Average Hourly Rate Insights (2025): Freelancers & Consultants

If you’re a freelancer or consultant, some of the most important questions on your mind might be, “How much should I charge per hour?” and “Can I make money freelancing or consulting?”

To help you make a more informed decision, in this guide, we have listed the average hourly rates for:

• Different industries,
• Locations, and
• Skill and experience levels.

Average hourly rates: 10 most important stats in 2025

Let’s take a look at the 10 most important statistics when it comes to average hourly rate insights for freelancers and consultants: 

1. The average hourly rate of freelancers worldwide is $101.50 (€98).
2. In the US, the average hourly rate for freelancers is $48 (€46).
3. The industry with the highest average hourly rate is Banking and Finance, with $110.88 (€107)/hr. 
4. The industry with the lowest average hourly rate is Quality Insurance, with $10 (€9.6)/hr. 
5. A graphic designer with Adobe InDesign skills makes about $35.95 (€34)/hr, whereas a graphic designer with Adobe Photoshop skills makes $33.99 (€32.4) on average per hour.
6. 66% of male freelancers are satisfied with their income, while 53% of women feel the same way. 
7. With an average hourly rate of $56 (€53), North America has the highest hourly rate, whereas Central America has the lowest — only $18 (€17).
8. A project manager will make an average of $25.49 (€24) in their early career, but around $38 (€36) if they have 20+ years of experience.
9. Women aged 18-24 make $16 (€15/hr) on average, whereas men of the same age make $21 (€20).
10. Freelancers with a bachelor’s degree earn $22 (€21)/hr on average. 

Average hourly rates of freelancers: General figures for 2025

According to FreelancerMap’s Freelancer Study, the average hourly rate of freelancers across the world is $101.50 (€98). The study collected data from 84 countries and found that 42% of freelancers make between $78.4 (€76) and $103.6 (€100) per hour.

On the other hand, Payoneer’s survey, which covered 122 countries and over 2,000 freelancers around the world, found that freelancer rates range between $22 (€21) and $24 (€23) per hour. As a matter of fact, women freelancers have an average rate of $22 (€21), while their male counterparts earn $24 (€23)per hour.

In the United States, freelancer consultants earn an average hourly rate of $48 (€45.8), according to ZipRecruiter’s statistics, with a majority of rates ranging from $14.90 (€14) to $132.21 (€126).

But these numbers depend on many factors that we will discuss next.

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What are the factors that impact hourly rates?

To understand how much your freelancing or consulting fees should be, we need to look at the factors that influence the average hourly rates you can use to charge for your services.

In the following sections, we will explore the most important factors that affect the market rate of freelancers and consultants, including:

• Industry,
• Location,
• Skills and experience,
• Education, and
• Gender and age.

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Average hourly rates by industry

Here are the average hourly rates across industries, according to the above-mentioned study by FreelancerMap, which includes data from 84 countries.

Average hourly rate of $100 and above:

• Banking and finance — $110.88 (€107),
• Energy — $108.82 (€105),
• Healthcare/pharma — $109.83 (€106),
• Industrial sector — $108.82 (€105),
• Insurance — $108.82 (€105),
• Automotive — $106.74 (€103),
• Traffic, transportation, logistics — $106.73 (€103),
• Retail — $104.66 (€101),
• Consulting — $102.60 (€99),
• Public sector — $102.60 (€99), and
• Mechanical engineering — $100.49 (€97).

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Average hourly rates between $90 and $99:

• Telecommunications — $99 (€96),
• Aerospace — $96 (€93),
• Electronics — $95 (€92),
• Construction — $94 (€91),
• IT/Software — $93 (€90),
• Other — $92 (€89), and
• Real Estate — $91 (€88).

Average hourly rates between $70 and $89:

• Media — $87 (€84),
• Tourism — $80.8 (€78), and
• Education — $78.7 (€76).

Bear in mind that we used the exchange rate of €1 = $1.04 — that was in effect on February 6, 2025.

The FreelancerMap’s survey doesn’t cover any hourly rate for freelancers below $60. According to the previously mentioned Payoneer survey, here’s the list of industries with hourly rates below $60.

Average hourly rate below $60: 

• Multimedia production — $35 (€33),
• Programming — $28 (€26.7),
• Marketing — $28 (€26.7),
• Content Writing — $26 (€24.8),
• Project management — $26 (€24.8),
• Web and graphic design — $22 (€21),
• IT — $21 (€20),
• Sales — $20 (€19),
• Translation — $19 (€18),
• Administrative — $13 (€12.4),
• Customer support — $12 (€11.4), and
• Quality Assurance — $10 (€9.5).

To sum up, the most profitable field, according to FreelancerMap’s survey, is the energy sector, closely followed by banking, energy, and healthcare/pharma. The least profitable industry is quality assurance, according to Payoneer’s report.

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Average hourly rates by location

The world region and country you’re living in are some of the biggest factors that influence the average hourly rates.

Hourly rates by world region

The average hourly rate, according to Payoneer, varies based on the world region.

With an average hourly rate of $56 (€53.4), North America has the highest number. On the other hand, Central America has the lowest average hourly rate — only $18 (€17).

In addition, the global average hourly rate is $23 (€22).

Hourly rates by country

Before determining how much to charge as a consultant or freelancer, you need to also look at how the average hourly rates vary by country.

For instance, these are the average hourly rates of graphic designers given by Payscale across different countries.

Note: The hourly rates in different countries may vary based on the current exchange rate for different currencies (for the data above, we used the exchange rate that was in effect on February 6th, 2025).

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To give you some more examples of what the hourly rates look like for the same professions in different countries, we have collated the following data from Payscale.

Note: The hourly rates in different countries may vary based on the current exchange rate for different currencies (for the data above, we used the exchange rate that was in effect on February 6, 2025).

Average hourly rates by skill level and years of experience

Skills and experience are vital factors in determining freelance income. According to Payscale, here are the average hourly freelance rates for different professionals across various experience levels. The following information applies to the US only.

Entry-level (less than 1 year of experience)

Entry-level professionals have less than or equal to 1 year of experience in a specific type of work. As they lack extensive professional experience, their freelancing or consulting fees are typically lower.

Here are the average hourly rates for entry-level professionals in the US:

• Software developer — $25.80 (€24.6),
• Project manager — $22.02 (€21),
• Accountant — $20.22 (€19), and
• Content writer — $19.25 (€18.36).

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Early-career (1-4 years of experience)

Early-career professionals usually have 1 to 4 years of experience, and, on average, make the following figures:

• Software developer — $31.01 (€29.6),
• Project manager — $25.49 (€24),
• Content writer — $25.66 (€24), and
• Accountant — $22.30 (€21).

Mid-career (5-9 years of experience)

Mid-career professionals have 5 to 9 years of experience and make the following average figures:

• Software developer — $43.44 (€41),
• Project manager — $31.66 (€30),
• Content writer — $29.29 (€28), and
• Accountant — $24.95 (€23.8).

Experienced (10-19 years of experience)

Experienced freelancers with 10-19 years of experience make the following figures on average for their type of work:

• Software developer — $56.37 (€53.8),
• Project manager — $36.93 (€35),
• Content writer — $33.90 (€32), and
• Accountant — $25.71 (€24.5).

Late-career (20+ years of experience)

Late-career professionals with 20 years of experience and higher possess significant experience and are typically in that stage of their life that leads to retirement. Such experienced freelancers make the following average figures:

• Software developer — $55.85 (€53),
• Content writer — $38.63 (€37),
• Project manager — $37.73 (€36), and
• Accountant — $26.68 (€25).

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Average hourly rates by education

Education is an important factor to consider when pricing consulting services. Academic qualification is also a priority for potential clients looking to hire a freelancer.

However, the most recent Payoneer report shows that freelancers with secondary education earn slightly more than those with a Bachelor’s degree.

College makes a significant difference at the later stages of your education — freelancers with post-graduate degrees command higher hourly rates than other freelancers:

• Post-graduate degree — $27 (€25.8),
• Graduated secondary education — $23 (€22), and
• Bachelor’s degree — $22 (€21).

We don’t have accurate information on the average hourly rate for freelancers with no secondary education.

Average hourly rates by gender

According to FreelancerMap’s study, the average male freelancers across the globe still have a higher rate per hour than female freelancers. 

Specifically, the average hourly rate for women is $95 (€91), whereas for men it’s $104 (€99). 

Male freelancers have an average net income per month of $8.345 (€7.957), whereas women have only $5,807 (€5.537). 

66% of male freelancers are satisfied with their income, while only 53% of women feel the same way. 

According to Payoneer’s report, the average hourly rate for men is $24/hour (€22.9), while women are paid $22 (€21) per hour on average. This shows that the gender pay gap still exists — though it is slightly smaller compared to data from 2022.

Furthermore, the gender pay gap varies based on the age of freelancers.

Most frequently asked questions about the average hourly rate

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to the average hourly rate for freelancers and consultants. 

What are Upwork average hourly rates in 2025?

Let’s see what the average hourly rates are for freelancers on Upwork, one of the most famous work marketplaces for freelancers. 

• Content writers and editors — $27.5/hr (€26),
• Programmers — $38/hr (€36),
• Software developers — $55/hr (€52),
• Web developers — $22.5/hr (€21),
• Graphic designers — $25/hr (€24),
• Bookkeepers — $18/hr (€17), and
• Project managers — $32/hr (€30.5).

Now let’s see what’s the freelance consultant hourly rate on Upwork in different niches: 

• Business consultants — $63/hr (€60),
• IT consultants — $21/hr (€20), and
• HR Consultants — $52/hr (€49.6). 

The Upwork average hourly rate also depends on numerous factors, including skills, experience, and industry. 

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Is there a link between different types of skills and average hourly freelance rates?

In short — yes, there is a link between different types of skills and average hourly rates. Since certain professions may involve a wide range of skills, average hourly rates can vary depending on the type of skill the professional offers.

To give you an example of how skill types can affect the average hourly rate for freelancers, here are the average hourly rates for graphic designers with different graphic design skills:

• Graphic designer with Adobe InDesign skills — $35.95 (€34),
• Graphic designer with branding skills — $35.26 (€33.6),
• Graphic designer with Adobe Illustrator skills — $32.89 (€31),
• Graphic designer with Adobe Photoshop skills — $33.99 (€32), and
• Graphic designer with social media marketing skills — $27.69 (€26).

The data we used in the example above is taken from the Payscale website and refers to the US only.

How do I negotiate my freelance hourly rate?

Let’s take a look at some of the best pieces of advice on negotiating your freelance hourly rate. 

1. Get familiar with the average hourly rates for your profession — it’s important to be aware of the pricing on the market to set a reasonable price,
2. Communicate confidently — after you’ve done your research and set your freelance hourly rate, make sure to communicate the rate with confidence and without hesitation,
3. Ask for a 20-30% higher hourly rate — in this way, if the potential employer wants to decrease it, you’ll reach the realistic rate together, and 
4. Don’t settle — if the potential client offers a rate that’s too low and unrewarding, it’s okay to give up on the offer. These offers can be tempting at the beginning of your freelance career, but you shouldn’t accept them frequently. 

What is a good hourly rate for a freelance artist?

People often ask how much should an artist pay themselves per hour. 

As per ZipRecruiter, the average hourly rate of an artist is $29/hr (€27.7). The rates go as high as $55.29 (€52.7) and as low as $10.82 (€10.31). 

Use Clockify to track billable hours and calculate your earnings 

To calculate how much you should charge your client for a specific project, you’ll need to define your hourly freelance rates and track your billable hours.

For that reason, Clockify lets you track how much time you spend working on projects and automatically calculates your earnings based on your hourly rates.

You can set an hourly rate before you start tracking time for a specific project or apply the rate for all past and future time entries.

Setting hourly billable rates in Clockify

Once your project is complete, you can view the total billable hours and your earnings for each project.

Clockify automatically calculates your billable hours and total earnings

This way, you can ensure accurate invoicing that reflects the true intricacy of each project component.

Elevate your freelance game by managing billable hours and tracking time seamlessly!

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