Rates, 2026
What should a brand designer charge in a major city?
About $900 a day for a brand designer who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $625 in the first years, $1,150 when senior. A brand identity runs about $7,650. Also called: identity designer, logo.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$625
a day · $80 an hour
Working, booked
$900
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,150
a day · $150 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$900 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- A brand identity$7,650 per project
Sold a project fee, 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 major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Logo only$675 to $2,550 each
- Full identity (logo, type, color, marks)$3,400 to $12,750 each
- Brand guidelines document$1,275 to $4,250 each
- Social kit and templates$500 to $1,700 each
- Rebrand of an existing mark$1,275 to $5,100 each
How the number is made
Brand and logo designers at this level in this market day at about $900 ($600 to $1,500 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A brand identity runs $3,000 to $15,000 and takes about 60 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $7,500. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a brand designer in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $900 a day for someone working and booked, $625 in the first years, $1,150 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a brand identity?
- $7,650 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.
- 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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