Upwork report
“Freelance Forward 2022”
Overview
Labor market is shaken by recent great resignations, massive layoffs, and having to return back to office. What does all this mean for freelancers and should we care? Let's try to figure out based on numbers from Upwork “Freelance Forward 2022” report.
“Freelance Forward 2022” Overview
Freelancers contributed $1.35 trillion to the U.S. economy in annual earnings in 2022, up $50 billion from 2021.
The share of professionals freelancing increased to 60 million Americans, up three percentage points from 2021 to 39%.
Nearly three-quarters of freelancers (73%) say that perceptions of freelancing as a career are becoming more positive, up from 68% in 2021.
Gen Z and Millennials are the most likely to explore freelancing: In 2022, 43% of all Gen Z professionals and 46% of all Millennial professionals performed freelance work.
Over half of freelancers provide knowledge services: 51% of all freelancers, or nearly 31 million professionals, provided knowledge services such as computer programming, marketing, IT, and business consulting in 2022.
17% of U.S. workers are now diversified, meaning they seek multiple sources of income from a mix of traditional employment and freelance work, up three percentage points from 2021.
- Freelancing continues to grow among the most educated: 26% of all U.S. freelancers hold a postgraduate degree, up from 20% in 2021.
Slide the pictures for more numbers and graphs from “Freelance Forward 2022”
More Articles
How SEO Is Changing in the Age of AI
21-10-2025
AI is transforming search. Learn how SEO evolves into AEO and GEO — where visibility means being cited in AI answers, not just ranked in results.
Keeping the Human Mind Sharp When AI Can Do It All
16-10-2025
AI makes work easier, but thinking harder. Learn how to stay creative, critical, and human in the age of intelligent machines.
AI Workslop: Why Businesses Pay Freelancers to Fix AI
07-10-2025
AI speeds up work but often creates “workslop” - results that look complete yet lack value. Freelancers are the ones turning them into quality.
Disney Creative Strategy: How Ideas Become Reality
03-10-2025
Disney Creative Strategy: dream, plan, critique — a tool to guide ideas from imagination to real-world results.
Upwork Boost: Increasing Freelancer Profile Visibility
29-09-2025
Discover how Upwork’s Available Now badge and Profile Boost work, their costs, pros and cons, and which boost is best for freelancers or agencies.
10 Posts to Help You Get Started on Upwork
29-09-2025
We’ve gathered a set of articles to guide you through the essentials — from setting up your profile to building long-term client relationships.
Etcetera summer 2025 report
26-09-2025
Etcetera summer 2025 results: quiet season, new team members, shifting Upwork rules, and plans for an active autumn.
Upwork Feedback: a trust tool you should learn to read and write
22-09-2025
Upwork feedback is more than stars — it builds trust, shapes reputation, and guides choices. Learn how to read, request, and write reviews effectively
7 Hats: a thinking tool that saves time and nerves
08-09-2025
Instead of mixing emotions, facts, and criticism in chaos — this method by Edward de Bono helps separate thinking modes.
Upwork: From Simple Fees to Pay-to-Play
29-08-2025
Discover how Upwork’s fees evolved from flat 10% to a pay-to-play model with Connects, boosts, and variable 0-15% commissions in 2025.
Upwork Reset 2025: How to Refresh Your Freelance Strategy
25-08-2025
Discover 5 practical steps to reset your Upwork strategy in 2025: update skills, rethink pricing, optimize proposals, and grow with the market.
How to Build a Team That Won’t Fall Apart in a Crisis
22-08-2025
How to build a strong team that survives crises: Denys Safonov shares lessons from 11 years of leading the agency Etcetera through global challenges.
