What should you charge for freelance design work? We're about to find out

"Designers are constantly forced to second-guess themselves: Should you charge a day rate or a project fee? Are you earning as much as your peers? Is AI taking work/jobs away from you? Today we're launching a new, data-driven effort in partnership with the American Institute of Graphic Arts to help you answer those questions and more with confidence."

"We're asking designers across the industry-graphic designers, UX professionals, art directors, and others-to help us gather information by taking a short survey. We want to know what kind of projects you're working on, how you price that work, and how you're feeling about the general state of freelancing in 2026."

"Our goal is to create a detailed snapshot of the freelance financial landscape. We'll share the results later this year in a special report."

Freelance designers face significant uncertainty about appropriate pricing, competitive compensation, and industry trends. The Design Pricing Transparency Project, launched in partnership with the American Institute of Graphic Arts, addresses this challenge through a comprehensive survey. The initiative collects data from graphic designers, UX professionals, art directors, and other design specialists about their project types, pricing strategies, and perspectives on freelancing in 2026. The project also gathers input from companies that hire freelance designers regarding their compensation practices, budget projections, and AI integration plans. Results will be compiled into a detailed report later in the year, providing the design community with evidence-based insights into the freelance financial landscape.

Read at Fast Company