What are the main factors that influence a Freelance Researcher's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Freelance Researcher's salary?

A Freelance Researcher's salary grows with experience: a CAD Support Technician I (0-1 years)earns $53,784, a Freelance Researcher (1-3 years)earns $59,198, a CAD Support Technician III (3-5 years)earns $71,775, a CAD Support Technician IV (5-7 years)earns $79,465, a CAD Supervisor (7+ years)earns $95,816,

What are the highest paying states for a Freelance Researcher?

Freelance Researcher salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Freelance Researcher roles are District of Columbia $64,303, California $64,059, Massachusetts $63,205. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Freelance Researcher roles make?

Salaries for Freelance Researcher level roles vary by specialization: Researcher: $91,641; Freelance Consultant: $90,309; Freelance Photographer: $74,818; Freelance Recruiter: $70,312; Freelance Editor: $67,076.

How do different companies affect a Freelance Researcher's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Freelance Researcher roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Freelance Researcher Salary in the United States

How much does a Freelance Researcher make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Freelance Researcher in the United States is $58,077 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.

However, a Freelance Researcher's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,411
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,697 to $65,057
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,799

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Freelance Researcher Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$65,057	$5,421	$1,251	$31
Average	$58,077	$4,840	$1,117	$28
25th Percentile	$52,697	$4,391	$1,013	$25

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Key Factors That Influence Freelance Researcher Salaries

A Freelance Researcher's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Freelance Researcher Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Freelance Researcher's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $53,784
Early Career (1-2 years): $59,198
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $71,775
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $79,465
Expert (over 8 years): $95,816

Levels	Salary
CAD Suppo... Level Freelance Researcher	$53,784
Freelance... Level Freelance Researcher	$59,198
CAD Suppo... Level Freelance Researcher	$71,775
CAD Suppo... Level Freelance Researcher	$79,465
CAD Super... Level Freelance Researcher	$95,816

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Freelance Researcher Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Freelance Researchers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $64,303.
California: $64,059.
Massachusetts: $63,205.

District of Columbia $64,303

California $64,059

Massachusetts $63,205

Washington $62,973

New Jersey $62,950

Alaska $62,868

Connecticut $62,067

New York $61,742

Hawaii $60,702

Rhode Island $60,214

Maryland $59,883

Minnesota $59,430

Colorado $59,256

Illinois $59,198

Oregon $58,977

Delaware $58,815

New Hampshire $58,712

Virginia $58,484

Pennsylvania $57,816

Nevada $57,479

North Dakota $57,369

Michigan $57,194

Wisconsin $57,130

Vermont $57,003

Texas $56,648

Maine $56,625

Arizona $56,590

Ohio $56,550

Georgia $56,015

Indiana $55,748

Wyoming $55,696

Utah $55,615

Iowa $55,580

Kansas $55,301

Louisiana $55,220

North Carolina $55,191

Missouri $55,179

Florida $54,953

Montana $54,831

Nebraska $54,714

Kentucky $54,651

South Carolina $54,418

Tennessee $54,273

Idaho $54,215

New Mexico $53,791

Oklahoma $53,698

Alabama $53,355

South Dakota $52,780

Arkansas $52,467

West Virginia $52,298

Mississippi $51,793

Top Paying Cities for Freelance Researchers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $73,253
San Francisco: $72,451
Oakland: $70,924

San Jose, CA $73,253

San Francisco, CA $72,451

Oakland, CA $70,924

New York, NY $66,869

Paramus, NJ $66,056

Queens Village, NY $66,053

Passaic, NJ $65,998

Bergenfield, NJ $65,993

Stamford, CT $65,865

Huntington, NY $65,841

Newark, NJ $65,412

Bridgeport, CT $65,290

Vallejo, CA $65,174

New Brunswick, NJ $65,151

Petaluma, CA $65,116

Middlesex, NJ $65,006

Somerset, NJ $64,965

Santa Cruz, CA $64,890

Boston, MA $64,535

Monterey, CA $64,331

Seattle, WA $64,198

Santa Rosa, CA $64,187

Los Angeles, CA $64,169

Juneau, AK $64,018

Washington, DC $63,955

Orange, CA $63,748

Santa Ana, CA $63,594

Long Beach, CA $63,536

Anaheim, CA $63,525

Anchorage, AK $63,496

Santa Maria, CA $63,321

Everett, WA $63,310

Danbury, CT $63,105

Bremerton, WA $63,025

Tacoma, WA $62,816

New Suffolk, NY $62,815

Sacramento, CA $62,799

Santa Barbara, CA $62,735

Trenton, NJ $62,671

San Diego, CA $62,671

Brockton, MA $62,607

Fairbanks, AK $62,465

Lompoc, CA $62,317

Lowell, MA $62,270

Ventura, CA $62,259

Nashua, NH $62,247

Stockton, CA $62,241

Modesto, CA $61,817

Poughkeepsie, NY $61,689

Olympia, WA $61,579

Kennewick, WA $61,579

New Haven, CT $61,556

Lawrence, MA $61,347

Hartford, CT $61,289

Riverside, CA $61,277

New Bedford, MA $61,219

Richland, WA $61,219

Bakersfield, CA $61,138

San Bernardino, CA $61,115

New Britain, CT $61,109

Atlantic City, NJ $61,109

New London, CT $61,085

Norwich, CT $61,068

Portsmouth, NH $61,056

Boulder, CO $60,933

Portland, OR $60,853

Worcester, MA $60,847

Minneapolis, MN $60,667

Philadelphia, PA $60,586

Honolulu, HI $60,394

Saint Paul, MN $60,366

Vineland, NJ $60,354

Providence, RI $60,185

Chicago, IL $60,017

Bellingham, WA $59,947

Springfield, MA $59,901

Baltimore, MD $59,883

Chico, CA $59,738

Pittsfield, MA $59,581

Manchester, NH $59,471

Spokane, WA $59,215

Denver, CO $59,210

Albany, NY $58,937

Troy, NY $58,913

Nassau, NY $58,851

Schenectady, NY $58,791

Wilmington, DE $58,745

Burlington, VT $58,664

Salem, OR $58,640

Portland, ME $58,460

Yakima, WA $58,402

Rochester, MN $58,222

Reno, NV $58,193

Fresno, CA $58,193

Milwaukee, WI $58,141

Detroit, MI $58,083

Ann Arbor, MI $58,073

Allentown, PA $58,065

Colorado Springs, CO $57,967

Syracuse, NY $57,938

Carson City, NV $57,938

Houston, TX $57,856

Eugene, OR $57,827

Gary, IN $57,758

Springfield, OR $57,711

Bismarck, ND $57,700

Galveston, TX $57,659

Medford, OR $57,572

Fort Collins, CO $57,549

Concord, NH $57,520

Austin, TX $57,502

Mesa, AZ $57,380

Reading, PA $57,374

Phoenix, AZ $57,369

Dallas, TX $57,351

Saint Cloud, MN $57,295

Madison, WI $57,218

Utica, NY $57,061

Rochester, NY $56,968

Des Moines, IA $56,962

Raleigh, NC $56,956

Atlanta, GA $56,869

Battle Creek, MI $56,852

Salt Lake City, UT $56,834

Lancaster, PA $56,747

Harrisburg, PA $56,666

Kansas City, MO $56,608

Champaign, IL $56,596

Kansas City, KS $56,596

Fort Worth, TX $56,590

Columbus, OH $56,580

Boca Raton, FL $56,567

Pittsburgh, PA $56,544

Richmond, VA $56,521

Indianapolis, IN $56,509

Cleveland, OH $56,503

Las Vegas, NV $56,434

Cincinnati, OH $56,434

Petersburg, VA $56,346

Huntsville, AL $56,259

Lansing, MI $56,220

Lebanon, PA $56,213

Pueblo, CO $56,207

Appleton, WI $56,190

Buffalo, NY $56,166

Dayton, OH $56,149

Racine, WI $56,137

Charlotte, NC $56,132

Saint Louis, MO $56,114

York, PA $56,079

Elkhart, IN $56,079

Gastonia, NC $56,068

Billings, MT $56,054

Beaumont, TX $56,039

Lorain, OH $56,027

Benton Harbor, MI $56,015

Toledo, OH $56,004

Binghamton, NY $55,975

Rock Hill, SC $55,969

Rockford, IL $55,940

Springfield, IL $55,917

Elyria, OH $55,911

Fargo, ND $55,911

Flagstaff, AZ $55,870

Fort Lauderdale, FL $55,835

Duluth, MN $55,800

Miami, FL $55,800

Cheyenne, WY $55,760

Grand Forks, ND $55,760

Bangor, ME $55,632

Cedar Rapids, IA $55,568

Durham, NC $55,544

Louisville, KY $55,539

Grand Rapids, MI $55,528

Hialeah, FL $55,522

Casper, WY $55,440

Scranton, PA $55,371

New Orleans, LA $55,353

Virginia Beach, VA $55,347

Akron, OH $55,318

Peoria, IL $55,243

Sarasota, FL $55,231

Nashville, TN $55,191

Omaha, NE $55,191

Green Bay, WI $55,191

Baton Rouge, LA $55,162

Charleston, SC $55,150

Jamestown, NY $55,121

Davenport, IA $55,121

Tucson, AZ $55,092

Saint Petersburg, FL $55,057

Tampa, FL $55,045

Evansville, IN $55,011

Port Arthur, TX $55,011

Bradenton, FL $54,987

Santa Fe, NM $54,883

Orlando, FL $54,778

Clearwater, FL $54,761

Canton, OH $54,639

La Crosse, WI $54,639

Albuquerque, NM $54,604

Newport News, VA $54,598

High Point, NC $54,581

Ogden, UT $54,558

Corpus Christi, TX $54,511

Norfolk, VA $54,476

Laramie, WY $54,476

Rock Island, IL $54,441

Saginaw, MI $54,430

Jacksonville, FL $54,424

Salisbury, NC $54,412

Boise, ID $54,401

Moline, IL $54,372

Fort Myers, FL $54,354

Memphis, TN $54,343

Tulsa, OK $54,314

Waterloo, IA $54,279

Spartanburg, SC $54,221

Lincoln, NE $54,192

Fort Wayne, IN $54,180

Provo, UT $54,174

Cedar Falls, IA $54,105

San Antonio, TX $54,081

Greensboro, NC $54,058

South Bend, IN $54,052

Savannah, GA $53,988

Muskegon, MI $53,965

Birmingham, AL $53,959

Winston Salem, NC $53,931

Lake Charles, LA $53,791

Anderson, IN $53,779

Lexington, KY $53,762

Augusta, GA $53,745

Greenville, SC $53,745

Lima, OH $53,698

Wichita, KS $53,692

Tuscaloosa, AL $53,692

Columbia, SC $53,640

Springfield, OH $53,628

Asheville, NC $53,535

Bloomington, IN $53,495

Knoxville, TN $53,286

Shreveport, LA $53,280

Wilmington, NC $53,204

Roanoke, VA $53,204

Topeka, KS $53,100

Frankfort, KY $53,094

Oklahoma City, OK $53,053

Chillicothe, OH $53,030

Longview, TX $53,024

Melbourne, FL $53,019

Sioux Falls, SD $52,926

Mobile, AL $52,920

Terre Haute, IN $52,897

Altoona, PA $52,862

Amarillo, TX $52,821

Killeen, TX $52,804

Fayetteville, AR $52,757

Chattanooga, TN $52,740

Sioux City, IA $52,688

Idaho Falls, ID $52,676

Lynchburg, VA $52,629

Gainesville, FL $52,554

Portsmouth, OH $52,525

Little Rock, AR $52,513

Lafayette, LA $52,490

Youngstown, OH $52,490

Daytona Beach, FL $52,455

Clarksville, TN $52,449

Pensacola, FL $52,444

Temple, TX $52,440

Hopkinsville, KY $52,269

Erie, PA $52,258

Florence, SC $52,235

Charleston, WV $52,142

Great Falls, MT $52,113

Macon, GA $52,031

Tallahassee, FL $52,025

Fayetteville, NC $52,014

Waco, TX $52,002

Helena, MT $51,962

Pine Bluff, AR $51,940

Vincennes, IN $51,869

Lubbock, TX $51,845

Alamogordo, NM $51,811

Twin Falls, ID $51,758

Rapid City, SD $51,741

Jackson, MS $51,636

Huntington, WV $51,632

Greenville, MS $51,631

Parkersburg, WV $51,571

Montgomery, AL $51,561

Wichita Falls, TX $51,503

Springfield, MO $51,503

Biloxi, MS $51,474

Monroe, LA $51,416

Johnstown, PA $51,375

Sumter, SC $51,352

Columbus, GA $51,346

Pascagoula, MS $51,236

Abilene, TX $51,236

Kingsport, TN $51,085

Albany, GA $51,085

Gulfport, MS $51,067

Alexandria, LA $50,876

Fort Smith, AR $50,730

El Paso, TX $50,574

Las Cruces, NM $50,312

Harlingen, TX $50,165

Pocatello, ID $50,155

Florence, AL $50,080

Brownsville, TX $50,068

Mcallen, TX $49,946

Dothan, AL $49,865

Columbus, MS $49,520

Altus, OK $49,249

Lawton, OK $49,139

Pierre, SD $48,930

What Skills Can Increase a Freelance Researcher's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Communication Skills (Mentioned in 4.55% Job Postings): Communication skills are your ability to share or understand information, ideas, and feelings successfully.
Computer Aided Design (Mentioned in 9.09% Job Postings): CAD (computer-aided design) is the use of computer-based software to aid in design processes. CAD software is frequently used by different types of engineers and designers.
Civil Engineering (Mentioned in 4.55% Job Postings): Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewerage systems, pipelines, structural components of buildings, and railways. Civil engineering is traditionally broken into a number of sub-disciplines. It is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline after military engineering, and it is defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering. Civil engineering takes place in the public sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to international companies.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Communication Skills	4.55%
Computer Aided Design	9.09%
Civil Engineering	4.55%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Freelance Researcher's salary.

Application Design: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Illustrator: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Photoshop: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Application Design	$68,531	18%
Illustrator	$60,981	5%
Photoshop	$60,981	5%
Consulting	$59,239	2%
Project Design	$59,239	2%
Communication Skills	$58,658	1%

Get Latest Data

Freelance Researcher Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Freelance Researcher roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Media and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Freelance Researcher positions in MFG Durable or Financial Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Freelance Researcher as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Freelance Researcher

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Media	$81,308	$39.0	40%
Energy & Utilities	$75,500	$36.0	30%
Business Services	$72,596	$35.0	25%
Aerospace & Defense	$69,693	$34.0	20%
Telecom	$68,531	$33.0	18%

Freelance Researcher Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Freelance Researcher's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$52,697

Average $58,077/year

$65,057

$4,391

Average $4,840/month

$5,421

$1,013

Average $1,117/week

$1,251

$25

Average $28/hour

$31

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$65,057	$5,421	$1,251	$31
Average	$58,077	$4,840	$1,117	$28
25th Percentile	$52,697	$4,391	$1,013	$25

Salaries of jobs related to Freelance Researcher

Salary Trends for Freelance Researcher

Salaries for a Freelance Researcher can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $56,117 in 2023 to around $54,924 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Freelance Researcher salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Freelance Researcher Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$56,117

2024

$55,422

2025

$54,924

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$56,117
2024	$55,422
2025	$54,924
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Freelance Researcher

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Freelance Researcher

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Freelance Researcher?

The Media industry offers the highest average compensation for Freelance Researcher roles, with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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