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The 2025 guide to creative salaries & freelance rates across the UK & US

A salary guide is just data.
A hiring strategy is what you do with it.

We don’t believe in just matching the average or settling for the minimum — because great hiring isn’t about hitting a number, it’s about creating win-win outcomes.

For agencies and brands across the UK, the creative hiring landscape has shifted. Talented candidates expect more – and rightly so. Meanwhile, employers are rethinking their strategies to not only attract the best, but keep them. So how do you know where you stand?

Our 2025 Salary & Freelance Guide breaks it all down, giving you the data, insight, and context you need to make smarter decisions about hiring your next designer or wondering if your rate reflects your worth.

Hiring managers and creative professionals alike are navigating a market defined by change:

  • Hybrid working reshaping expectations
  • A squeeze on mid-level and senior talent
  • A surge in long-term freelance partnerships
  • Growing requirements for transparent, strategic salary bands

With this in mind, our 2025 report isn’t just numbers: it’s designed to guide decisions. Built from real conversations and actual offers, it helps you benchmark smarter.

What’s inside?

✅ Permanent salaries for creative, strategy, motion, client services and more
✅ Freelance day rates across UK and US
✅ Insights into candidate priorities and hiring trends
✅ Key considerations around negotiation, retention and equity
✅ Commentary from our recruitment experts on what to expect next

For Employers:

Hiring top-tier creative talent in 2025 means knowing what ‘competitive’ really means. Our guide helps you:
– Structure salary bands that support retention
– Budget for freelance without overpaying
– Avoid salary mismatch delays in your hiring process

For Creatives:

Know your value – and be confident asking for it. This guide helps you:
– Compare your salary or freelance rate to industry benchmarks
– Prepare for negotiations with up-to-date insight
– Build a long-term career plan based on market realities

Have questions?

Good. The best decisions come from good discussions. Simply reach out to our team below.

Dan Crowder

Founder & MD

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Jess Parker

Director of Freelance

LinkedIn Email