AIR is actively developing a series of guides designed to update our rate guides, help independent producers set fair and reasonable rates, and to help everyone create accurate and realistic budgets. We’ve released three of those guides and have a few more in the edit queue.
We worked with experienced radio freelancers to estimate the number of days they spent on stories, reviewed union contracts and interviewed countless podcast production houses to capture insights into salaries in the industry, interviewed editors and producers about what they expect to pay for professional work, and researched salary and compensation surveys in (and adjacent to) radio and audio.
Find all of our work on rates right here:
* 2021/2022 Guide to Rates
* Day Rate Calculator
* Informed Rate and Salary Research
* 2021 Salary Guide 🔒
* 2021 Guide to Tape Syncs
* NPR 2021 Rate Card 🔒
* Public Radio Features
🔒 indicates that a document is exclusive to AIR members. If you're not already a member, join AIR for access to member-only tools and resources.
Anything over a year old should be adjusted to account for inflation and changes in the cost of living. That change isn’t consistent year over year, but 2.5% per year is reasonable if you don’t have access to a better figure.
Is there another guide you need to help you figure out how to price your work or budget for a new show? We want to hear from you! Contact [email protected] if you have feedback on our rate recommendations.
Thank you!
We’re immensely grateful to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and expectations and help shape these guides. We owe a debt of gratitude to each of these folks for their time, insights and candor. Particular thanks to:
Jeremy Bloom, Maggie Bowman, Roby Byers, Susanna Capelouto, Ibby Caputo, Jax Deluca, Matt Frassica, Jordan Gass-Poore’, David Goodman, Sally Herships, Anne Hoffman, Jeff Lunden, Alison MacAdam, Karen Michel, Rae Mondo, Michael Raphael, Claire Schoen.