- Freelance Workforce Size Statistics
- Generational and Career Preference Statistics
Freelance statistics are especially easy to mangle because different reports use different definitions: freelancer, independent worker, gig worker, skilled knowledge freelancer, and self-employed are not interchangeable.
This version narrows the page to public, linkable datasets that clearly describe who they surveyed. We removed uncited rate tables and questionable vendor benchmarks, then rebuilt the page around MBO Partners, Upwork, Fiverr investor data, and the IRS.
Key Takeaways
- MBO Partners says 72.9 million Americans did independent work in 2025.
- Upwork says 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023, contributing $1.27 trillion to the U.S. economy.
- Upwork's 2025 Future Workforce Index says skilled knowledge freelancers report $85,000 median income and stronger AI readiness than comparable full-time workers.
- MBO Partners says 74% of independents now use AI tools sometimes or regularly.
- The IRS still sets the baseline self-employment tax rate at 15.3% before income tax.
Freelance Workforce Size Statistics
MBO Partners' State of Independence reporting says:
- 72.9 million Americans did independent work in 2025.
- 5.6 million independents earned more than $100,000 annually.
- 63% said independent work was their choice rather than a fallback.
- 42% rely on digital platforms to find at least some work.
- 32% work with clients outside the United States.
Upwork's Freelance Forward 2023 release adds:
- 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023.
- That represented 38% of the U.S. workforce.
- Freelancers contributed $1.27 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2023.
- The total was up by 4 million people from 2022.
- 47% of freelancers provided knowledge services in 2023.
- 8.3 million freelancers were age 59 or older.
Generational and Career Preference Statistics
Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2025 shows how sharply worker preferences are shifting:
- 28% of skilled knowledge workers now freelance, or about 20 million people.
- 36% of skilled full-time employees are considering freelancing.
- Only 10% of skilled freelancers are considering moving back to a traditional full-time model.
- 53% of skilled Gen Z knowledge workers are already freelancing.
- 84% of skilled freelancers believe the best days are still ahead for freelancing.
Upwork's 2023 release shows the same pattern at the broader labor-market level:
- 52% of Gen Z professionals did freelance work in 2023.
- 44% of Millennial professionals did freelance work in 2023.
- 23% of all freelancers created influencer-style content in 2023.
MBO Partners reports similarly strong sentiment among independents:
- 86% say they are happier working independently.
- 67% say independent work makes them feel more financially secure.
- 73% are optimistic about the future of independent work.
Income and Skills Statistics
Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2025 reports:
- Skilled knowledge freelancers report $85,000 median annual income.
- 88% say their skills are more in demand.
- 82% say AI is creating more work opportunities for them.
- 83% say freelancing has had a positive effect on their wellbeing.
Those numbers are a good reminder that modern freelancing is not just gig labor. At the skilled end of the market, it increasingly behaves like a specialized professional-services economy.
AI Adoption Statistics for Freelancers
AI is now one of the clearest dividing lines between newer and older freelance datasets.
MBO Partners says:
- 74% of independents use AI tools sometimes or regularly.
Upwork's Future Workforce Index 2025 says:
- 54% of skilled freelancers describe themselves as advanced or expert AI users.
- 62% use AI several times per week.
- The "AI-enabled freelancer" is already a distinct segment, representing 31% of skilled freelancers.
- 36% expect to work in that AI-enabled model within five years.
Upwork's Freelance Forward 2023 release shows how fast the shift started:
- 20% of freelancers were already using generative AI regularly in 2023.
Platform and Marketplace Statistics
Upwork's 2023 annual report says:
- Upwork generated $4.1 billion in gross services volume in 2023.
- Talent working through Upwork earned more than $3.8 billion in 2023.
Fiverr's Q4 2023 earnings release says:
- Fiverr had 4.1 million active buyers at the end of 2023.
- Spend per buyer reached $278.
Those figures are useful because they show two things at once: freelance marketplaces are large and still growing, but they are only one slice of independent work. MBO's data that 42% of independents use digital platforms means most freelancers still rely on a mix of direct clients, referrals, and marketplace work.
Tax and Business-Structure Statistics
The IRS page on self-employment tax still provides the most important baseline number for U.S. freelancers:
- The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% before any income tax is added.
- That rate includes 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.
That matters because freelance income comparisons often ignore tax structure. A freelancer and an employee can report the same gross income and still take home very different net income after taxes, insurance, and retirement contributions.
What These Freelance Statistics Mean
The audited data points to four durable trends.
Freelancing is bigger than the old stereotype. Tens of millions of Americans now work independently in some form, and the numbers are still growing.
Younger skilled workers are normalizing it. Upwork's Gen Z numbers are some of the clearest evidence that freelance work is not a temporary edge case. For a large share of younger knowledge workers, it is already a mainstream path.
AI is now part of freelance competitiveness. The gap between freelancers and full-time workers on AI adoption is wide enough that it now looks structural, not experimental.
Income is bifurcating. The strongest outcomes cluster around skilled knowledge work, specialized services, and freelancers who run their work like a business rather than a side hustle.
If you are freelancing now, the operational lesson is straightforward: treat yourself like a business. Price clearly, use contracts, invoice quickly, and build systems that let you keep more of the revenue you earn.
Bill clients professionally with Billed. Send invoices, collect online payments, and automate reminders without adding more admin work to your week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many freelancers are there in the United States?
It depends on the definition. MBO Partners says 72.9 million Americans did independent work in 2025, while Upwork says 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023. The difference reflects methodology and category scope, not necessarily a contradiction.
What is the average freelancer income?
For skilled knowledge freelancers, Upwork's 2025 Future Workforce Index reports $85,000 median annual income. That is much more useful than a broad all-platform average because it focuses on higher-skill freelance work rather than every kind of gig labor.
How important is AI for freelancers now?
Very. MBO says 74% of independents already use AI tools sometimes or regularly, and Upwork says 54% of skilled freelancers describe themselves as advanced or expert AI users.