Freelance Economic Impact Report

Fiverr has released its 2025 Freelance Economic Impact Report, an eighth annual study that sizes and profiles the skilled independent workforce across the United States. The report underscores a fundamental shift from traditional career paths toward flexible models, positioning freelancing as a mainstream economic force rather than a side story. As the report states:

"In 2024, there were an estimated 6.9 million skilled independent workers in the United States earning a combined $319 billion in revenue. Independent professionals represent 4.1% of the U.S. labor force, and their earnings comprise 1.1% of total U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024."

It is important to note that this report employs a significantly narrower definition of independent professionals compared to other studies, such as the recent MBO Partners survey which mentions up to 73 million people. Fiverr utilizes a specific methodology that focuses exclusively on "independent professionals"—individuals who operate as business entities, earn income outside of traditional employment, and do not employ others.

Here are some other takeaways:

• The "Big Three": Independent work is highly concentrated in major hubs, with New York, Los Angeles, and Miami leading the nation in both workforce size and revenue. On average, freelancers in the top 30 markets earn $5,748 more annually than the national average ($52,002 vs. $46,254).
• Specialized Success: The workforce is divided into three main pillars: Professional services like marketing, legal, etc. (the largest group with 51% of workers), technical services, and creative services.
• Resilience Through Inflation: Despite economic shifts, all top 30 markets experienced double-digit revenue growth between 2019 and 2024. While some of this was fueled by inflation leading to higher service prices, it also reflects the workforce's ability to adapt and thrive in a changing economy.

Download the full report online.

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