So you’re trying to figure it out. The whole question of how much should a social media manager charge is one that really has been bouncing around the internet for years, and for 2025 it’s no different really.
It’s confusing.
You see a price online, $500 a month, and you think that’s the standard. But then a different expert says you should never charge less than $2,000. It’s a mess.
Let’s just get this straight. There is no magic number.
The real answer depends on a bunch of things. It’s not a simple one-size-fits-all situation which is probably why you’re here reading this. We’re going to break it down without all the fancy business talk.
This is the real guide you need.
What’s the Real Deal with Social Media Manager Rates in 2025?
Trying to find a single, solid number for social media management is like trying to nail jelly to a wall. It’s messy and you’re not going to get a clean result.
Rates are all over the place.
You have people on freelancer sites charging what seems like pennies. Then you have big agencies that charge more than a new car every single month. Both are technically “social media managers.”
The price you can set is normally tied to the results you can get for a client. That’s the long and short of it.
If you make a business way more money than you cost them, you can charge a lot. If you’re just posting pretty pictures with no real plan, well, your price tag will reflect that.
It’s all about the return they get.
Factors That Change How Much You Can Charge
Okay so let’s talk about the stuff that actually moves the price up or down. Your personal situation and the client’s needs are what shape your final number. It is these things that matter.
What you’re being paid for, it depends a lot on the job itself.
Your Experience Level (Beginner vs. Veteran)
This is the big one. How long have you been doing this? Can you show you’ve gotten good results before?
A beginner social media manager, someone with maybe less than a year of real experience, they are generally going to be at the lower end. They’re still learning the ropes.
For them, a monthly retainer might be in the $500 – $1,500 per month range. Their hourly rate is probably somewhere between $25 – $50 per hour. This is for basic stuff mostly.
An experienced social media manager is a whole different ballgame. We’re talking someone with 3-5+ years of work, a solid portfolio, and proven case studies. They’ve seen it all.
These people can command much higher rates. Their retainers often start at $2,000 and can easily go up to $5,000+ per month. An hourly rate? Think $75 – $200+ per hour.
What You’re Actually Doing (Scope of Work)
“Social media management” can mean a ton of different things. The more work you do, the more you should charge. It just makes sense.
Here’s a list of services that can be part of a package:
Creating a plan for what to post
Making the actual posts (graphics, writing captions)
Scheduling all the content out
Responding to comments and messages (community management)
Running paid ad campaigns
Creating monthly reports on how things are going
Shooting and editing short-form video (Reels, TikToks)
If you’re just scheduling posts a client gives you, that’s a low-cost service. If you’re doing all of the above, that is a premium service. You need to price it that way.
The Client’s Size and Needs
Who you’re working for matters a ton. A small local coffee shop has a very different budget and set of needs than a national tech company. You can’t charge them the same.
A small business might only need help with one or two platforms, like Facebook and Instagram. They need someone to handle their pages and maybe run a small local ad.
A larger corporation could need you to manage five different social media platforms, deal with a huge volume of customer service messages, and manage a six-figure ad budget. That is a much bigger job requiring more time and skill.
The Big Three: Different Ways to Bill Your Clients
So how do you actually package up your services and bill for them? There are typically three main ways that social media managers do it. Each one has its good and bad points.
The Hourly Rate Method
This is simple. You work an hour you get paid for an hour. It’s easy for clients to understand and great for small, undefined tasks or consulting calls.
In 2025, hourly rates look something like this:
Newbie: $25 – $50/hour
Intermediate: $50 – $100/hour
Expert/Specialist: $100 – $250+/hour
The downside is that you are trading time for money. It’s hard to grow your income because there are only so many hours in a day. And clients can sometimes nickel-and-dime you over your timesheets.
The Monthly Retainer Package
This is the most common way social media managers charge. A client pays a flat fee every month for a specific set of agreed-upon tasks.
This is good for everyone. The client knows their monthly cost, and you have predictable income. It is considered to be a win-win.
Here are some sample 2025 packages:
Basic Package ($750 – $1,500/month): Management of 1-2 platforms, a few posts per week, basic community engagement.
Pro Package ($1,500 – $3,000/month): Management of 2-3 platforms, daily posting, full community management, monthly reporting.
Premium Package ($3,000 – $6,000+/month): Everything in pro, plus running ad campaigns, creating video content, and a deeper strategy.
Project-Based Fees
This is for one-time jobs. Maybe a business needs a social media audit to see what’s wrong. Or they need someone to set up and run a single three-month marketing campaign.
For this, you calculate how much time and work the project will take and give them a single flat fee. A social media audit might cost $500 – $1,500. A full campaign launch could be $2,000 – $10,000+, depending on all the details.
Don’t Forget the Hidden Stuff That Affects Your Price
There are other little things that should factor into your pricing. You have to remember that your rate isn’t just pure profit.
Think about the cost of tools. A scheduling tool like Buffer or Later costs money. So does Canva Pro or the Adobe Creative Suite for making graphics. These are business expenses.
Also your time. You spend time in meetings, on calls, and writing reports. That is work time and you need to account for it in your price. Don’t give that away for free.
Your location can play a part too. A manager living in New York City has a higher cost of living than someone in a small rural town. That can sometimes be reflected in their rates.
Key Takeaways
There’s no single price. It depends on your skill, the work involved, and the client.
Beginners in 2025 can expect to charge around $500-$1,500 per month for a retainer.
Experienced managers can ask for $2,000-$5,000+ per month, sometimes a lot more.
The three main pricing models are hourly, monthly retainer, and project-based. Monthly retainers are the most popular.
Don’t forget to factor in the cost of your tools and the time you spend on non-posting tasks like meetings and reports.
Your price should be about the value and results you bring, not just the hours you work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much should a social media manager charge per month?
It varies wildly, but for 2025 a general range for a small business client is $750 to $3,000 per month. New freelancers might be a bit lower, while managers offering complex services like ad management and video creation will be higher.
What is a good hourly rate for a beginner social media manager in 2025?
A good starting point for a beginner is $25 to $50 per hour. This rate reflects that you’re still building your portfolio and experience but are providing a real service.
Should I include ad spend in my social media management fees?
No. Normally, your management fee is separate from the client’s ad spend. The client pays for the ads directly to the social media platform (like Meta or TikTok). You charge a fee for managing that ad spend, which could be a flat rate or a percentage (e.g., 15%) of the monthly ad budget.
How do I create my first social media package?
Start simple. Offer a single package that includes managing 1-2 platforms, creating and scheduling 3-4 posts per week, and basic comment/message monitoring. Price it based on the low-to-mid range for your experience level. Once you get a few clients, you can build out different tiers.
Can I charge more if I have a special skill like video editing?
Absolutely. Specialized skills are a way to increase your price. If you are really good at creating engaging Reels or TikToks, or if you’re an expert in a specific platform like LinkedIn, you should charge a premium for that special ability.
