How Many Freelancers Are There in the United States?

+10 years of experience as a solopreneur in digital marketing. In charge of marketing at SparkReceipt.

Report highlights

There were an estimated 60 million freelancers in the U.S. in 2022 (Upwork “Freelance Forward” 2022).
The number of freelancers is projected to reach ≈ 86.5 million by 2027, according to Statista (public preview).
Freelancers are expected to comprise ≈ 50.9% of the U.S. workforce by 2027 (Statista public preview).
The freelance workforce has grown from 53 million in 2014 to approximately 60 million in 2022.
Growth is driven by remote work adoption, rising self-employment, and digital platforms.

Freelancing has shifted from a niche segment to a significant part of the U.S. labor market.

According to Upwork’s Freelance Forward 2022 report, there were ~60 million freelancers in the U.S. in 2022.
The 2014 baseline is ~53 million freelancers (publicly cited).
A Statista public preview chart projects ~86.5 million freelancers by 2027.
That level would represent roughly half of the U.S. workforce.

Freelancing is growing faster than traditional employment.

Growth from ~53 million in 2014 to ~60 million in 2022 reflects a strong upward trend.
Future projections (Statista) signal continued expansion through at least 2027.
The shift has been amplified by remote work, shifting workforce preferences, and digital-platform expansion.

Where freelancing is headed in the next few years (projections).

Statista public preview indicates ~86.5 million freelancers in 2027.
Freelancers are expected to make up ~50.9% of the U.S. workforce by that year.
These figures are projections based on historical trends and should be treated as estimates.