Welcome to the Page Rate Finder for Traditional Book Publishers.
The data collected here reflect deals and advances from traditional book publishers. Advances are listed here for publishers such as: Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, First Second, Abrams, Random House, Scholastic, etc. You may notice that comic book publishers are listed here as well and that’s for exceptions where they acquired a graphic novel and handled it similarly to a traditional book publisher (ie. advances vs. page rates). Please scroll to the bottom of the page for the legend regarding the listed ROLES.
To check out Comic Book Market (aka Direct Market) page rate info, visit here.
If you’d like to submit a rate, please fill out this submission form. Response time may vary and we ask for your patience as this is a volunteer-run site and project & not automated. We do our best to make sure all entries are authentic & up to date.
You may use the SEARCH box at top of the data to filter through the submitted rates. All entries are in USD unless stated otherwise.
LAST UPDATED on June 13, 2023
| Publisher | Role | Advance/Rate | Royalties | Project Page Count | Agented? | Work-for-Hire? | Were You Paid? | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Horse (OGN) | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $18,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | 2019 |
| Dark Horse (OGN) | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $20,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Humanoids | Editor (Freelance) | $1500 | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | No | 2020 |
| Oni Press (OGN) | Artist | $4000 | 25% | 150 | Yes | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Abrams/Amulet | Artist | $35,000 | Hardcover 5%, then 6.25% (if over 25k copies sold) Paperback 3.5%, then 4% (if over 35k sold) | 221 | Yes | No | 2022 | |
| Macmillan | Colorist | $12,000 | N/A | 224 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2021 |
| Simon & Schuster | Artist | $30,000 | 5% to 20,000; 6.25% thereafter of list price | 260 | Yes | No | Yes | 2023 |
| Ten Speed Press/Random House | Line Artist | $36,900 | 16 to 20% | 160 | Yes | No | Yes | 2021 |
| IDW (OGN) | Line Artist | $33,600 | 12 to 25% | 160 | Yes | No | Yes | 2022 |
| IDW (OGN) | Artist | $42,000 | 12% Print; 25% Digital; 75% Foreign | 208 | Yes | Yes | N/A | 2023 |
| Scholastic | Flatter | $3750 | N/A | 248 | Yes | Yes | N/A | 2022 |
| Abrams | Artist | $7000 | 3% on hardcover, 1% on paperback | 53 | No | Yes | Yes | 2022 |
| Holiday House | Cartoonist (All) | $18,000 | 10% of the list price on the first 25,000 copies sold. 12.5% of the list price on all copies sold thereafter. | 189 | No | Unknown | Yes | 2020 |
| First Second | Editor (Freelance) | $3500 (Standard OGN) | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | Yes | 2021 |
| First Second | Editor (Freelance) | $5000 (Special OGN) | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | Yes | 2021 |
| Lerner/Graphic Universe | Cartoonist (All) | $9500 | 15% for hardcover, 10% for paperback | 256 | Yes | No | Yes | 2018 |
| Disney-Hyperion | Artist | $40,000 | 4% for hardcover, 2% for paperback | 128 | Yes | Yes | Late | 2021 |
| Harper Collins/Harper Alley | Colorist | $5000 | 0 | 243 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2021 |
| Andrews McMeel | Artist (Creator) | $15,000 | 16-18% | 256 | Yes | No | Yes | 2023 |
| Candlewick Press | Cover Artist | $3000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | Yes | Yes | 2021 |
| Harper Collins | Cover Artist | $5000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | Yes | Yes | 2018 |
| Harper Collins | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $38,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No | N/A | -- |
| Holiday House | Cover Artist | $2000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | Yes | Yes | 2019 |
| Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) | Artist | $30,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | -- |
| Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) | Writer | $15,000 | Unknown | 200 | Yes | No | Yes | 2018 |
| Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) | Writer | $17,000 | Unknown | 300 | Yes | No | Yes | 2020 |
| Little Bee Books | Cover Artist | $1500 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2018 |
| Lion Forge | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $8000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No | Yes | -- |
| Little Brown | Artist (incl. colors and cover) | $28,000 | Unknown | 205 | Yes | No | Yes | 2021 |
| Macmillan | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $50,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Yes | -- |
| Macmillan | Cover Artist | $3000 | Unknown | N/A | Yes | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Macmillan | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $20,000 | Unknown | N/A | Yes | No | Yes | 2018 |
| Macmillan | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $50,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Yes | 2020 |
| Macmillan | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $75,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2019 |
| Macmillan | Cover Artist | $2275 | Unknown | N/A | Yes | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Oni Press | Artist | $4000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No | Yes | 2015 |
| Orca Books | Cover Artist | $1500 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | -- |
| Penguin Random House | Cover Artist | $1000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2021 |
| Penguin Random House | Cover Artist | $3250 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | -- |
| Penguin Random House | Cover Artist | $3000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Penguin Random House | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $75,000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Penguin Random House | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $45,000 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Penguin Random House | Cover Artist | $1500 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | -- |
| Penguin Random House | Cover Artist | $3500 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2020 |
| Penguin Random House | Cover Artist | $2500 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2019 |
| Random House | Cover Artist | $3500 | Unknown | N/A | Unknown | No | Yes | 2018 |
| Random House Graphic | Cartoonist (All Roles, minus Colors) | $35,000 | Unknown | 200 | Yes | No | Yes | 2020 |
| Scholastic/Graphix | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $42,500 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Yes | 2015 |
| Scholastic/Graphix | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $47,500 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Yes | -- |
| Scholastic/Graphix | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $42,500 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Yes | -- |
| Simon & Schuster | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $11,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2018 |
| Simon & Schuster | Cover Artist | $3000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No | Yes | 2021 |
| Simon & Schuster | Cover Artist | $2750 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No | Yes | 2021 |
| Simon & Schuster | Cover Artist | $2250 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | 2016 |
| Simon & Schuster | Writer | $35,000 | Unknown | 150 | Yes | No | Yes | 2021 |
| Simon & Schuster | Artist | $35,000 | Unknown | 150 | Yes | No | Yes | 2021 |
| Viking Books for Young Readers | Artist | $15,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2015 |
| Viking Books for Young Readers | Artist | $15,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2017 |
| Dark Horse (OGN) | Cartoonist (All) | $25,000 | Unknown | 225 | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | 2018 |
| Scholastic/Graphix | Cartoonist (All) | $23, 750 | Unknown | 170 | Yes | No | Yes | 2018 |
| First Second | Cartoonist (All) | $20,000 | Unknown | 120 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 2018 |
| First Second | Cartoonist (All) | $25,000 | Unknown | Previously published webcomic | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 2018 |
| DC Comics (OGN) | Cartoonist (All, minus Lettering) | $20,000 | Unknown | 240 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 2018 |
| Oni Press (OGN) | Writer | $20,000 | Unknown | 200 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 2018 |
| First Second | Cartoonist (All) | $25,000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 2018 |
| Image Comics (OGN) | Writer | $4000 | Unknown | 185 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 2018 |
| IDW (OGN) | Artist | $31,000 | Print Products: 12% of Net Sales Digital Products: 25% of Net Sales Ancillary Products: 7% of Net Sales Foreign Products: 75% of Net Sales | 224 | Yes | No | 2021 | |
| Harper Collins/Harper Alley | Writer | $40,000 | 6-12.5% | 250 | Yes | No | Yes | 2022 |
| Ten Speed Press | Writer | $22,750 | 16-20% | 160 | Yes | No | Yes | 2020 |
| Random House Graphic | Writer | $46,000 | 6-12.5% | 200 | Yes | No | Yes | 2022 |
| First Second | Writer | $15,000 | 6-12.5% | 150 | Yes | No | Yes | 2023 |
| DC Comics | Writer | $12,500 | 7-12% | 175 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2023 |
| IDW (OGN) | Writer & Artist | $15,000 | 50% of Net Sales | 253 | Yes (but not for this OGN) | No | Yes | 2015-2023 |
| Harper Collins | Artist | $150,000 | 6% | 480 | Yes | No | Yes | 2020 |
| Random House Graphic | Cartoonist (All) | $75,000 | 10% Hardcover, 7% Paperback | 250 | Yes | No | Yes | 2020-2023 |
| First Second | Artist (including colors and lettering) | $32,000 | 4% | 180 | No | No | Yes | Current |
| Walker Books | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $100,000 (this GN went to auction and is NOT typical for this publisher!) | 8.5-12% | 500+ | Yes | No | Yes | Current |
| Knopf Books for Young Readers | Writer & Artist | $46,000 (split with another co-creator) | 10% hardcover, 7.5% paperback | 201 | Yes | No | Yes | 2021-2023 |
| Dark Horse | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $8000 | Profit share 50% on earn back | 275 | Yes | No | Yes | 2021-2023 |
| Harper Collins | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $100,000 | 10% | 220 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2022-2023 |
| Candlewick Press | Cartoonist (All Roles) | $60,000 | 10% HC/PB, HC escalation to 12.5% after 25k copies | 275 | Yes | No | Yes | 2022 |
LEGEND:
- Writer – Writing the script
- Artist – All interior comic book pages including Pencils, Inks, Colors
- Colorist – Handling all interior colors
- Flatter – Laying down flats, working with the main colorist on a project
- Letterer – Doing all the lettering for a project
- Line Artist – All interior comic book page Pencils and Inks
- Cover Artist – Artist working on comic book covers and variants
- Cover Colorist – Handling colors for cover art
- Cartoonist (All) – Script, Line Art, Colors, and Letters for all interior pages
- Editorial Comic – Someone handling Script, Line Art, and Colors for an editorial comic
- Editor – Freelance editors for a comics project
- Translator – Working in translation, usually for manga
For rates regarding editorial work and other adjacent art and illustration work, please be sure to visit Litebox and check out their Rate Finder.
If you have any questions, comments, or anything else, please reach out to info@creatorresource.com.
Amazing resource, thank you! In case anyone isn’t aware, HMH was acquired and is now HarperCollins.