How to read these rates
Employee references are annual US median wages for the cited BLS occupation, which may cover several career paths. Freelance examples add $15,000 for benefits and $20,000 for business costs, then divide by 1,200 billable hours a year. Annual figures are rounded to the nearest $1,000 and hourly figures to the nearest dollar. Figures are before personal taxes, with no percentage fees. Open a guide to see the source or adjust the assumptions in the calculator.
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Camera operators, television, video, and film
Capture the process behind a project without disrupting production or revealing material outside the agreed documentation and publication boundaries.
View career → Behind-the-scenes producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Camera operators, television, video, and film
Develop audience-oriented stories that integrate an agreed brand purpose without obscuring the editorial premise or production responsibilities.
View career → Branded entertainment producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $91/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Public relations specialists
Turn member questions and contributions into useful recurring material that reflects the community's purpose and participation norms.
View career → Community content producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Film and video editors
Adapt existing material into new formats while preserving its meaning, evidence, and the context needed by each audience.
View career → Content repurposing specialist
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $79K/yr
- Freelance example
- $95/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Market Research Analysts
Interpret channel and content data to distinguish audience behavior, distribution effects, and decisions that production teams can actually test.
View career → Creator analytics analyst
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $91/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Public relations specialists
Organize member benefits, communication rhythms, access questions, and feedback so a creator's paid or free membership has a clear operating promise.
View career → Creator membership manager
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Management analysts
Organize a creator business's production calendar, asset library, collaborators, and routine handoffs so output does not depend on improvised coordination.
View career → Creator operations manager
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $91/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Public relations specialists
Coordinate creator collaborations by clarifying audience fit, deliverables, approvals, and the responsibilities attached to sponsored work.
View career → Creator partnerships coordinator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Management analysts
Track sponsor requirements, proposals, asset approvals, and delivery records so commercial partnerships remain organized across a creator's publishing schedule.
View career → Creator sponsorship coordinator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Camera operators, television, video, and film
Combine interviews, photographs, sound, and text into a coherent audience journey with a clear point of view and traceable source material.
View career → Digital storytelling producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $78K/yr
- Freelance example
- $94/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Editors
Curate a cohesive independent digital publication while balancing contributors, editorial standards, accessibility, and a manageable issue-production process.
View career → Digital zine editor
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Special effects artists and animators
Use motion and visual analogy to explain a focused learning concept while managing cognitive load and the limits of simplification.
View career → Educational animation creator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Special effects artists and animators
Translate an unfamiliar idea into a concise visual argument using a script, storyboard, and deliberate information hierarchy.
View career → Explainer video creator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $78K/yr
- Freelance example
- $94/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Editors
Organize a recurring publication around a reader need, reliable sourcing, and a manageable editorial and distribution workflow.
View career → Independent newsletter producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $73K/yr
- Freelance example
- $90/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Sound engineering technicians
Shape an interview format through guest preparation, structured questions, editorial decisions, and consistent episode delivery.
View career → Interview show producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $45K/yr
- Freelance example
- $66/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Photographers
Plan and capture authentic-looking editorial image sets that illustrate an everyday activity while meeting a defined publication brief.
View career → Lifestyle content photographer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Camera operators, television, video, and film
Coordinate live video sources, run-of-show cues, and fallback plans so a broadcast remains understandable when circumstances change.
View career → Livestream producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $78K/yr
- Freelance example
- $94/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Editors
Organize source content, language handoffs, review responsibilities, and release timing so localized material remains consistent and maintainable.
View career → Multilingual content coordinator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $77K/yr
- Freelance example
- $93/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Writers and authors
Evaluate a product against explicit use cases and evidence rather than relying on untested claims or superficial impressions.
View career → Product review producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Film and video editors
Structure product-opening footage to reveal packaging, included components, setup requirements, and first-use details without unsupported product claims.
View career → Product unboxing producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Camera operators, television, video, and film
Turn a tested recipe into a visual sequence that makes quantities, techniques, timing, and the finished result easy to follow.
View career → Recipe video producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $69K/yr
- Freelance example
- $87/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Training and development specialists
Capture software workflows clearly while controlling screen context, cursor emphasis, narration timing, and version-specific instructions.
View career → Screencast producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Film and video editors
Translate a focused idea into concise vertical video with a clear opening, readable captions, and purposeful pacing.
View career → Short-form video creator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $91/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Public relations specialists
Align a repeatable video format with platform behavior, audience questions, and a practical plan for testing creative choices.
View career → Social video strategist
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Special effects artists and animators
Construct short frame-by-frame sequences using physical objects, consistent lighting, and a production plan that anticipates painstaking capture and repairs.
View career → Stop-motion content creator
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $69K/yr
- Freelance example
- $87/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Training and development specialists
Turn a practical question into a visual demonstration with clear prerequisites, observable steps, and an independent completion check.
View career → Tutorial video producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Camera operators, television, video, and film
Produce creator-style promotional assets from an agreed brief while distinguishing staged examples from genuine customer experiences.
View career → User-generated content producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $75K/yr
- Freelance example
- $92/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Film and video editors
Plan repeatable video episodes around a defined audience question, production capacity, and clear editorial decisions.
View career → Video channel producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Project management specialists
Connect a multi-session online event's programming, technical dependencies, staffing, and participant communications into a workable operating plan.
View career → Virtual event producer
Content creation
- Employee reference
- $102K/yr
- Freelance example
- $114/hr
BLS · May 2025 · Project management specialists
Coordinate speakers, presentation assets, audience interaction, and technical rehearsals so a scheduled online session has a reliable delivery plan.
View career → Webinar producer