NUJ Rate for the Job: Illustrations

Rates archived as at 2025-07-09

These rates have been reported by members of the National Union of Journalists and others, and printed in the Freelance, newsletter of London Freelance Branch. They are sorted by publisher/publication, then by date (most recent first). TIP: Use the "Find in page" command under your browser's "Edit" or "Search" menu to be sure of finding all occurrences of a publication/publisher. AND do note the year in which the rate was reported! See also the Freelance Fees Guide, which gives general recommendations. And read the disclaimer and the key to exactly what the entries mean.

Illustrations / all These are archived rates. The current rates are here.
Tell us what you've been paid for Illustrations / all		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Total paid	GR	XXXX
AMMO review B+W quarter-half page		1996		100.00
Big Issue	_BI	1998		80.00
Focus on Africa unspecified number of illustrations of unspecified size	_BBC	2011		450.00
Guardian Letters page cartoon: rate in 2012 house agreement	_GMG	2012		151.01	HA
Guardian Leader cartoon: rate in 2012 house agreement	_GMG	2012		450.00	HA
Guardian sport illustration: rate in 2012 house agreement	_GMG	2012		232.00	HA
Guardian small illustration	_GMG	2003		125.00
New Scientist 2 illustrations (complex)	_RBI	1995		475.00
New Statesman per day		2001		150.00
Observer Section cover illustration: rate in 2012 house agreement	_GMG	2012		374.00	HA
Observer Quarter page illustration: rate in 2012 house agreement	_GMG	2012		258.00	HA
Student none no terms	_Chadw	2007		0.00		XX
The Lancet graphs and diagrams, per hour	_RE	2004		20.00
BBC	_BBC	1998		70.00
Harper Collins B+W book cover	_NI	1994		180.00
Westminster Press group B+W (paid within 20 days!)		1994		130.00
Key to the rates, by column:
1 Publication / Programme, any details of work and licence
2 Owner at the time the rate was reported, where known	Group
3 The year in which the rate was reported		Year
4 Currency: either or or (US)
5 Amount paid (total of basic licence and extra licences for web use, database resale...)				Amount
7 "Going Rate" according to experienced NUJ members - do try to better it:					GR
or Minimum rate set out in NUJ House Agreement:					HA
8 Underpaid, in the fallible opinion of the Freelance editor:				50.00		X
or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised:				1500.00		O

Other rates:

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