Are you charging enough for graphic design services? The median pay for a graphic designer is $50,370 per year, which amounts to $24.21 per hour. State-by-state, average annual wages range between $38,490 in Wyoming to $64,840 in New York.
Highly-skilled graphic designers can make much more: on Upwork, freelance designers charge anywhere between $20 to $150 per hour, with an average of $45 per hour – nearly twice as much as the median pay. However, hourly rates don’t tell the whole story.
Graphic designer hourly rates versus per-project fees
Hourly work can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you get compensated for your time. On the other, you can penalize yourself for quick, skillful work. That’s why many designers charge fixed project fees.
Let’s say a new client asks you to design a tri-fold brochure. The client provides all the assets you need and a style guide. You nail the design on the first go: no revisions requested. In all, you have two hours in the brochure. If your hourly rate is $50, you only make $100 for the entire project.
Sure, you’re paid for your time, but you’re not compensated for your skill or the fact that you were able to turn the project around quickly – both valuable attributes.
A better approach would be to set a flat fee upfront. Maybe most brochures take around four hours to design, plus two hours of revisions, so you calculate six total hours of work. That amounts to $300, given your $50 per hour rate. In this case, you’re fairly compensated for your time and your skill, and your client is happy because they know what the brochure design will cost upfront.
Even then, perhaps that’s not enough. It’s no secret many designers assign somewhat arbitrary per-project fees. You might design a tri-fold brochure for $500, $1,000 or $1,500. If your skill level matches the price and the market will pay it, then your price is fair.
Average graphic design pricing list
Are you charging enough? If not, how much should you charge for each type of project? No fees are set in stone and it’s difficult, if not impossible, to arrive at national averages. Still, you can get a general idea for how much average designers make for common projects with the following graphic design pricing list, based on a rough number of hours per project billed at a$25, $45 and $150 per hour.
Logo design (approximately 15 hours)
- Low end: $375
- Mid-range: $675
- High-end: $2,250
Tri-fold brochure (approximately 6 hours)
- Low end: $150
- Mid-range: $270
- High-end: $900
Flyer (approximately 3 hours)
- Low end: $75
- Mid-range: $150
- High-end: $450
Postcard (approximately 3 hours)
- Low end: $75
- Mid-range: $150
- High-end: $450
Banner (approximately 2 hours)
- Low end: $50
- Mid-range: $100
- High-end: $300
Business card (approximately 3 hours)
- Low end: $75
- Mid-range: $150
- High-end: $450
Catalog (approximately 64 hours for a 32-page catalog)
- Low end: $1,600
- Mid-range: $3,200
- High-end: $9,600
Charge a fair and competitive fee your clients are happy to pay
This price list shouldn’t necessarily dictate your own rates. Many factors go into pricing a graphic design project: complexity, time, skill level, revisions, research, deadline and the client. Use the list as a guideline to identify where your pricing falls and adjust your rates, if needed.
Don’t forget to add in padding for revision rounds, client holdups and on-site visits, photography, photo editing and copywriting, if required.
It’s a good idea to research your immediate competitors to see what they charge, then identify how you can compete. Should you offer competitive rates? Should you charge less and aim for volume from budget clients? Should you position yourself as a premium designer and charge premium rates? Identify your Unique Selling Proposition – how you’re different and better than competing designers – to justify your rates.
Your client base also plays a role in establishing your fees: small businesses and local nonprofit organizations have very different budgets than large corporations, for example. What’s your niche? Should you cater to smaller companies knowing you can get more work? Or should you serve high-paying clients, which could be a tougher nut to crack?
Finally, consider how much time you’ll incur helping your clients take their project from the design phase to completion. For example, you need to work directly with the printing company to select paper stock, printing options and arrange for delivery or mailing, that time should be absorbed by your fee.
How much you charge for graphic design services is ultimately up to you. If you’re well-compensated and your clients are happy to pay your fee, your rate is set. If there is an imbalance between the two, it might be time for a change.
Don’t forget: you can save your clients money (and even earn extra for yourself as a reseller) when you choose high-quality printing services at discount prices!
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