Rates, 2026
What should a scriptwriter charge in a major city?
About $725 a day for a scriptwriter who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $525 in the first years, $925 when senior. A script runs about $2,300. Also called: screenwriter, video script.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$525
a day · $65 an hour
Working, booked
$725
a day · $90 an hour
Senior, sought after
$925
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$725 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$90 per hour
- A script$2,300 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.
- 60-second spot$250 to $850 each
- YouTube video script$250 to $1,025 each
- Explainer script$425 to $1,700 each
- Short film$1,700 to $6,800 each
- Punch-up or rewrite$175 to $675 each
How the number is made
Scriptwriters at this level in this market day at about $725 ($500 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.
A script runs $400 to $5,000 and takes about 12 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $1,075. 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 scriptwriter in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $725 a day for someone working and booked, $525 in the first years, $925 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a script?
- $2,300 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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