Upwork Hourly Rates: What Clients Pay in 10 Different Industries (2025)

Whether you’re new to freelancing platforms like Upwork or gig work altogether, figuring out what to charge can be daunting. Charge too little, and you’re leaving money on the table. Charge too much, and you might scare off potential clients—at least theoretically.

Industries Studied & My Methodology

This year, I researched 10 popular freelance industries by creating job postings on Upwork that included relevant industry keywords in the title. When setting up each job post, I selected a medium-term duration of 1-3 months, intermediate difficulty, and limited talent searches to U.S.-based freelancers. I also selected 3-5 popular skill tags for each.

When you go through these motions on the client side of the Upwork platform, more often than not, a bar chart with average rates is shown to the client to give them an idea of what professionals are charging for the selected niche and skillset. I then used that data to compile my findings below.

Don't see your niche on the list? You can achieve similar results for your industry of interest by creating a client account on Upwork and going through the motions of setting up a job post. You don’t actually have to post the job to access the rate table.

Average Hourly Rates on Upwork

According to my findings, Upwork freelancer rates vary wildly depending on their experience level and industry demand. Entry-level freelancers tend to price their services lower, while highly skilled experts in competitive fields command higher rates.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular freelance industries and their corresponding hourly rates on Upwork today:

Freelance Industry Hourly Rates

1. Accounting & Bookkeeping

If you've got a head for numbers, this is a solid industry to be in. Freelance accountants and bookkeepers help businesses stay on top of their finances, prepare taxes, and even provide strategic financial advice. If you know your way around QuickBooks or Xero, clients are willing to pay well. These are the average rates Upwork freelancers charge today:

• Beginner: $10/hr
• Intermediate: $36-$60/hr
• Expert: $105/hr

2. Machine Learning & AI

AI is everywhere these days, and companies need skilled freelancers to build and maintain smart systems. Whether you're working on chatbots, automation, or predictive analytics, there’s no shortage of demand for AI and machine learning expertise. Here’s what Upwork freelancers in this field are charging today:

• Beginner: $20/hr
• Intermediate: $25-$52/hr
• Expert: $95/hr

3. Graphic Design

From designing logos to crafting entire brand identities, freelance graphic designers bring a company’s vision to life. If you’re proficient with Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, this field offers plenty of opportunities. Here are the average hourly rates for graphic designers on Upwork today:

• Beginner: $15/hr
• Intermediate: $30-$50/hr
• Expert: $95/hr

4. Presentation Design

Some people underestimate the power of a well-designed slide deck, but businesses know that a strong visual presentation can win them deals. Presentation designers focus on making slides look clean, compelling, and professional. These are the rates Upwork freelancers typically charge in this niche:

• Beginner: $10/hr
• Intermediate: $38-$65/hr
• Expert: $110/hr

5. Recruiting & Talent Solutions

Finding the right candidate for a job can be a nightmare for businesses, which is why they turn to freelance recruiters. If you have experience in HR or talent acquisition, you can get paid well to help companies source and screen the best applicants. Here’s what Upwork recruiters are charging today:

• Beginner: $5/hr
• Intermediate: $31-$67/hr
• Expert: $135/hr

6. Social Media Management

Every business wants a presence on social media, but not all of them know how to do it effectively. That’s where freelancers step in—creating content, managing posts, and engaging with followers to boost brand awareness. Here are the going rates for social media managers on Upwork today:

• Beginner: $5/hr
• Intermediate: $30-$60/hr
• Expert: $130/hr

7. Software Development (Full Stack)

Full-stack developers build and maintain websites, applications, and software solutions. They work with both front-end and back-end technologies to create seamless digital experiences. These are the current rates on Upwork for full-stack development:

• Beginner: $15/hr
• Intermediate: $35-$70/hr
• Expert: $135/hr

8. User Experience (UX)

UX designers focus on creating user-friendly digital experiences, ensuring websites and apps are intuitive and accessible. Their work includes wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing. Here’s what Upwork UX designers charge today:

• Beginner: $10/hr
• Intermediate: $33-$60/hr
• Expert: $100/hr

9. Video Editing

With platforms like YouTube and TikTok exploding, video content is more important than ever. If you’re skilled at editing footage, adding effects, and making videos engaging, there’s a strong demand for your skills. These are the average rates freelancers charge for video editing on Upwork:

• Beginner: $15/hr
• Intermediate: $30-$50/hr
• Expert: $105/hr

10. Web Design

Every business needs a website, and most of them don’t have the skills to build one themselves. If you know your way around WordPress, Webflow, Shopify or front-end coding, you can make a great living as a freelance web designer. These are the rates web designers charge on Upwork today:

• Beginner: $10/hr
• Intermediate: $30-$60/hr
• Expert: $100/hr

What I Charge on Upwork

Just to add some personal perspective to this data, I wanted to share a snapshot of my rate journey on Upwork over the past seven years.

When I first joined Upwork as an expert-level graphic designer, I set my rate to $20/hour just to get my foot in the door. After the first couple of projects resulted in 5-star reviews, I quickly changed my rate to $34 per hour, then later to $45 per hour, then again to $55 per hour, then to $75, then to $95. Today, I charge $100+ per hour on the platform with 8,358 billable hours and nearly $700,000 in total earnings.

I made a rule that every time I found myself booked solid for weeks, I’d bump my rate up just a smidge. After all, what did I have to lose if I already had more work than I needed?

I also discovered an interesting phenomenon along the way. Every time my rate increased so did the quality of my clientele. It’s true what they say – cheap Upwork clients tend to be more difficult than well-funded, more experienced clients. Increasing my hourly wages not only improved my bottom line but also my mental health.

So don’t be afraid to experiment a bit with your rate from time to time to see if you can attract some of those more desirable, bigger fish.