What Is the Average Freelance Writer Salary Nowadays?

The salary of a freelance writer is rather difficult to pin down. Why? Because it depends on a lot of variables. For example, writers who work for US or Canadian companies or business owners are generally paid higher than their counterparts who work for companies in Europe or Asia. In general, the wealthier the country the freelancer is operating in, the higher his or her salary. But it is not as simple as that. There are other factors that greatly influence the average salary of a freelancer. Let’s explain why a freelance writer salary is so difficult to measure accurately.

Factors That Influence the Earnings of a Freelance Writer

As we stated earlier, the amount of money a freelancer can make each month depends on where most of his clients are based. This is exactly why freelancers always strive to get as many US and Canadian clients. These are the higher paying clients and everyone in the freelancing world knows it.

Another factor that influences the earnings of a freelance writer is his experience and speed. An experienced freelancer is able to write copy significantly faster than an inexperienced writer. This means that the former will be able to make a significantly higher income in a month. Simply put, he can write more content in the same amount of time. This matters because many times freelance writers are not paid by the hour, which is another factor that affects their monthly earnings.

It is difficult to pin down the average freelance writing salary because over half of freelancers do not work on hourly rates. These writers charge a flat fee per 100 words. This can be anywhere from $1 to $20, depending on the experience, reputation, and knowledge of the writer. The niche he is writing in also affects these rates. A writer writing about financial markets will charge more than a freelancer working on articles about pets.

The Average Salary According to Various Sources

According to Payscale.com, the hourly rate of freelance writers in the United States (or working for clients in the US) is between $10 and $55. This means that the median salary is around $25 per hour. Assuming a freelancer is able to work 8 hours a day, 22 days per month, he or she would make around $52,800 per year. This is not a bad salary; not bad at all. However, at the minimum hourly rate, a freelancer would earn just $21,120 per year.

Figuring out the average freelance writer salary for people who charge by the 100 words is rather difficult. However, let’s assume the writer charges an average of $4 for every 100 words the he or she writes. A relatively experienced writer can write 1000 words per hour on almost any topic, which means an hourly wage of around $40. In a year, the freelancer can earn $84,480. This is a very good salary by any standards.

Is It Worth It?

The calculations above are based on the assumption the freelancer is able to work for 8 hours every day, 22 days per month. Unforeseen circumstances may prevent some writers from achieving this goal. And one of the biggest problems freelancers face every week is finding work. Less than 50% of all freelance writers in the US and Canada have a constant flow of projects. This means that they are busy finding work and submitting proposals for at least a couple hours every day.

Nonetheless, being a freelance writer is definitely worth it if you are determined to be the best writer you can be. And if you live in a country that is not the United States or Canada, even $21,120 per year may be a very good salary. And we are sure you will be able to do better than this over time! You will be able to quit your boring 9 to 5 day job to become a freelance writer once you start making a consistent salary every month.