Rates, 2026
What should a copywriter charge in a major city?
About $625 a day for a copywriter who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $450 in the first years, $775 when senior. A writing project runs about $2,475.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$450
a day · $55 an hour
Working, booked
$625
a day · $80 an hour
Senior, sought after
$775
a day · $95 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$625 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$80 per hour
- A writing project$2,475 per project
Sold a project fee, by the hour, 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.
- Blog post or article (1,000 to 1,500 words)$250 to $850 per piece
- Video script (60 to 90 seconds)$175 to $500 per script
- Email sequence (5 emails)$675 to $2,125 per sequence
- Website copy, per page$350 to $1,025 per page
- Newsletter issue$225 to $675 per issue
- Bio or about page$175 to $500 per piece
How the number is made
Writer or copywriters at this level in this market day at about $625 ($450 to $1,000 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A writing project runs $800 to $5,000 and takes about 16 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $1,275. 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 copywriter in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $625 a day for someone working and booked, $450 in the first years, $775 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a writing project?
- $2,475 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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