Freelance and Independent Work Statistics
Current numbers on self-employment, independent businesses and freelance work in the United States, collected in one easy-to-cite place.
Last updated November 12, 2026. Each statistic names its reporting year and source.
Independent work, by the numbers.
29.8 million
U.S. businesses had no paid employees in 2022.
These nonemployer businesses are generally self-employed people and must have at least $1,000 in annual receipts to be counted.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 data ↗$1.7 trillion
In receipts came from nonemployer businesses in 2022.
That figure covers gross receipts before expenses for the nation's businesses without paid employees.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 data ↗42.7%
Of nonemployer businesses were women-owned in 2022.
That equals 12.7 million businesses and $411.6 billion in receipts.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 data ↗2.7%
Was the average annual growth rate for nonemployer businesses from 2012 to 2023.
Employer businesses grew by an average of 1.1% a year over the same period.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 to 2023 ↗11.3 million
Self-employed people were working in the U.S. in 2024.
On an average day, 63.8% of self-employed workers worked, spending an average of 6.38 hours on the job.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 data ↗64 million
Americans performed freelance work in 2023, according to Upwork research.
The survey estimated that freelancers represented 38% of the U.S. workforce and generated $1.27 trillion in annual earnings.
Upwork Research Institute, 2023 survey ↗34.8 million
Small businesses operated in the U.S. in 2024.
They accounted for 99.9% of U.S. businesses and employed 59 million people, or 45.9% of U.S. employees.
U.S. Small Business Administration, 2024 ↗81.9%
Of U.S. small businesses had no employees in 2024.
That is 28.5 million small businesses run without paid staff.
U.S. Small Business Administration, 2024 ↗What these numbers show.
Independent work is not one neat category. Government counts of nonemployer businesses measure tax-filing businesses without paid employees. Labour data measures people who identify as self-employed. Freelance surveys measure people who did freelance work, including people who may also hold a traditional job.
Those differences matter. The figures above should not be added together or treated as interchangeable. Taken side by side, they show a large, economically meaningful group of people who run work, clients, tasks and business administration themselves.
For freelancers, a simple system is part of that work. See what a useful freelance workspace can help you manage, or explore the Freelancer Business Hub for a ready-made starting point.
How to use this page.
This page brings together the latest available figures from U.S. public agencies and one clearly labelled freelance-work survey. Every statistic links to the source that supports it. Figures keep the reporting year supplied by the source, even when the source was published later.
For reporting, please cite the original source for a statistic as well as this page. For a general reference to this collection, use: “Notioneer, Freelance and Independent Work Statistics, updated November 12, 2026, https://notioneer.online/freelance-statistics.”
- U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics by DemographicsMay 8, 2025
2022 business counts, receipts and owner demographics for nonemployer businesses.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer business growthJuly 30, 2025
Growth trends for U.S. businesses without paid employees through 2023.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use SurveyJune 26, 2025
2024 annual averages for employed and self-employed workers.
- U.S. Small Business Administration, 2024 Small Business ProfileNovember 2024
U.S. small-business counts and employment figures.
- Upwork Research Institute, Freelancing in AmericaApril 18, 2024
Survey findings on U.S. freelance work during 2023.