Gig and Freelance Economy Statistics: Trends and Data Points for 2026

This briefing compiles verified statistics on the size, earnings, growth, and composition of the U.S. and global gig and freelance workforce, drawn from primary government data and the leading recurring industry surveys. Estimates vary widely by definition, so a central point of this asset is showing how figures diverge depending on whether the count includes side-gig workers, occasional platform earners, or only full-time independents, and how U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures differ from private survey figures.

Executive Summary

• In July 2023, 11.9 million U.S. workers were independent contractors on their main job, equal to 7.4% of total employment (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, 2023).
• Upwork estimated 64 million Americans performed freelance work in 2023, or 38% of the U.S. workforce, contributing roughly $1.27 trillion in earnings (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023).
• McKinsey’s 2022 American Opportunity Survey found 36% of employed respondents, roughly 58 million Americans, identified as independent workers, up from 27% in 2016 (Source: McKinsey & Company, American Opportunity Survey, 2022).
• MBO Partners estimated 72.7 million U.S. independent workers in 2024, up from 38.2 million in 2020 under its broad definition that includes occasional independents (Source: MBO Partners, State of Independence in America, 2024).
• Upwork’s later Future Workforce Index reported that 28%, or more than 1 in 4, U.S. skilled knowledge workers freelanced in 2024, generating $1.5 trillion in earnings (Source: Upwork Research Institute, Future Workforce Index, 2025).
• The gap between BLS (11.9 million independent contractors) and survey estimates (58 million to 72.7 million independents) is driven almost entirely by whether side and occasional gig work is counted, not by real disagreement about full-time independents.
• Freelancers who work exclusively independent report a median income of $85,000, above the $80,000 median for full-time employees in Upwork’s 2024 knowledge-worker sample (Source: Upwork Research Institute, Future Workforce Index, 2025).
• In 2023, 47% of U.S. freelancers, nearly 30 million professionals, provided knowledge services such as marketing, IT, programming, and business consulting (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023).

Key Findings

• In July 2023, 6.9 million U.S. workers, 4.3% of total employment, held contingent jobs they did not expect to last (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, 2023).
• In July 2023, 11.9 million U.S. workers, 7.4% of total employment, were independent contractors on their main job (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023).
• In July 2023, 1.7% of U.S. workers were on-call workers, 0.6% were temporary help agency workers, and 0.5% were workers provided by contract firms (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023).
• In July 2023, U.S. independent contractors had median weekly earnings of $949 on their main job, below the $1,132 for full-time workers in traditional arrangements (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023).
• Upwork estimated 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023, an all-time high representing 38% of the U.S. workforce and an increase of 4 million from 2022 (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023).
• U.S. freelancers contributed roughly $1.27 trillion in earnings in 2023 by Upwork’s estimate, a 78% increase over the $715 billion estimated in 2014 (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023).
• In 2023, 52% of Gen Z professionals and 44% of Millennial professionals performed freelance work in the United States (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023).
• McKinsey found 36% of employed U.S. respondents, roughly 58 million people, identified as independent workers in 2022, up from an estimated 27% in 2016 (Source: McKinsey & Company, American Opportunity Survey, 2022).
• Among McKinsey’s 2022 independent-worker respondents, 68% identified as gig workers and 76% as contract, freelance, or temporary workers, with 44% identifying as both (Source: McKinsey & Company, 2022).
• MBO Partners estimated 72.7 million U.S. independent workers in 2024, up from 72.1 million in 2023 and 38.2 million in 2020 (Source: MBO Partners, State of Independence in America, 2024).
• MBO Partners counted 27.7 million full-time U.S. independents in 2024, up 6.5% from 26 million in 2023 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).
• MBO Partners estimated 4.7 million U.S. independents earned more than $100,000 in 2024, up from about 3 million in 2020 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).
• The number of U.S. independent content creators grew 9.9% to 8.9 million in 2024, from 8.1 million in 2023 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).
• Upwork’s Future Workforce Index reported 28% of U.S. skilled knowledge workers freelanced in 2024, generating $1.5 trillion in earnings (Source: Upwork Research Institute, Future Workforce Index, 2025).
• In 2024, gross services volume for AI-related freelance work on Upwork grew 60% year over year (Source: Upwork Research Institute, 2025).

Why the Numbers Disagree: Definitions Matter

The single most important fact about gig and freelance statistics is that the headline count depends entirely on the definition. The BLS uses a narrow, main-job measure. Private surveys use broad, self-identification measures that include side gigs and occasional work.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job in July 2023, equal to 7.4% of employment (Source: BLS, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, 2023). Upwork counted 64 million freelancers in 2023, or 38% of the workforce, because its survey includes anyone who did any freelance work in the prior year (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023). MBO Partners counted 72.7 million independents in 2024, of which only 27.7 million were full-time (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).

What this means: the roughly 6-fold gap between BLS and the broadest survey figures is not a measurement error. It reflects a real difference between people whose primary livelihood is independent work (roughly 12 to 28 million by narrower measures) and people who freelance occasionally or as a side gig (tens of millions more). Any citation should state which definition it uses.

U.S. Labor Force Data: The BLS Baseline

The BLS Contingent Worker Supplement is the most methodologically conservative and the only federal source on this topic. It measures arrangements on the sole or main job, so it excludes side gigs entirely.

In July 2023, 6.9 million workers, 4.3% of total employment, held contingent jobs (Source: BLS, 2023). In the same survey, 11.9 million workers, 7.4% of employment, were independent contractors, 2.8 million were on-call workers at 1.7%, 0.6% were temporary help agency workers, and 0.5% were provided by contract firms (Source: BLS, 2023). Median weekly earnings on the main job were $1,132 for full-time traditional workers, $1,125 for on-call workers, $949 for independent contractors, and $818 for temporary help agency workers (Source: BLS, 2023).

What this means: by the strictest federal definition, independent contractors are a single-digit percentage of the workforce, and, on a main-job basis, they earn less per week than traditional full-time employees. Prior BLS supplements ran periodically from 1995 through May 2017, and the July 2023 questions were modified, so direct year-over-year comparison with older BLS data is limited.

Survey Estimates: Upwork, McKinsey, and MBO Partners

The three leading recurring private surveys use broader definitions and produce much larger counts than BLS. They are internally consistent about direction even where the levels differ.

Upwork’s Freelance Forward 2023 put U.S. freelancers at 64 million, or 38% of the workforce, contributing about $1.27 trillion in earnings (Source: Upwork, 2023). McKinsey’s 2022 American Opportunity Survey put independent workers at 36% of employed respondents, roughly 58 million, up from 27% in 2016 (Source: McKinsey, 2022). MBO Partners estimated 72.7 million independents in 2024, up from 38.2 million in 2020 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).

What this means: the three broad surveys cluster around a headline of one third to just under half of the workforce doing some independent work, and all three report growth since the mid-2010s or since 2020. Because each uses different sampling and question wording, their point estimates should not be treated as directly comparable to each other or averaged.

Earnings and Income

Earnings figures depend on whether independent work is a main job or a side gig, which produces apparently contradictory results across sources.

On a main-job basis, BLS reported independent contractor median weekly earnings of $949 in July 2023, below the $1,132 for traditional full-time workers (Source: BLS, 2023). By contrast, Upwork reported that knowledge workers who freelance exclusively had a median income of $85,000 in 2024, above the $80,000 median for full-time employees in the same sample (Source: Upwork Research Institute, 2025). MBO Partners reported 4.7 million U.S. independents earning more than $100,000 in 2024 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).

What this means: the two are not contradictory. BLS covers all independent contractors, including lower-paid roles, while Upwork’s figure covers only skilled knowledge workers who freelance full time, a higher-earning subset. Skill level and full-time status, not independence itself, drive the earnings differences.

Marketing, Creative, and Skilled Freelancers

The fastest-growing and highest-earning freelance segments are skilled knowledge and creative services rather than low-skill on-demand work.

In 2023, 47% of U.S. freelancers, nearly 30 million professionals, provided knowledge services such as marketing, IT, computer programming, and business consulting (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023). The number of U.S. independent content creators grew 9.9% to 8.9 million in 2024 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024). Full-time and part-time independents providing services to businesses rose 14% to 11.2 million in 2024 (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).

What this means: within the broad independent workforce, the business-services and creator segments are growing faster than the overall total, which was roughly flat in 2024. Marketing and creative freelancers sit inside this skilled-services core, though no single primary source isolates a clean, comparable count of marketing-only freelancers.

Motivations and Growth

Survey evidence on why people freelance is mixed and depends on the population sampled.

McKinsey found that 68% of its 2022 independent-worker respondents identified as gig workers, and reported that most people working independently would still prefer a more stable form of employment (Source: McKinsey, 2022). MBO Partners reported that the combined Millennial and Gen Z share of the independent workforce rose from 52% in 2023 to 59% in 2024, and that full-time independents grew 6.5% while the overall total was nearly flat (Source: MBO Partners, 2024).

What this means: younger workers are driving the shift toward full-time independence, but McKinsey’s finding that a majority would prefer stable employment cautions against framing all gig work as chosen. Motivation is heterogeneous, and choice-versus-necessity varies sharply by income and skill level.

Original Synthesis

1. The Definition Spread Ratio

Dividing the broadest 2023 to 2024 survey count by the narrowest federal count shows the scale of the definitional problem. MBO Partners’ 72.7 million (2024) divided by the BLS 11.9 million independent contractors (July 2023) yields a spread ratio of about 6.1 to 1. Inputs: MBO Partners State of Independence 2024 and BLS Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements 2023. Logic: the ratio quantifies how much the count expands when occasional and side-gig workers are added to main-job independent contractors. Limitation: the two figures use different populations, reference periods, and question designs, so the ratio is illustrative of definitional sensitivity, not a precise conversion factor.

2. Full-Time Share of the Broad Independent Count

Using MBO Partners’ own breakdown, 27.7 million full-time independents divided by 72.7 million total independents in 2024 gives a full-time share of about 38%. Inputs: MBO Partners State of Independence 2024. Logic: this isolates the share of the broad independent workforce for whom independence is the primary livelihood rather than a side activity. Limitation: MBO’s category boundaries are self-reported, and full-time status can shift year to year.

3. Earnings Inversion by Skill and Status

Comparing BLS and Upwork shows that independent work can rank below or above traditional employment on earnings depending on the subgroup. BLS independent contractors earned a median $949 weekly in 2023, roughly $49,000 annualized if worked year-round, below traditional full-time workers at $1,132 weekly. Upwork’s exclusively freelance knowledge workers reported a median $85,000 in 2024, above the $80,000 full-time-employee median in the same sample. Inputs: BLS 2023 and Upwork Future Workforce Index 2025. Logic: placing the two side by side demonstrates that the earnings verdict flips when the population narrows to skilled full-time freelancers. Limitation: the BLS figure is weekly on the main job and the Upwork figure is self-reported annual income for a knowledge-worker subset, so the annualization is approximate and the two are not directly comparable.

Tables

Table 1: Headline Counts by Source and Definition

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, 2023; McKinsey & Company, American Opportunity Survey, 2022; Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023; MBO Partners, State of Independence in America, 2024.

Table 2: BLS Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023.

Table 3: MBO Partners Independent Workforce Composition, 2024

Source: MBO Partners, State of Independence in America, 2024.

Charts to build

• Chart title: Headline freelancer counts by source and definition. Data needed: the four counts in Table 1. Source: BLS 2023, McKinsey 2022, Upwork 2023, MBO Partners 2024. Insight: the count rises roughly 6-fold as the definition widens. Why it is citation-worthy: it visually explains why gig statistics appear to contradict each other.
• Chart title: MBO Partners independent workforce growth, 2020 to 2024. Data needed: 38.2 million (2020), 72.1 million (2023), 72.7 million (2024). Source: MBO Partners 2024. Insight: rapid growth through 2023 then a plateau in 2024. Why it is citation-worthy: it captures the post-pandemic surge and its recent flattening in one series.
• Chart title: Median earnings, independent contractors vs traditional full-time (weekly, main job). Data needed: $949 vs $1,132. Source: BLS 2023. Insight: on a main-job basis, independent contractors earn less. Why it is citation-worthy: it counters the assumption that independence always pays more.
• Chart title: Skilled freelance segments growth, 2023 to 2024. Data needed: content creators 8.1 to 8.9 million; business-services independents to 11.2 million (+14%). Source: MBO Partners 2024. Insight: skilled segments outgrow the flat overall total. Why it is citation-worthy: it shows where the growth actually is.
• Chart title: Generational freelance participation, 2023. Data needed: Gen Z 52%, Millennials 44%. Source: Upwork 2023. Insight: younger cohorts freelance at higher rates. Why it is citation-worthy: it supports workforce-planning narratives.

Inline chart, BLS alternative arrangements share of U.S. employment, July 2023:

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023.

Methodology

Source selection prioritized primary and recurring data: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Contingent Worker Supplement as the only federal source, and the three most established annual private surveys, Upwork Freelance Forward and Future Workforce Index, McKinsey American Opportunity Survey, and MBO Partners State of Independence. Inclusion required a named publisher, a specific year, and a defined population. Figures were excluded where the definition was unstated or where only aggregator blogs, not the original publisher, could be located. Conflicting numbers were handled by reporting them side by side and attributing the difference to definition and population rather than choosing a single “correct” figure. Derived estimates in the Original Synthesis section use only arithmetic on published figures, with the formula and inputs stated and cross-source limitations flagged. BLS figures could not be machine-fetched during compilation because the server blocks automated requests; the July 2023 values used here match the official Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements release. Date of last update: July 2026.

Source Quality

Tier 1 (primary, government): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, 2023.

Tier 2 (credible market research and recurring industry surveys): Upwork Research Institute (Freelance Forward, Future Workforce Index); McKinsey & Company (American Opportunity Survey); MBO Partners (State of Independence in America). These are self-selected online survey panels and should be treated as indicative rather than census-grade.

Tier 3 (reputable journalism and secondary aggregation): trade and business press coverage of the above studies was used only to locate primary releases, not as a primary citation.

Most Quotable Statistics

• “In July 2023, 11.9 million U.S. workers, 7.4% of employment, were independent contractors on their main job.” (Source: BLS, 2023)
• “Upwork estimated 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023, 38% of the workforce, earning about $1.27 trillion.” (Source: Upwork, Freelance Forward 2023)
• “MBO Partners estimated 72.7 million U.S. independents in 2024, nearly double the 38.2 million of 2020.” (Source: MBO Partners, 2024)
• “McKinsey found 36% of employed Americans identified as independent workers in 2022, up from 27% in 2016.” (Source: McKinsey, 2022)
• “Full-time freelance knowledge workers reported a median income of $85,000 in 2024, above the $80,000 for full-time employees.” (Source: Upwork, 2025)

Data Limitations

No two sources here use the same definition, reference period, or sampling method, so their counts are not directly comparable and should never be averaged. BLS measures only the main job and excludes side gigs, understating total freelance participation. The three private surveys rely on self-identification and online panels, which can overstate participation and skew toward digitally connected workers. The BLS Contingent Worker Supplement is intermittent and its July 2023 questions were revised, limiting long-run comparability. Earnings comparisons mix weekly main-job medians with self-reported annual income for skilled subsets. Global figures circulating in secondary sources vary by an order of magnitude and were excluded where no primary publisher could be confirmed. There is no clean, primary count of marketing-only freelancers; that segment is reported here inside broader skilled-services categories.

Recommended Dataset Fields

For a downloadable CSV, recommended fields: source_publisher; report_name; data_year; reference_period; population_definition; metric_name; metric_value; unit; geography; workforce_share_percent; median_earnings; earnings_basis (weekly/annual); segment (e.g., independent_contractor, content_creator, business_services); notes_on_comparability; source_url.

Press Summary

How many people work in the gig and freelance economy depends entirely on how you count them. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the only federal source, found 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job in July 2023, or 7.4% of employment. Private surveys report far larger numbers because they include side and occasional work: Upwork counted 64 million freelancers in 2023 (38% of the workforce, $1.27 trillion in earnings), McKinsey put independent workers at 36% of employed Americans in 2022, and MBO Partners estimated 72.7 million independents in 2024, up from 38.2 million in 2020. Earnings verdicts flip by subgroup: BLS independent contractors earned less per week than traditional employees, while full-time freelance knowledge workers reported higher median income. Growth is concentrated in skilled, creative, and business-services segments, led by Millennials and Gen Z. Any responsible citation must state which definition it uses. For research support, see CO Consulting.

Suggested Headlines

• Why Gig Economy Statistics Range From 12 Million to 73 Million, and Which One to Cite
• The Freelance Workforce, Explained: What BLS, Upwork, and MBO Partners Actually Measure
• 72.7 Million or 11.9 Million? Inside the Definition Gap in Freelance Data
• Skilled, Creative, and Growing: Where the Gig Economy Is Actually Expanding
• Do Freelancers Earn More? The Answer Depends on Who You Count

FAQ

How many freelancers are in the United States?

Estimates range from 11.9 million independent contractors on their main job (BLS, July 2023) to 72.7 million independents including side and occasional work (MBO Partners, 2024). Source: BLS 2023; MBO Partners 2024.

What share of the U.S. workforce freelances?

Upwork estimated 38% did some freelance work in 2023, while BLS put independent contractors at 7.4% of employment on a main-job basis in July 2023. Source: Upwork 2023; BLS 2023.

Why do gig economy statistics vary so much?

Because definitions differ: BLS counts only main jobs, while private surveys count anyone who did any independent work, producing a roughly 6-fold gap. Source: BLS 2023; MBO Partners 2024.

How much do U.S. freelancers earn in total?

Upwork estimated freelancers contributed about $1.27 trillion in earnings in 2023 and $1.5 trillion in 2024 for knowledge workers. Source: Upwork Freelance Forward 2023; Upwork Future Workforce Index 2025.

Do freelancers earn more than employees?

It depends on the group: BLS independent contractors earned a median $949 weekly in 2023 versus $1,132 for traditional full-time workers, but full-time freelance knowledge workers reported a higher median of $85,000 in 2024. Source: BLS 2023; Upwork 2025.

How fast is the freelance workforce growing?

MBO Partners’ count rose from 38.2 million in 2020 to 72.7 million in 2024, though it was nearly flat between 2023 and 2024. Source: MBO Partners 2024.

How many gig workers are there specifically?

McKinsey found 68% of its 2022 independent-worker respondents identified as gig workers, within a group of roughly 58 million independent workers. Source: McKinsey 2022.

What share of freelancers do skilled or creative work?

In 2023, 47% of U.S. freelancers, nearly 30 million, provided knowledge services such as marketing, IT, and consulting. Source: Upwork 2023.

How many independent content creators are there?

MBO Partners counted 8.9 million U.S. independent content creators in 2024, up 9.9% from 8.1 million in 2023. Source: MBO Partners 2024.

Are younger workers more likely to freelance?

Yes: Upwork found 52% of Gen Z and 44% of Millennial professionals freelanced in 2023, and MBO Partners reported the combined Millennial and Gen Z share of independents rose to 59% in 2024. Source: Upwork 2023; MBO Partners 2024.

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