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Freelance designer salary
Average freelance designer salary
$57,260
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Average freelance designer salary by state
Highest paying states for freelance designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $89,729 | $43.14 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $70,860 | $34.07 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $71,019 | $34.14 |
| 4 | California | $68,370 | $32.87 |
| 5 | Oregon | $65,257 | $31.37 |
| 6 | Virginia | $67,810 | $32.60 |
| 7 | New York | $67,277 | $32.34 |
| 8 | Michigan | $59,736 | $28.72 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $69,585 | $33.45 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $59,753 | $28.73 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $62,454 | $30.03 |
| 12 | Maryland | $63,920 | $30.73 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $60,437 | $29.06 |
| 14 | Nevada | $64,490 | $31.00 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $58,208 | $27.98 |
| 16 | Delaware | $60,139 | $28.91 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $54,942 | $26.41 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $64,045 | $30.79 |
| 19 | Alaska | $66,398 | $31.92 |
| 20 | Ohio | $57,657 | $27.72 |
| 21 | Utah | $53,035 | $25.50 |
| 22 | Illinois | $55,712 | $26.78 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $55,838 | $26.85 |
| 24 | Colorado | $55,653 | $26.76 |
| 25 | Texas | $53,396 | $25.67 |
| 26 | Arizona | $54,412 | $26.16 |
| 27 | Vermont | $53,946 | $25.94 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $52,456 | $25.22 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $62,119 | $29.86 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $51,541 | $24.78 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $51,841 | $24.92 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $52,345 | $25.17 |
| 33 | Kansas | $48,399 | $23.27 |
| 34 | Maine | $48,284 | $23.21 |
| 35 | Florida | $50,358 | $24.21 |
| 36 | Indiana | $49,293 | $23.70 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $48,892 | $23.51 |
| 38 | Georgia | $45,157 | $21.71 |
| 39 | Iowa | $46,559 | $22.38 |
| 40 | Missouri | $48,617 | $23.37 |
| 41 | Idaho | $47,789 | $22.98 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $49,020 | $23.57 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $47,665 | $22.92 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $45,339 | $21.80 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $46,685 | $22.44 |
| 46 | Alabama | $44,237 | $21.27 |
| 47 | Montana | $44,707 | $21.49 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $43,013 | $20.68 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $42,550 | $20.46 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $41,052 | $19.74 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $37,844 | $18.19 |
Freelance designer salary details
A freelance designer's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $83,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a freelance designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $57,260 | $4,772 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
Highest paying freelance designer jobs
The highest paying types of freelance designers are lead designer, senior designer, and interactive designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Artist | $54,900 | $4,575 | $26.39 | 8,752 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | $48,619 | $4,052 | $23.37 | 95,831 |
| Graphic Designer, Marketing | $48,763 | $4,064 | $23.44 | 115,113 |
| Graphic Designer Internship | $35,800 | $2,983 | $17.21 | 93,292 |
| Motion Graphics Designer | $62,558 | $5,213 | $30.08 | 44,960 |
| Student Graphic Designer | $27,337 | $2,278 | $13.14 | 55,508 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for freelance designers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Abby Guido
Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Top companies hiring freelance designers now:
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Freelance designer salary trends
The average freelance designer salary has risen by $10,051 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average freelance designer earned $47,209 annually, but today, they earn $57,260 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for freelance designers over the last decade.
Compare freelance designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average freelance designer salary over time
Compare freelance designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Freelance designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,300 | $27.53 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $55,900 | $26.87 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $54,000 | $25.98 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $52,200 | $25.12 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $51,100 | $24.57 | +1.6% |
Recently added freelance designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifung Trinity Group | Freelance Womenswear Designer | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $104,350 |
| Hill House | Technical Design Freelancer | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Critical Mass | Freelance Designer | Los Angeles, CA | 06/09/2025 | $104,350 |
| Lifung Trinity Group | Freelance Womenswear Designer (Outerwear) | New York, NY | 05/25/2025 | $104,350 |
| United Legwear and Apparel Company | Designer-[Kids SAS] Freelance | New York, NY | 05/22/2025 | $70,000 |
| Tommy John | Freelance Technical Designer, Men's | New York, NY | 05/15/2025 | $83,480 |
| Millwork Holdings Co | Freelance Womenswear Designer | Fine, NY | 05/10/2025 | $104,350 |
| Fung Group | Freelance Womenswear Designer | New York, NY | 05/07/2025 | $104,350 |
| Emerging Blue, Inc. | Freelance Technical Designer _ Athleisure and Lounge | New York, NY | 04/23/2025 | $73,045 |
| Avantstay | Freelance Photoshoot Interior Design Stylist (1099 Contractor) | Sevierville, TN | 04/12/2025 | $62,610 |
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