Rates, 2026
What should a producer charge in a major city?
About $775 a day for a producer who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $575 in the first years, $950 when senior. Producing a shoot runs about $5,525. Also called: line producer, content producer.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$575
a day · $70 an hour
Working, booked
$775
a day · $95 an hour
Senior, sought after
$950
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$775 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$95 per hour
- Producing a shoot$5,525 per project
Sold by the day, a project fee. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
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.
- Pre-production day$425 to $850 per day
- Producing a one-day shoot, start to wrap$2,550 to $5,100 per project
- Producing a multi-day shoot$5,100 to $12,750 per project
- Budget and schedule only$675 to $1,700 per project
How the number is made
Producers at this level in this market day at about $775 ($600 to $1,200 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
Producing a shoot runs $3,000 to $10,000 and takes about 40 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $3,800. 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 producer in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $775 a day for someone working and booked, $575 in the first years, $950 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is producing a shoot?
- $5,525 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.
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