Short answer
There is no universal “going rate” for mixing a song. Set your rate from two things: the real monthly income you need (housing, taxes, savings, business costs — not just survival), and the transformation you create for the artist. Work out your true monthly requirement, divide by the number of songs you can mix well each month, and price above that floor. Most engineers who do this math find they were undercharging by at least 20%.
Why your rate stays stuck
Three reasons the number never moves
You price off “industry standard”
There is no universal rate. Copying someone else’s number ignores your costs, your market, and the value you actually deliver.
You price on cost, not transformation
Artists aren’t paying for hours or plugins. They’re paying for a record that competes. Price the outcome, not the labour.
You never did the math
If you don’t know your real monthly requirement, every quote is a guess — and guesses drift downward under pressure.
How to set your rate
Price from your numbers in four steps
Add up your real monthly requirement
Essentials + professional goals (savings, gear, emergency fund) + business costs (taxes, insurance, marketing). This is your true number, not just your rent.
Divide by songs you can mix well
How many mixes can you deliver at a high standard each month? Your monthly requirement ÷ that number is your minimum per-song floor.
Add the value premium
Charge above the floor based on the result you create and the clients you want. Better clients respect professional rates.
Say the number out loud
Practise quoting it without flinching. The rate only works if you can deliver it calmly on a call.
The shift
What changes when you price on purpose
Where you are now
- Quoting whatever feels safe
- Undercharging by 20%+ without knowing it
- Losing good projects to price-shoppers
- Working more to earn the same
Where this takes you
- A rate anchored to real numbers
- A floor you never quote below
- Clients who respect professional pricing
- Earning more from fewer, better projects
Is this you?
This is for you if…
- You quote from a gut feeling instead of a number
- You suspect you’re undercharging but aren’t sure by how much
- You keep losing good work to price-shoppers
- You want a rate you can defend on a call without flinching
Real results
Engineers who changed this
"What surprised me most was that I was the one holding myself back. My rates went from $250 a mix to $450–800, and imposter syndrome has practically gone away."
"Learning the difference between operating as a technician versus an owner completely rewired how I think about my career."
"I've gotten better at separating my self-worth from my rates, which has given me a healthier perspective when taking on projects with clients at different stages of their careers."
FAQ
Questions engineers ask
Want help setting a rate you can defend?
Book a Mentorship Intensive and we’ll work out your number together — from your real costs, your market, and the clients you actually want.
Book the Intensive