Work statistics
Freelance Statistics 2026
This page collects current figures on freelancing, independent contracting, gig work and self-employment in the US, each linked to the agency, survey or company that published it. Government sources cover the formal size of the workforce and its conditions, while Upwork, MBO Partners and Fiverr add survey and marketplace data through 2026. Definitions vary widely between sources, so each figure states what it counts.
By the Mojolin research desk · Updated November 2, 2026 · Next review by December 17, 2026
54 of 54 source quotes re-checked against the original pages on November 3, 2026
- Figures
- 54
- Primary sources
- 13
- Official or research
- 57%
- Charts
- 5
Key takeaways
- 64 millionUpwork's Freelance Forward survey estimated that 64 million Americans did freelance work in 2023, 38% of the US workforce.Upwork
- 11.9 millionBLS counted 11.9 million independent contractors on their sole or main job in July 2023, 7.4% of total US employment.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 22%Full-time independents made up 22% of all full-time US workers in 2026, nearly twice their share in 2019.MBO Partners
- 20%20% of US adults did some form of gig activity in the month before the Federal Reserve's 2024 survey.Federal Reserve Board
- 58%58% of self-employed US adults said their income varied from month to month in 2025, and 22% struggled to pay bills because of it.Federal Reserve Board
- 34%Freelancers doing AI work on the Upwork Marketplace earned 34% more per hour than those not using AI in 2026.Upwork
Research overview
What the numbers say
How many Americans freelance depends almost entirely on the definition. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job in July 2023, 7.4% of employment and up from 6.9% in 2017. Census tax records show 30.4 million businesses with no employees. Surveys that count any freelance or independent work during the year go much higher: Upwork estimated 64 million freelancers in 2023, and MBO Partners counted a record 74.9 million independent workers in 2026.
The shift toward independence is clearest among full-time workers. MBO Partners reports that full-time independents grew 114% since 2020 and now make up 22% of full-time US workers, and that 5.8 million independents earn more than $100,000 a year. BLS found 80.3% of independent contractors prefer their arrangement. The traditional measure of self-employment tells a different story: the unincorporated self-employment rate fell from 7.0% in 2003 to 5.7% in 2023, partly because many owners incorporate and are then counted as employees.
Casual gig work is far more common than full-time freelancing. The Federal Reserve found 20% of adults did gig activities in a given month in 2024, but 70% of them spent less than five hours a week on it and only 21% called it their main job. Financial security is the weak point. Self-employed adults were twice as likely as employees to report income that varies month to month, and contingent workers were far less likely to have employer health insurance.
AI is changing what freelancers sell. Upwork reported 109% growth in demand for AI-related skills and found that freelancers doing AI work earn 34% more per hour, while simple generative AI tasks saw per-contract earnings fall 13%. Marketplaces are consolidating around larger clients: Upwork's spend per active client reached a record $5,230 even as total volume fell 4%, and Fiverr's active buyers dropped 17.8% while spend per buyer rose 15.4%.
01
How many people freelance in the US
Chart
US nonagricultural unincorporated self-employment rate, fourth quarter
Seasonally adjusted, Current Population Survey. Excludes incorporated self-employed, whom the CPS counts as wage and salary workers.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nonagricultural self-employment rate at 5.7 percent in fourth quarter 2023
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 7% |
| 2008 | 6.2% |
| 2013 | 6% |
| 2018 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 5.7% |
- 164 million64 million
Upwork's Freelance Forward survey estimated that 64 million Americans did freelance work in 2023, 38% of the US workforce.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023)Dec 2023
- 274.9 million74.9 million
MBO Partners counted a record 74.9 million Americans doing independent work in 2026.
IndustryMBO PartnersIndependent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million (State of Independence 2026)Sep 2026
- 311.9 million11.9 million
BLS counted 11.9 million independent contractors on their sole or main job in July 2023, 7.4% of total US employment.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 46.9%6.9%
The independent contractor share of US employment rose from 6.9% in May 2017 to 7.4% in July 2023.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 530.4 million30.4 million
The Census Bureau counted 30.4 million US nonemployer businesses in 2023, with $1.8 trillion in combined receipts.
OfficialU.S. Census BureauNew Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business OwnersNov 2025
- 69.1 million9.1 million
In the fourth quarter of 2023, 9.1 million unincorporated self-employed workers made up 5.7% of nonagricultural employment.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNonagricultural self-employment rate at 5.7 percent in fourth quarter 2023May 2024
- 7114%114%
The number of full-time independent professionals in the US grew 114% between 2020 and 2026, according to MBO Partners.
IndustryMBO PartnersIndependent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million (State of Independence 2026)Sep 2026
- 822%22%
Full-time independents made up 22% of all full-time US workers in 2026, nearly twice their share in 2019.
IndustryMBO PartnersIndependent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million (State of Independence 2026)Sep 2026
- 938%38%
Skilled freelancers represented 38% of US knowledge workers in 2026, up from 28% a year earlier, in Upwork's Future Workforce Index.
IndustryUpworkUpwork's Future Workforce Index 2026Jul 2026
What these figures suggest
Estimates of the US freelance workforce range from about 12 million to 75 million, and the gap comes from definitions. BLS counts people whose main job is independent contracting, while Upwork and MBO Partners count anyone who did freelance or independent work during the year, including side work. Census tax data on businesses without employees, 30.4 million in 2023, sits between the two.
02
Contingent and alternative work arrangements
Chart
US workers in alternative employment arrangements, July 2023
Sole or main job, millions of workers. Arrangements are measured separately from contingent status.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Independent contractors | 11.9 million |
| On-call workers | 2.8 million |
| Temporary help agency workers | 0.94 million |
| Workers provided by contract firms | 0.86 million |
- 104.3%4.3%
In July 2023, 6.9 million US workers, 4.3% of the employed, held contingent jobs they did not expect to last.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 113.8%3.8%
The contingent share of US workers rose from 3.8% in May 2017 to 4.3% in July 2023.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 122.8 million2.8 million
There were 2.8 million on-call workers in the US in July 2023, 1.7% of total employment.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 13945,000945,000
Temporary help agencies paid 945,000 US workers on their main job in July 2023, 0.6% of employment, down from 0.9% in 2017.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 14862,000862,000
Contract firms provided 862,000 US workers in July 2023, 0.5% of total employment.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 1584.6%84.6%
In July 2023, 84.6% of US independent contractors on their main job were self-employed.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 1628.1%28.1%
Workers in arts, design, entertainment, sports and media occupations were the most likely to be independent contractors, at 28.1%.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
What these figures suggest
The BLS Contingent Work Supplement, last run in July 2023, separates temporary jobs from the type of arrangement. Independent contracting is by far the largest alternative arrangement, while on-call, temp agency and contract firm work each cover under 2% of employment. Contingent work rose from 3.8% of workers in 2017 to 4.3% in 2023.
03
Gig work and side income
Chart
Share of US adults doing gig activities, by age, 2024
Gig activities in the month before the survey, including selling items, rentals and short-term tasks. Values from Table 5 of the report.
Source Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig Work
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 18 to 29 | 26% |
| 30 to 44 | 24% |
| 45 to 59 | 21% |
| 60 and older | 12% |
- 1720%20%
20% of US adults did some form of gig activity in the month before the Federal Reserve's 2024 survey.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
- 1813%13%
Selling items was the most common gig activity, done by 13% of US adults in 2024, while 9% did short-term tasks.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
- 1970%70%
70% of people doing gig activities in 2024 spent less than 5 hours per week on them.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
- 2021%21%
Only 21% of people who did gig activities in 2024 reported gig work as their main job.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
- 2151%51%
51% of US gig workers also had a non-gig main job in 2024.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
What these figures suggest
The Federal Reserve's broader definition of gig activity, which includes selling items and short-term tasks, captured one in five US adults in 2024. Most of this work is small: 70% of gig workers spent under five hours a week on it, and only about one in five treated it as their main job.
04
Who freelances
Chart
Share of US workers who are independent contractors, by age, July 2023
Independent contractors on their sole or main job as a share of employed workers in each age group.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 2.2% |
| 25 to 54 | 6.9% |
| 55 and over | 11.5% |
- 2252%52%
52% of Gen Z professionals and 44% of Millennial professionals did freelance work in 2023, according to Upwork.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023)Dec 2023
- 2313%13%
About 8.3 million US freelancers, 13% of the total, were aged 59 or above in 2023.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023)Dec 2023
- 2436%36%
36% of US independent contractors were age 55 or older in July 2023, compared with 22% of workers in traditional arrangements.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 258.7%8.7%
Men were more likely than women to be independent contractors in 2023, at 8.7% versus 5.8%.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 2612.9%12.9%
Workers ages 16 to 24 had a contingent rate of 12.9% in July 2023, about four times the 3.1% rate for ages 25 to 54.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 2728%28%
Gen Z made up 28% of the US independent workforce in MBO Partners' 2025 study.
IndustryMBO PartnersMBO Partners by Beeline Releases 15th Annual State of Independence StudySep 2025
- 2842.3%42.3%
Women owned 12.9 million US nonemployer businesses in 2023, 42.3% of the total.
OfficialU.S. Census BureauNew Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business OwnersNov 2025
What these figures suggest
Freelancing skews toward both ends of the age range, depending on the definition. Younger adults dominate gig and contingent work, while formal independent contractors are older than other workers: 36% are 55 or over. Men are more likely to be independent contractors, though women own 42% of businesses without employees.
05
Freelance earnings and financial security
- 29$1.27 trillion$1.27 trillion
US freelancers earned about $1.27 trillion in 2023, a 78% increase from the estimated $715 billion in 2014, not adjusted for inflation.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023)Dec 2023
- 305.8 million5.8 million
An estimated 5.8 million US independent professionals earned more than $100,000 a year in 2026, nearly double the 2020 number.
IndustryMBO PartnersIndependent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million (State of Independence 2026)Sep 2026
- 31$838$838
Full-time contingent workers had median weekly earnings of $838 in July 2023, 74% of the $1,137 earned by noncontingent workers.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 3219.9%19.9%
Only 19.9% of contingent workers had employer-provided health insurance in 2023, compared with 51.2% of noncontingent workers.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 3358%58%
58% of self-employed US adults said their income varied from month to month in 2025, and 22% struggled to pay bills because of it.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Income and ExpensesMay 2026
- 3428%28%
Among people who worked for someone else, 28% reported income variability in 2025 and 10% struggled to pay bills as a result.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Income and ExpensesMay 2026
- 3531%31%
31% of people doing gig activities in 2024 said they would have trouble making ends meet without that income.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
- 3661%61%
61% of people doing short-term tasks through an app or website wished their gig pay was more consistent in 2024.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
What these figures suggest
Independent work adds up to a large share of the economy, and a growing group of independents earns six figures. The risks show up in income stability and benefits: self-employed adults are about twice as likely as employees to report income that varies month to month, and contingent workers are far less likely to get health insurance through work.
06
Preferences, flexibility and satisfaction
Chart
What US gig workers say about gig work, 2024
Share of adults who did any gig activity agreeing with each statement. Values from Table 6 of the report.
Source Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig Work
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| I am my own boss doing it | 61% |
| It lets me work flexible hours | 55% |
| I wish the pay was more consistent | 49% |
| It gives me work-life balance | 35% |
| Without it, I would have trouble making ends meet | 31% |
| I wish I got benefits, like health insurance | 28% |
- 3780.3%80.3%
80.3% of US independent contractors preferred their work arrangement in 2023, while 8.3% would prefer a traditional job.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 3844.8%44.8%
44.8% of contingent workers would have preferred a permanent job in July 2023, while 40.8% preferred their contingent arrangement.
OfficialU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023Nov 2024
- 3978%78%
78% of US independent professionals planned to remain independent or build a larger business in 2026.
IndustryMBO PartnersIndependent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million (State of Independence 2026)Sep 2026
- 4055%55%
55% of people doing gig activities said gigs let them work flexible hours, but only 35% said gigs gave them work-life balance.
OfficialFederal Reserve BoardEconomic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig WorkMay 2025
- 4158%58%
58% of full-time employees said they were considering freelancing in 2026, up from 36% the prior year.
IndustryUpworkUpwork's Future Workforce Index 2026Jul 2026
What these figures suggest
Most independent contractors choose the arrangement: 80% prefer it to a traditional job, while contingent workers are split. Flexibility is the main draw, but gig workers distinguish flexible hours from real work-life balance. Interest in freelancing among employees appears to be rising, with 58% of full-time employees in Upwork's 2026 survey considering it.
07
AI and demand for freelance skills
- 4220%20%
20% of freelancers used generative AI tools multiple times per week in 2023, compared with 9% of non-freelance professionals.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023)Dec 2023
- 4374%74%
74% of US independent workers used generative AI to improve productivity and output in 2025.
IndustryMBO PartnersMBO Partners by Beeline Releases 15th Annual State of Independence StudySep 2025
- 4434%34%
Freelancers doing AI work on the Upwork Marketplace earned 34% more per hour than those not using AI in 2026.
IndustryUpworkUpwork's Future Workforce Index 2026Jul 2026
- 4590%90%
Contract starts for generative AI and creative production work on Upwork grew 90% year over year while per-contract earnings fell 13%.
IndustryUpworkUpwork's Future Workforce Index 2026Jul 2026
- 46109%109%
Upwork demand for skills that explicitly reference AI grew 109% year over year in its 2026 In-Demand Skills report.
IndustryUpworkUpwork's In-Demand Skills 2026 reportFeb 2026
- 4777%77%
77% of business leaders said AI was increasing their need for specialized, fractional talent rather than full-time roles.
IndustryUpworkUpwork's In-Demand Skills 2026 reportFeb 2026
- 4854%54%
54% of executives expected AI to increase their use of independent talent over the next two years, against 8% expecting a decrease.
IndustryMBO PartnersState of Independence 2026: The Enterprise PerspectiveSep 2026
- 4947%47%
47% of US freelancers, nearly 30 million people, provided skilled knowledge services such as programming, marketing and consulting in 2023.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023)Dec 2023
What these figures suggest
Freelancers adopted generative AI earlier than other workers, and marketplace data show pay rising for complex AI work while simple AI execution gets cheaper. Employers increasingly expect AI to raise their use of independent and fractional talent rather than reduce it.
08
Freelance marketplaces and platforms
- 5042%42%
42% of US independents relied on online platforms as their primary way to find work in 2025.
IndustryMBO PartnersMBO Partners by Beeline Releases 15th Annual State of Independence StudySep 2025
- 51$966.4 million$966.4 million
Upwork's gross services volume was $966.4 million in the second quarter of 2026, down 4% year over year.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial ResultsAug 2026
- 52$5,230$5,230
Upwork had 763,000 active clients in Q2 2026, with record GSV per active client of $5,230, up 5% year over year.
IndustryUpworkUpwork Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial ResultsAug 2026
- 532.9 million2.9 million
Fiverr had 2.9 million annual active buyers as of March 31, 2026, down 17.8% from 3.5 million a year earlier.
OfficialFiverr InternationalFiverr Announces First Quarter 2026 Results (Form 6-K, Exhibit 99.1)Apr 2026
- 54$356$356
Fiverr's annual spend per buyer reached $356 as of March 31, 2026, up 15.4% year over year.
OfficialFiverr InternationalFiverr Announces First Quarter 2026 Results (Form 6-K, Exhibit 99.1)Apr 2026
What these figures suggest
Online marketplaces are a main channel for many independents, though the largest platforms now report fewer but larger buyers. Upwork's gross services volume dipped in 2026 while spend per client hit a record, and Fiverr lost active buyers while spend per buyer rose.
About these figures
Figures come from US government statistical agencies (BLS, the Census Bureau and the Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking), survey releases from the companies that ran them (Upwork, MBO Partners) and company financial filings, and every quote was checked against the publisher's page. Definitions differ sharply: BLS counts a person's main job in one week of July 2023, the Federal Reserve counts any gig activity in the prior month, and Upwork and MBO Partners count any freelance or independent work over a year, including side work. Company surveys are online samples weighted to the population, so treat their totals as estimates and compare trends within a source rather than levels across sources.
Every figure was taken from the publisher's own page, together with the sentence it appears in, and that sentence is re-checked against the source before each update. Where a survey covers a specific group, the figure says so. Read the methodology. Spotted a problem? Email editorial@mojolin.com.
Frequently asked questions
+How many freelancers are there in the US?
It depends on the definition. BLS counted 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job in July 2023. Upwork estimated that 64 million Americans did some freelance work in 2023, and MBO Partners counted 74.9 million independent workers in 2026, both including part-time and side work.
+What percentage of the US workforce freelances?
Independent contractors were 7.4% of US employment in July 2023, according to BLS. Upwork's broader survey measure put freelancers at 38% of the US workforce in 2023.
+How many Americans do gig work?
The Federal Reserve found that 20% of US adults did some gig activity in the month before its 2024 survey, most often selling items. Most of it was small: 70% of gig workers spent less than five hours a week on it.
+How much do freelancers earn?
Upwork estimated that US freelancers earned about $1.27 trillion in 2023. MBO Partners estimates 5.8 million independent professionals earned more than $100,000 in 2026. Contingent workers earned less than other workers: their median weekly pay of $838 was 74% of noncontingent pay in 2023.
+Do freelancers prefer freelancing to a regular job?
Most independent contractors do. BLS found 80.3% preferred their arrangement in 2023 and only 8.3% wanted a traditional job. Contingent workers in temporary jobs were split, with 44.8% preferring a permanent job.
+How is AI affecting freelance work?
Upwork reported that demand for AI-related skills grew 109% year over year and that freelancers doing AI work earned 34% more per hour in 2026. At the same time, per-contract earnings for simple generative AI and creative production work fell 13%.
Sources
13 primary sources, by publisher
- 01Official Federal Reserve Board. Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig Work (May 2025)
- 02Official Federal Reserve Board. Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Income and Expenses (May 2026)
- 03Official Fiverr International. Fiverr Announces First Quarter 2026 Results (Form 6-K, Exhibit 99.1) (Apr 2026)
- 04Industry MBO Partners. Independent Workforce Reaches Record 74.9 Million (State of Independence 2026) (Sep 2026)
- 05Industry MBO Partners. MBO Partners by Beeline Releases 15th Annual State of Independence Study (Sep 2025)
- 06Industry MBO Partners. State of Independence 2026: The Enterprise Perspective (Sep 2026)
- 07Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023 (Nov 2024)
- 08Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonagricultural self-employment rate at 5.7 percent in fourth quarter 2023 (May 2024)
- 09Official U.S. Census Bureau. New Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business Owners (Nov 2025)
- 10Industry Upwork. Upwork Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Aug 2026)
- 11Industry Upwork. Upwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023 (Freelance Forward 2023) (Dec 2023)
- 12Industry Upwork. Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2026 (Jul 2026)
- 13Industry Upwork. Upwork's In-Demand Skills 2026 report (Feb 2026)