The short answer
Apparel design runs $300–$2,500 per project, with a typical job around $1,000. Whether it’s a merch drop, a brand’s t-shirt line, or original garment graphics, the price depends on how many pieces, how detailed the artwork, and whether the designer also preps files for the printer or manufacturer.
| Tier | Range | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| DIY / template | $0–$50 | Print-on-demand templates. Fine to test an idea with no upfront cost. |
| Marketplace gig | $50–$300 | A single graphic, often not prepped for screen printing or embroidery. |
| Independent professional | $300–$1,500 | Original designs, production-ready files, color separations, mockups. |
| Senior / full line | $1,500–$3,000+ | Multi-piece collections, tech packs, manufacturer coordination. |
What actually moves the price
Production method dictates the file. Screen printing, direct-to-garment, embroidery, and sublimation each want different artwork setups — color separations, stitch counts, resolution. A design that ignores the method costs you at production. Professional pricing includes prepping for how it will actually be made.
Piece count and consistency. One shirt graphic is a project; a coordinated line of hoodies, tees, and caps is several designs that must read as a family. The count drives the fee, and a cohesive collection takes more thought than the sum of its parts.
Tech packs for manufacturing. If you’re producing cut-and-sew garments rather than printing on blanks, you may need a tech pack — the spec sheet a factory builds from. That’s specialized work and priced accordingly; clarify whether your project needs it before comparing quotes.
How this guide is priced
Ranges are compiled from public market data and published rate listings — see our data methodology. As the Mindhyv marketplace grows, these figures will come from real, anonymized platform data instead.
Before you hire
Read the apparel designer hiring guide for the production questions to settle first, and lock ownership and usage in a freelance contract before art goes to a printer.