Rates, 2026
What should a brand designer charge in New York or LA?
About $1,050 a day for a brand designer who is working and booked in New York or Los Angeles. $725 in the first years, $1,375 when senior. A brand identity runs about $9,000. Also called: identity designer, logo.
Other markets: a major city · remote · a smaller market
First years
$725
a day · $90 an hour
Working, booked
$1,050
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,375
a day · $175 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,050 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- A brand identity$9,000 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 New York or Los Angeles: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Logo only$800 to $3,000 each
- Full identity (logo, type, color, marks)$4,000 to $15,000 each
- Brand guidelines document$1,500 to $5,000 each
- Social kit and templates$600 to $2,000 each
- Rebrand of an existing mark$1,500 to $6,000 each
How the number is made
Brand and logo designers at this level day at about $1,050 ($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 New York or LA?
- About $1,050 a day for someone working and booked, $725 in the first years, $1,375 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a brand identity?
- $9,000 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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