Rates, 2026
What should a voice actor charge in a smaller market?
About $600 a day for a voice actor who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $425 in the first years, $775 when senior. A voiceover spot runs about $625. Also called: voiceover, vo, narrator.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$425
a day · $55 an hour
Working, booked
$600
a day · $75 an hour
Senior, sought after
$775
a day · $95 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$600 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$75 per hour
- A voiceover spotsession plus usage; e-learning and narration by the finished hour$625 per project
Sold a project fee, by the hour. 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 smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Session, up to two hours$200 to $425 per session
- 30-second digital spot, 12 months$275 to $850 each
- Broadcast spot, 13 weeks$550 to $1,750 each
- E-learning or narration$100 to $275 per finished hour
- Audiobook$150 to $275 per finished hour
- Pickups$55 to $150 per session
How the number is made
Voice actors at this level in this market day at about $600 ($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 voiceover spot runs $300 to $1,500 and takes about 2 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $150. 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 voice actor in a smaller US market?
- About $600 a day for someone working and booked, $425 in the first years, $775 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a voiceover spot?
- $625 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.
More in actors, models and voices
actorugc creatormodelmusician or singerdancer or choreographer