1,273 designers tell all: Their rates, real pay, and how they really feel about AI

The useful part

One of the best things about being a freelance designer is building a career that's all your own. Unlike their W-2 counterparts, freelance designers are responsible for every aspect of their business. So who do they turn to when they have questions about how much to charge, what software to use, or how to chase down clients?

How it works

• We also asked 150 hiring managers about how much they pay for projects, whether they're replacing designers with AI, and their future plans for freelance hiring.
• Our report digs into the nitty gritty of how freelance designers work now—and how they're using technology to shape the way they'll work in the future.
• That's the premise behind the Design Pricing Transparency Project, a joint project between Fast Company and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.
• The resulting report is a detailed snapshot of the freelance financial landscape.
• Section 1 Demographics Understanding the state of freelance design first requires an understanding of who freelance designers are.

Details worth keeping

That independence is also what makes freelancing so hard. Until now, there's been no way to share it at scale.