We’ve got the cold hard facts.
But first, the caveats:
Most of the following information comes from the ProCopywriters annual surveys. While we do our best to cast a wide net, our reports are not a complete picture of the UK’s commercial writers.
With around 500-600 respondents each year, the data provides a useful glimpse into this world, but it can’t be considered a complete or perfect proxy for reality.
Our respondents are all ages, working in all regions, for all kinds of clients, in all kinds of industries, doing all kinds of work. Don’t use this information in isolation to make any major decisions.
With that out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff.
What can you expect to earn as a copywriter in 2022?
Here’s what we found when we asked 561 copywriters to spill the beans in 2021:
Average copywriter day rates
Your day rate should reflect the value you offer, the skills you’ve developed, and the expertise you’ve acquired.
Your day rate is entirely your choice, and the following numbers should not be seen as a guide. After all, these are averages. The entire data set includes people charging as little as £100 per day, and people charging £2,000+ for a day of their time.
Average day rates from ProCopywriters surveys:
2021: £387
2020: £379
2019: £349
2018: £342
Full time copywriter earnings
Again, these averages will encompass a huge variety of positions, seniority levels and career paths.
2021: £53,123
2020: £48,043
2019: £43,092
2018: £43,940
Copywriter income by employment type
How does your employment type affect your earning potential?
Agency founder: £103,548
Employed & freelance: £59,631
In-house: £53,769
Freelance: £49,675
Agency: £37,978
Average salaries from Glassdoor
The average salaries for copywriting roles broadly matches the kind of figures we’ve produced from our surveys:
Content designer: £40,552
Content strategist: £41,997
Copywriter: £28,966
Lead copywriter: £41,437
Senior copywriter: £43,852
What next?
If you’re feeling inspired after reading this far, you might be wondering about your next steps. If that’s you, you might appreciate…
Suggested rates for hiring copywriters (which also explores pricing strategies)
How do copywriters decide on their fees and pricing models? – by Sarah Monaghan
How to increase your day rate as a freelance copywriter – by Leif Kendall
How much should freelancers charge? – by Joe Hall
ProCopywriters survey reports
If you want to compare all the past data, the ProCopywriters survey reports are all free to download:
Featured image credit: Photo by Johny Goerend on Unsplash