Rates, 2026
What should a podcast producer charge in a major city?
About $550 a day for a podcast producer who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $400 in the first years, $700 when senior. An episode, produced runs about $425.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$400
a day · $50 an hour
Working, booked
$550
a day · $70 an hour
Senior, sought after
$700
a day · $90 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$550 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$70 per hour
- An episode, produced$425 per project
- Monthly retainerfour episodes a month, edited, published, show notes and clips$3,200 per month
- Each one over the retainer$225 per booking
Sold a monthly retainer, a project fee. The month is the unit; one-off work is priced as a project.
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.
- Edit only$85 to $350 per episode
- Full production$250 to $850 per episode
- Launch package (artwork, intro, first three)$1,700 to $5,100 each
- Show notes and social clips$85 to $250 per episode
How the number is made
Podcast producers at this level in this market day at about $550 ($400 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.
An episode, produced runs $200 to $800 and takes about 6 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $425. 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: four episodes a month, edited, published, show notes and clips. 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.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a podcast producer in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $550 a day for someone working and booked, $400 in the first years, $700 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is an episode, produced?
- $425 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 podcast producer?
- Around $3,200 a month: four episodes a month, edited, published, show notes and clips. 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.
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