Rates, 2026
What should a talent booker charge in a smaller market?
About $500 a day for a talent booker who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $400 in the first years, $600 when senior. Talent search and booking runs about $1,225. Also called: talent relations, talent coordinator, booking agent, entertainment booker.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$400
a day · $50 an hour
Working, booked
$500
a day · $65 an hour
Senior, sought after
$600
a day · $75 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$500 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$65 per hour
- Talent search and bookingshortlist, outreach, the deal, the paperwork; the client pays the talent directly$1,225 per booking
- Rebook (someone you already placed with them)$800 per booking
- Monthly retainerup to four bookings a month, roster building, first look, a weekly call$3,925 per month
- Each one over the retainer$625 per booking
Sold per booking or search, a monthly retainer, by the day. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Shortlist only, no booking$350 to $700 per search
- Headliner, multi-talent or travel$1,750 to $4,200 from, quoted up front
- On-site day (run the talent on the day)$350 to $625 per day
- Kill fee once outreach starts50 to 50% of the booking fee
- Retainer+, up to 8 bookings with an on-site day$4,200 to $6,300 per month
How the number is made
Talent bookers at this level in this market day at about $500 ($500 to $900 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
Talent search and booking runs $1,000 to $2,500 and takes about 10 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $650. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: up to four bookings a month, roster building, first look, a weekly call. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Terms that hold: the client pays the talent directly, never through you; 50% deposit; kill fee of half once outreach starts; expenses at cost; rates valid 90 days.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a talent booker in a smaller US market?
- About $500 a day for someone working and booked, $400 in the first years, $600 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is talent search and booking?
- $1,225 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a talent booker?
- Around $3,925 a month: up to four bookings a month, roster building, first look, a weekly call. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.
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