How much to charge for a graphic design job?
I posted an ad on Craigslist advertising my design skills (brochures, posters, invitations, etc.) and I got a response from someone who has a very simple project. All he wants me to do is scan some forms and convert them from PDF files to word documents and place the logo on top. How much should I charge him for this?
He also said there might be some future graphic design projects that may require more skill.
Each document is 1-2 pages.
The short answer is: whatever you want to charge.
I know you think it’s more complicated than that so I’ll explain.
Nobody knows how much to charge when they first start freelancing. In any business, you have to charge enough to pay your business expenses and your living expenses. Then you need enough extra to save.
Freelance work is not like a regular job. There will be slow times. You have to make enough during the busy times to tide you over. You also need to save for your eventual retirement.
It’s worth spending the time to list all the above expenses–try not to leave anything out–to find out how much you need to make per month in order to be comfortable.
Divide that figure by however many hours you plan to work each month to come up with an hourly rate. This may not be what every freelance designer in the world needs to charge, but it will be the freelance graphic design rates you need to charge to make a successful go of it.
Adrian Shaughnessy speaks about ‘Graphic Design: A User’s Manual’
