (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
On a year-over-year basis, self-employment was up by 51,000 (+1.9%).

What freelancers charge

Published rate data for freelancers is scarce because most work is priced privately. The Editorial Freelancers Association survey is one of the few that publishes median rate ranges by service and genre, based on more than 1,100 members' 2025 rates. It shows a clear premium for specialized subjects such as medical editing and for higher-level services such as developmental editing and coaching. Upwork's platform data shows a similar pattern for AI: judgment-heavy AI work earns more, while commodity generative AI tasks are getting cheaper per contract. The Federal Reserve's finding that most self-employed adults have uneven monthly income is one reason a freelance rate needs a buffer above an employee wage.

US adults whose income varied month to month, 2025

Federal Reserve Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, fielded October 2025, US adults.

58%

28%

Self-employedWorked for someone else

Source: Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Income and Expenses

$40 to $50
Editorial Freelancers Association members reported a median rate range of $40 to $50 per hour for copyediting fiction in 2025.
Editorial Freelancers Association · Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart (May 2026)
Exact quote
Children’s YA Book 2.0–3.0¢ $45.00–47.50 $5.00–7.50 6.0-10.0 Fiction 2.0–2.7¢ $40.00–50.00
$60 to $75
Copyediting medical content carried a median rate range of $60 to $75 per hour among EFA members in 2025.
Editorial Freelancers Association · Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart (May 2026)
Exact quote
Medical 3.0–5.0¢ $60.00–75.00
$75 to $95
Developmental editing of medical content carried a median rate range of $75 to $95 per hour among EFA members in 2025.
Editorial Freelancers Association · Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart (May 2026)
Exact quote
Medical 5.3–6.8¢ $75.00–95.00
$52.50 to $70
Developmental editing of fiction carried a median rate range of $52.50 to $70 per hour among EFA members in 2025.
Editorial Freelancers Association · Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart (May 2026)
Exact quote
Fiction 3.0–3.5¢ $52.50–70.00
$75 to $100
Freelance writing and publishing coaching carried a median rate range of $75 to $100 per hour among EFA members in 2025.
Editorial Freelancers Association · Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart (May 2026)
Exact quote
Coaching $75.00–100.00
1,100
The EFA's 2026 rate chart is based on more than 1,100 members reporting the rates they charged during 2025.
Editorial Freelancers Association · Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart (May 2026)
Exact quote
Over 1,100 respondents, representing more than a third of the EFA’s membership, answered questions about the editorial services they provided and rates they charged for those services during the 2025 calendar year.
34%
Freelancers doing AI work on Upwork earned 34 percent more per hour than those not using AI, based on 2026 platform data.
Upwork · Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
Exact quote
Freelancers performing AI work on the Upwork Marketplace earn 34% more per hour than those not incorporating AI, but not all AI work is becoming more valuable.
45%
Upwork freelancers doing more complex work with AI saw earnings rise 45 percent year over year in 2026.
Upwork · Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
Exact quote
Freelancers doing more complex work with AI saw earnings increase 45% year-over-year.
13%
Per-contract earnings for generative AI and creative production work on Upwork fell 13 percent year over year, even as contract starts grew 90 percent.
Upwork · Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
Exact quote
For example, generative AI and creative production work saw 90% year-over-year growth in contract starts while per-contract earnings declined 13%, suggesting that lower-complexity AI execution may become less lucrative as it scales.
22%
Earnings for AI-augmented professional services on Upwork rose 22 percent in 2026, while volume grew 72 percent.
Upwork · Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
Exact quote
AI-augmented professional services — where domain experts integrate AI into established fields — grew 72% in volume with earnings rising 22%.
58%
58 percent of self-employed US adults said their income varied from month to month in 2025, compared with 28 percent of people who worked for someone else, according to the Federal Reserve's household survey.
Federal Reserve Board · Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Income and Expenses (May 2026)
Exact quote
Among self-employed adults, 58 percent said their income varied from month to month.

Employee pay benchmarks for common freelance trades

BLS median wages for employees are a useful floor when setting a freelance rate. A freelancer has to cover their own payroll taxes, health coverage, unpaid time between projects and business costs, so a rate that only matches the employee hourly wage usually earns less. In several creative trades most workers are already self-employed: about two thirds of writers and photographers, which means freelance rates in these fields effectively set the market. All wages are May 2025 medians for US employees.

$62,960
The median annual wage for US graphic designers was $62,960 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Graphic Designers (2026)
Exact quote
The median annual wage for graphic designers was $62,960 in May 2025.
20%
20 percent of US graphic designers were self-employed in 2025, the largest single employer group.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Graphic Designers (2026)
Exact quote
Some of the largest employers of graphic designers were as follows: Self-employed workers 20%
$76,910
The median annual wage for US writers and authors was $76,910 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Writers and Authors (2026)
Exact quote
The median annual wage for writers and authors was $76,910 in May 2025.
65%
65 percent of US writers and authors were self-employed in 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Writers and Authors (2026)
Exact quote
Some of the largest employers of writers and authors were as follows: Self-employed workers 65%
$77,920
The median annual wage for US editors was $77,920 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Editors (2026)
Exact quote
The median annual wage for editors was $77,920 in May 2025.
$60,170
The median annual wage for US interpreters and translators was $60,170 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Interpreters and Translators (2026)
Exact quote
The median annual wage for interpreters and translators was $60,170 in May 2025.
28%
28 percent of US interpreters and translators were self-employed in 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Interpreters and Translators (2026)
Exact quote
Professional, scientific, and technical services 30% Self-employed workers 28
$21.47
The median hourly wage for US photographers was $21.47 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Photographers (2026)
Exact quote
The median hourly wage for photographers was $21.47 in May 2025.
67%
67 percent of US photographers were self-employed in 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Photographers (2026)
Exact quote
Some of the largest employers of photographers were as follows: Self-employed workers 67%
$92,650
The median annual wage for US web developers was $92,650 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Outlook Handbook: Web Developers and Digital Designers (2026)
Exact quote
The median annual wage for web developers was $92,650 in May 2025.

What clients spend on freelance marketplaces

Upwork and Fiverr report spend per client every quarter, which makes them the best public signal of freelance demand. Both show the same shift: fewer clients, each spending more, as marketplaces chase larger projects. Fiverr's active buyers fell by about a quarter in a year while spend per buyer rose 12.9 percent, and projects of $1,000 or more now make up 16 percent of its gross order value. These are company metrics with their own definitions, so compare trends rather than absolute levels across the two platforms.

Fiverr annual spend per buyer

Trailing 12-month spend per active buyer on the Fiverr marketplace, US dollars.

$330

$373

Sep 30, 2025Sep 30, 2026

Source: Fiverr, Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results

$914.1 million
Upwork processed $914.1 million in gross services volume in the third quarter of 2026.
Upwork · Upwork Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Nov 2026)
Exact quote
GSV (1) of $914.1 million
717,000
Upwork had 717,000 active clients in the third quarter of 2026.
Upwork · Upwork Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Nov 2026)
Exact quote
Active clients (1) of 717,000
$5,418
Upwork's gross services volume per active client reached $5,418 in the third quarter of 2026, up 8 percent year over year.
Upwork · Upwork Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Nov 2026)
Exact quote
GSV per active client (1) of $5,418, an increase of 8% year-over-year
$450 million
Spending with Upwork freelancers who have AI skills reached an annualized run rate of nearly $450 million in the third quarter of 2026.
Upwork · Upwork Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Nov 2026)
Exact quote
GSV from freelancers with AI-skills reached an estimated annualized run rate of nearly $450 million in Q3 2026.
55%
Spending with Upwork freelancers who have AI skills grew 55 percent year over year in the third quarter of 2026.
Upwork · Upwork Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Nov 2026)
Exact quote
GSV from freelancers with AI-skills increased 55% year-over-year in Q3 2026.
$373
Fiverr's annual spend per buyer reached $373 as of September 30, 2026, up 12.9 percent from $330 a year earlier.
Fiverr · Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
Annual spend per buyer 1 as of September 30, 2026, reached $373, compared to $330 as of September 30, 2025, an increase of 12.9% year over year.
2.4 million
Fiverr had 2.4 million annual active buyers as of September 30, 2026, down 25.8 percent from 3.3 million a year earlier.
Fiverr · Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
Annual active buyers 1 as of September 30, 2026, were 2.4 million, compared to 3.3 million as of September 30, 2025, a decline of 25.8% year over year.
16%
Projects of $1,000 or more made up 16 percent of Fiverr's completed project order value over the 12 months to September 2026.
Fiverr · Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
Higher-value project growth: Projects at or above $1,000 represented 16% of completed projects' gross order amount on a trailing twelve-month basis.

Platform fees and take rates

Platform fees are the hidden cost in a freelance rate. Fiverr's take rate, the share of buyer spend it keeps as revenue, was 28.2 percent over the year to September 2026, combining fees charged to both buyers and sellers. Upwork's freelancer fee varies from 0 to 15 percent by contract, and Freelancer.com charges freelancers 10 percent plus a separate fee to clients. Freelancers who bill clients directly avoid marketplace fees but still pay payment processing, such as PayPal's 3.49 percent plus a fixed fee on invoices paid with PayPal. US tax reporting rules also differ depending on whether payments flow through a platform.

28.2%
Fiverr's marketplace take rate was 28.2 percent for the 12 months ended September 30, 2026, up from 27.6 percent a year earlier.
Fiverr · Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
Marketplace take rate 1 for the twelve-months period ended September 30, 2026 was 28.2%, compared to 27.6% for the twelve-months period ended September 30, 2025.
0% to 15%
Upwork's Freelancer Service Fee ranges from 0 to 15 percent per contract and is fixed once the contract starts.
Upwork · Learn about the Freelancer Service Fee (2026)
Exact quote
The fee ranges from 0% to 15% per contract, and helps us provide you with payment protection, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, and all the tools that help you run your business more smoothly.
$55.4 million
Fiverr's marketplace revenue fell 24.7 percent to $55.4 million in the third quarter of 2026.
Fiverr · Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
Marketplace revenue in the third quarter of 2026 was $55.4 million, compared to $73.6 million in the third quarter of 2025, a decline of 24.7% year over year.
$20,000
Payment apps and online marketplaces must send a Form 1099-K only when a seller's payments exceed $20,000 across more than 200 transactions.
Internal Revenue Service · Understanding your Form 1099-K (2026)
Exact quote
A payment app or online marketplace is required to send you a Form 1099-K if the payments you received for goods or services total over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions.
10%
Freelancer.com charges freelancers a project fee of 10 percent or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects and 10 percent on hourly projects.
Freelancer.com · Freelancer Fees and Charges (2026)
Exact quote
The fee for fixed price projects is 10% or $5.00 USD, whichever is greater, and 10% for hourly projects.
3%
Clients who award a fixed-price project on Freelancer.com pay a fee of 3 percent or $3, whichever is greater.
Freelancer.com · Freelancer Fees and Charges (2026)
Exact quote
For fixed price projects, a fee of 3% or $3.00 USD (whichever is greater) is levied at the time a project has been awarded by you.
3.49%
PayPal's US standard rate for receiving a domestic invoice payment is 3.49 percent plus a fixed fee when the client pays with PayPal, and 2.99 percent plus a fixed fee for card payments.
PayPal · Fees: Merchant and Business, PayPal US (2026)
Exact quote
PayPal Checkout, Pay with Venmo, or PayPal Guest Checkout 3.49% + fixed fee Standard Credit and Debit Card Payments, Apple Pay, or other third-party wallets 2.99% + fixed fee

Self-employment tax on freelance income

Freelancers in the US pay both the employee and employer share of Social Security and Medicare through self-employment tax. That is the main reason a freelance rate needs to sit well above the equivalent employee wage. The tax applies to 92.35 percent of net earnings, the Social Security part stops at the annual wage base ($184,500 in 2026 and $192,300 in 2027), and an extra Medicare tax applies to high earners. State and federal income taxes come on top and are not covered here.

12.4% + 2.9%
The US self-employment tax rate is 12.4 percent for Social Security plus 2.9 percent for Medicare.
Internal Revenue Service · Topic no. 554, Self-employment tax (2026)
Exact quote
This rate consists of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare taxes.
$400
US freelancers usually owe self-employment tax once net earnings from self-employment reach $400 in a year.
Internal Revenue Service · Topic no. 554, Self-employment tax (2026)
Exact quote
You usually must pay self-employment tax if you had net earnings from self-employment of $400 or more.
92.35%
Self-employment tax is generally charged on 92.35 percent of net earnings from self-employment.
Internal Revenue Service · Topic no. 554, Self-employment tax (2026)
Exact quote
Generally, the amount subject to self-employment tax is 92.35% of your net earnings from self-employment.
$200,000
The 0.9 percent Additional Medicare Tax applies to self-employment income above $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Internal Revenue Service · Topic no. 554, Self-employment tax (2026)
Exact quote
The threshold amounts are $250,000 for a married individual filing a joint return, $125,000 for a married individual filing a separate return, and $200,000 for all others.
$184,500
The Social Security portion of self-employment tax applies to income up to $184,500 in 2026, the same wage base as for employees.
Internal Revenue Service · Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates (Sep 2026)
Exact quote
For earnings in 2026, this base limit is $184,500.
$192,300
The Social Security wage base, the cap on earnings subject to the 12.4 percent Social Security part of self-employment tax, rises to $192,300 for earnings in 2027, according to the Social Security Administration.
Social Security Administration · Contribution and Benefit Base (Oct 2026)
Exact quote
For earnings in 2027, this base is $192,300 .

FAQ

How many Americans freelance?

MBO Partners counts a record 74.9 million Americans working independently in 2026, and full-time independents make up 22 percent of full-time US workers. The narrower BLS measure found 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job in July 2023, 7.4 percent of employment.

What is a typical freelance editing rate?

The Editorial Freelancers Association's 2026 chart shows median ranges of $40 to $50 an hour for copyediting fiction and $60 to $75 for medical copyediting. Developmental editing of medical content runs $75 to $95 an hour.

How much do Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com take from freelancers?

Upwork's Freelancer Service Fee ranges from 0 to 15 percent per contract, and Freelancer.com charges freelancers 10 percent. Fiverr's marketplace take rate, which includes fees from buyers and sellers, was 28.2 percent for the 12 months to September 2026.

Do freelancers using AI earn more?

Upwork reports that freelancers doing AI work earn 34 percent more per hour than those not using AI. The gains are uneven: complex AI-augmented work saw earnings rise 45 percent, while per-contract earnings for generative AI and creative production fell 13 percent.

Is freelance income less stable than a salary?

Yes, on average. The Federal Reserve found that 58 percent of self-employed adults said their income varied from month to month in 2025, compared with 28 percent of people who worked for someone else.

What is the self-employment tax rate in 2026?

The IRS self-employment tax rate is 12.4 percent for Social Security and 2.9 percent for Medicare, applied to 92.35 percent of net earnings once they reach $400. The Social Security part stops at $184,500 in 2026, and the Social Security Administration has set the 2027 cap at $192,300.

Methodology note

We combined official statistics (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook wages for May 2025 and the July 2023 Contingent Work Supplement, the latest available; the Federal Reserve's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking fielded in October 2025; the Australian Bureau of Statistics for August 2025; Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for September 2026), IRS and Social Security Administration tax rules, company results from Upwork and Fiverr for the third quarter of 2026, fee schedules published by Upwork, Freelancer.com and PayPal as checked on 2026-11-04, Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026, MBO Partners' 2026 State of Independence survey of 4,557 US adults fielded in April 2026, the Editorial Freelancers Association's 2026 rate chart based on 2025 member data and the 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey. Definitions differ: MBO Partners counts anyone working independently, BLS and the ABS count main jobs only, and Upwork and Stack Overflow survey specific groups. EFA figures are median rate ranges reported by members and cover editorial work only. Platform metrics are company-defined and not audited market data. BLS wages are for employees and are shown as a benchmark, not as freelance rates. Every quote is re-fetched from the source by our checker. See how we rank and verify.

Sources

1Australian Bureau of Statistics: Working arrangements, August 2025
2Editorial Freelancers Association: Editorial Rates: 2026 Rate Chart
3Federal Reserve Board: Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Income and Expenses
4Fiverr: Fiverr Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results
5Freelancer.com: Freelancer Fees and Charges
6Internal Revenue Service: Understanding your Form 1099-K
7Internal Revenue Service: Topic no. 554, Self-employment tax
8Internal Revenue Service: Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates
9MBO Partners: MBO Partners by Beeline: U.S. Independent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million as Full-Time Independence Accelerates
10PayPal: Fees: Merchant and Business, PayPal US
11Social Security Administration: Contribution and Benefit Base
12Stack Overflow: 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey: Work
13Statistics Canada: The Daily: Labour Force Survey, September 2026
14U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023 (news release, November 8, 2024)
15U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Graphic Designers
16U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Writers and Authors
17U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Editors
18U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Interpreters and Translators
19U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Photographers
20U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Web Developers and Digital Designers
21Upwork: Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026
22Upwork: Upwork Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
23Upwork: Learn about the Freelancer Service Fee

Cite this page

Rankozo. (2026, November 4). Freelance Rate Statistics 2026. https://rankozo.com/freelance-rate-statistics

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