Hi, I am new to freelancing, i just want to know what is a fair and descent rate to charge for a small or medium project?? I have 1-3 years CAD experience. Im not unexperienced in the field, nor am I a veteran professional. Ive done mostly internships....so i dont know what to charge anyone that asks me for work...Basically, I got a call from this lady that wants me to do some CAD work for her but I told her i would get back to her because I dont know what to charge..Can anyone please help me and fast? I want to get back to her soon. I dont want to miss this opportunity. Thank you so much for any help.

You have two choices.1. Lump sum.  Your flat rate x the number of hours you think it is going to take to do the job.  This gives you the incentive to meet or beat your quoted price because if you take longer then you are earning less per hour.2. Hourly rate.  Example: $25/hr. is not unreasonable for someone with 1-3 years experience.  You could temper this with a "not to exceed" figure so the woman knows she won't be paying $1,000 for a job not worth more than $500.

Great post, John! Thanks so much! I appreciate your insight! Merry Christmas to ya!