Pay and rates
What trades and services earn, and what to charge
Official pay data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025) for 91 trades and services, with a suggested hourly billing rate for each.
Quick answer
Median hourly pay ranges from $16.51 to $80.19 across the 91 trades and services below (BLS, May 2025). Self-employed workers usually bill about twice their equivalent wage or more, to cover taxes, overhead, unbilled time, and profit.
Hourly figures. Pay is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and covers employees only. Suggested billing rates are our estimate, explained in the FAQ below.
Pay and rates FAQ
Where does this pay data come from?
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. It reports what employers pay employees in each occupation, nationally and by state.
How is the suggested billing rate calculated?
We take the median hourly wage, add 25% for taxes and insurance, 20% for overhead, and 15% profit, then divide by 75% billable time. Each occupation page has a calculator so you can use your own numbers.
Why is my rate higher than the wages listed?
Wages are what an employee takes home before tax. As a business you also pay self-employment tax, insurance, tools, and marketing, and you cannot bill for every hour you work, so your rate needs to be higher.
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