Indexing Rates

Rates vary based on text density, text complexity, index density, and time frame. Indexers like to book in advance and rush requests result in increased expenses.

I usually charge between USD 2.00 and 6.00 per indexable page (which is any page with text on it that needs to be indexed). If a 250-page book, for example, has 210 indexable pages, then it could cost between USD 400 and 1200 to index the book. But in most cases, the cost will probably be closer to USD 500.

Although every book is different, there are some general guidelines for different types of texts.

• •  Popular science or business books might have 3–7 entries per page and cost USD 2.00–3.75 per page
• •  Academic books might have 5–10 entries per page and cost USD 3.00–6.00 per page
• •  Textbooks might have 7–10 entries per page and cost USD 3.50–5.00 per page
• •  Technical books might have 7–12 entries and cost USD 4–6.00 per page

There are a lot more factors to consider beyond difficulty and density when talking about book indexing fees. Here are just a few:

• •  the requested format for the index
• •  the depth of indexing required, or number of expected entries per page
• •  the size of the page, font, and margins
• •  the density of names that need to be indexed or foreign languages
• •  any last-minute publisher changes like repagination
• •  multiple indexes for different topics or novel orders
• •  the number of figures and tables that need to be indexed
• •  any non-standard styles for the index
• •  the time frame for the expected index

A professional book indexer can consider all of these factors and come up with a quote that reflects them. As a rule of thumb, though, you should expect an index to start around USD 3.00 per indexable page for easier material with fewer entries. As the difficulty of the material and density of the entries increases, however, you should expect the price to go up as well. The tighter the deadline and the more complex the formatting preferences, the more expensive the index.

For more information on common rates, see the EFA’s list of Common Editorial Rates