Earnings
The career Web site ZipRecruiter reported that indexers had average annual salaries of $39,996 in 2024, with earnings ranging from less than $21,500 to $59,500 or more. Salaries can vary greatly depending on location, industry, and experience.
Freelance indexing has the potential to be more lucrative than in-house indexing, but offers less financial security. Freelance indexers must provide their own offices, equipment, and health insurance. In general, hourly rates more accurately reflect the indexer's efforts than per-entry or per-page rates because indexes that involve extensive conceptual work may have relatively few entries. Freelance indexers can earn from $20,000 to $100,000 or more annually, depending on their level of experience.
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