As with any freelancer’s service charges, the graphic design hourly rate is affected by many factors. These factors may include the artist’s years of experience, location, level of education, and the scope and length of the project at hand.
In order to set out with your own design rate per hour, it is important to have a background of how much people on the same field are earning. This way, you can ensure that you are not charging too much or too little. Below is a sample of hourly rates you can use as framework for your own service charges:
Designer’s Hourly Rates: Pricing Design Work
In order to help you set out with your own service appraisal, use this free worksheet by Marketing Mentor.
Take note though that location is another factor that affects the service fees. According to the Survey of Salaries and Billing Practices for the Communication Design Industry, the average graphic design services worth for Canadians is $74/hour. This study has been conducted on 2,890 creative specialists across Canada.
Graphic Design Hourly Rate Considerations
This industry is teeming with various offers, skill levels, and experience. Because of this, there is no cookie-cutter way to compare prices for designers’ hourly service fees. However, you can still ensure that you get the best value for your work by keeping in mind certain considerations. In order for you to establish a price as a contract graphic designer, make sure that you consider these factors:
- The range of the proposed project at hand. This includes:
- Deliverables
- Volume of work
- Number of concepts both from you and the client
- Possibility of future business
- Number of revisions you will allow
- Estimated expenses
- The urgency to deliver the project
- Anticipated number of hours you need to complete the project
Take note that the rate you quoted to the client at the start of the project may change should there be any changes outside of your allowable revisions. You need to make sure that the client understands this condition.
During the course of the project when you need to add extra features or if the project calls for a new idea on a different route, it is crucial to communicate this to the client. You do not want to pour out your new ideas only to have the client refuse to pay for new rate.
