Upwork Study Finds 64 Million Americans Freelanced in 2023, Adding $1.27 Trillion to U.S. Economy
12 Décembre 2023 - 1:00PM
Upwork (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world’s work marketplace that connects
businesses with independent talent, today released the results of
“Freelance Forward: 2023,” the 10th annual comprehensive study of
the U.S. independent workforce. The study found that 64 million
Americans performed freelance work in the past year, an all-time
high, representing 38% of the entire U.S. workforce, and an
increase of 4 million total professionals from 2022.
Upwork's Freelance Forward survey, a representative
study of 3,000 professionals, found freelancers contributed
approximately $1.27 trillion in annual earnings to the U.S. economy
in 2023. In a year where prolonged economic uncertainty has
converged with the rise of new technologies such as generative AI,
record numbers of the U.S. workforce are embracing skilled
freelancing as an alternative to traditional career pathways.
“The data tells us that freelancing continues to
play a vital role in the U.S. workforce. An increasing number of
Americans are seeking greater flexibility, autonomy and earning
power when it comes to their work, and they are finding it with
freelancing,” said Margaret Lilani, VP of talent solutions at
Upwork. “Not only are freelance professionals building meaningful
careers on their own terms, but they are also at the forefront of
embracing new technologies, like generative AI. The survey shows us
freelancers are more likely to regularly use AI tools in their work
than non-freelance professionals; they are quickly understanding
the importance of upskilling to augment workflows and create better
outcomes for clients.”
Key findings of the report include:
- Freelancing remains a significant part of the U.S.
labor market and economy: Freelancers contributed $1.27
trillion to the U.S. economy in annual earnings in 2023. This was a
78% increase from the estimated $715 billion to the economy in
2014, the first year of the study.1
- Freelancing hits a new all-time high: The
number of professionals freelancing increased to 64 million
Americans, or 38% of the U.S workforce, an increase of 4 million
from 2022.2
- Freelancers are 2.2 times more likely to regularly use
generative AI frequently in their work: 20% of freelancers
use generative AI tools on a regular basis (multiple times per
week), which compares to just 9% of non-freelance
professionals.
- Nearly half of freelancers provide skilled knowledge
services: 47% of all freelancers, or nearly 30 million
professionals, provided knowledge services such as computer
programming, marketing, IT, and business consulting in 2023.
- A quarter of freelancers are creating influencer-style
content: 23% of all freelancers, or 14.7 million
professionals, created influencer content including livestream
services, social media videos, images or blogs in 2023.
- Gen Z and Millennials are the most likely to explore
freelancing: In 2023, 52% of all Gen Z professionals and
44% of all Millennial professionals performed freelance work.
- Older Americans continue to be part of the freelance
market: In 2023, nearly 8.3 million professionals, or 13%
of all U.S. freelancers, were aged 59 or above.
- The future is bright,
according to freelancers: Over 85% of freelancers say the
best days are ahead for freelancing.
“I’ve been a freelancer for over ten years and it’s
been remarkable to witness the extraordinary ascent of the
freelance economy. It’s not just a trend—it's a dynamic shift in
how we work and thrive,” said Samer Bazzi, a full stack marketer
who has freelanced on Upwork for over a decade. “It’s no surprise
more and more professionals are seeking alternatives to traditional
9-to-5 models in favor of flexible work arrangements because of the
control it provides over one’s career.”
To read the full report, visit the Upwork Research
Institute.
About Freelance ForwardTo see further insights,
please visit
https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2023-research-report.
The study is conducted by independent research firm Edelman Data
& Intelligence. 3,000 U.S. working adults over the age of 18
were surveyed for it online between October 24, 2023 - November 9,
2023. Of those, 1,142 were freelancers and 1,858 were
non-freelancers. Results were collected to ensure demographic
representation in line with the United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics’ 2023 Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population
Survey and the American Community Survey. The study has an overall
margin of error of ±1.7% at the 95% level of confidence.
Freelancers: ±2.8%, Non-freelancers: ±2.2%.
About UpworkUpwork is the world’s
largest work marketplace that connects businesses with independent
talent from across the globe. We serve everyone from one-person
startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful,
trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work
together in new ways that unlock their potential. Our talent
community earned over $3.8 billion on Upwork in 2022 across more
than 10,000 skills in categories including website & app
development, creative & design, customer support, finance &
accounting, consulting, and operations. Learn more at upwork.com
and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X,
formerly Twitter.
Contact:
Zach Mosespress@upwork.com
1 Percent increase does not account for inflation2 Based on
Total U.S. Civilian Labor Force October 2023 of 168 million
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57e63234-e893-4050-8d5b-b391f1218f6b
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