graphic designer hourly rate

[expo09]

you can get the lowest rate per hour from any freelancing site like getafreelancer, elance any many more where through biding you can get the lowest rate.. but in my opinion at-least $15-25 per hour should be your budget...

I think that sounds low. For a really professional job I think you're looking at more like $50. But then if it's something simple someone reletively inexperienced can do then maybe you can get it for $25.

 

[che09]

Your question is a little complicated. First off lets go over some of the basics of cost breakdown for a web designer.

In-House Designer: no cost for overhead (because you supply that) no additional taxes (because you cover them) etc. ... basically a normal employee
expect to pay atleast $10-20 an hour

In-House Contract Designer: no cost for overhead BUT they only work on the basis of work needed (via a contract) ... most are also paying more for taxes + travel expenses ... only there when work is needed and paid the contracted hourly amount.
expect to pay atleast $20-30 an hour

Out-of-House Designer: overhead is covered by the designer (which means you pay a pro-rated amount per hour), they pay additional taxes, and can be either covered by a contracted pay fee (ussually less) or covered at a freelance rate (varies per assignment or job and is ussually more)
expect to pay atleast $15-25 an hour for a contracted designer and 20-50 an hour for a freelance designer.

Design Studio/Shop: Massive overhead, more than one employee, taxes galore, etc ... these are rated from job to job and you will be paying ALOT more ... good side: they take less time than a single freelancer, generally have alot better results, and you know that their price won't vary from job to job TOO much. bad side: expensive ... but you get what you pay for.
expect to pay atleast $50 an hour ... one client of mine was paying close to $600 an hour for design work i was doing for $45 an hour.

Also, anyone that seriously undercuts any hourly rate you see ... is either 1) inept at their job and can't afford to NOT get the job. 2) from india (not a bad thing, but alot of times there is a language+time issue so be prepared for that) and/or 3) you are hiring someone completely green to the field who may or may not know how to handle your needs. Overall, the phrase "you get what you pay for" is a good reference to this last part. Don't be afraid to pay a little more for superior results that will give you a better effect in the longrun, whether it be adaptability of design/code or plain old consumer effectiveness.

Great Break down!

Actually, it really depends on skill. Like others said, if you're hiring someone that's been doing it for long...Then I guess he/she would charge a bit higher. Nonetheless,it's the quality of work that will pay off!!

 

[reverseengineer]

Yes it all depends, but look through their portfolio carefully, before you make any decisions. Ask if they any references too. Expect to pay $20/hr and up.

 

[SEOArbiter]

This will vary based on type of website, extra features, amount of work to create your site, the expertise of the graphic designer and many other factors. You'll just need to compare rates.

 

[SixFigureDesign]

You get what you pay for

Just as with anything, you get what you pay for.

Rates in the US range from $25/hr to $85/hr. You'll want to review a designer's portfolio and credentials before choosing one.

Sandi
Six Figure Design

 

[Phreaddee]

wow. you guys seriously undercut yourself.
$20/hr? I wouldnt even get out of bed for that.
I charge $50/hr.
the benefit of charging a higher rate, is you get the better clients.
you charge $10 and every man and his dog wants something done.
you charge $50, and you only get professional jobs.
which really after doing degrees et al, do you really want to be getting LESS than a checkout chick?