Your numbers
What a voice over artist should include in expenses
Typical costs include microphone, booth and acoustic treatment, editing software, casting-site fees. Add your own and keep receipts for tax time.
Where unbilled time goes
Voice Over Artists commonly lose billable hours to auditions, retakes and file delivery. Count these when choosing your billable hours per week.
Pricing models
Common choices are per finished minute, per project and usage-based licensing.
Tip: Auditions are unpaid, so your billable rate must cover them.
The math
Gross revenue = ($70,000 + $8,000) ÷ 0.72 = $108,333. Billable hours = (52 − 5) × 18 = 846. Minimum rate = $108,333 ÷ 846 = $128 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 voice over artist charge per hour?
It depends on your target income, costs and billable time. With $70,000 take-home, $8,000 expenses, a 28% tax set-aside, 5 weeks off and 18 billable hours a week, the minimum comes to about $128 per hour. These are example inputs, so enter your own.
How many billable hours does a voice over artist really have?
Many freelancers bill fewer hours than they work because of auditions, retakes and file delivery. The example uses 18 billable hours a week; track your own time to find your number.
How should a voice over artist price work?
Common models are per finished minute, per project and usage-based licensing.
Is this the rate I should quote?
No. It is the minimum that meets your targets. Add margin for demand, specialty and risk.