Your numbers
What a ux designer should include in expenses
Typical costs include design and prototyping tools, user-testing platforms, research incentives. Add your own and keep receipts for tax time.
Where unbilled time goes
UX Designers commonly lose billable hours to stakeholder meetings, research logistics and revisions. Count these when choosing your billable hours per week.
Pricing models
Common choices are day rates, fixed phases (research, design, handoff) or hourly.
Tip: Sell phases rather than hours so clients pay for outcomes.
The math
Gross revenue = ($105,000 + $6,000) ÷ 0.72 = $154,167. Billable hours = (52 − 5) × 24 = 1,128. Minimum rate = $154,167 ÷ 1,128 = $137 per hour. See the methodology. Example inputs are illustrations, not market data.
General hourly rate calculator · Tax set-aside · Retainer pricing · All professions
Frequently asked questions
What should a ux designer charge per hour?
It depends on your target income, costs and billable time. With $105,000 take-home, $6,000 expenses, a 28% tax set-aside, 5 weeks off and 24 billable hours a week, the minimum comes to about $137 per hour. These are example inputs, so enter your own.
How many billable hours does a ux designer really have?
Many freelancers bill fewer hours than they work because of stakeholder meetings, research logistics and revisions. The example uses 24 billable hours a week; track your own time to find your number.
How should a ux designer price work?
Common models are day rates, fixed phases (research, design, handoff) or hourly.
Is this the rate I should quote?
No. It is the minimum that meets your targets. Add margin for demand, specialty and risk.