My rates generally fall within the range of $2.50 to $5 per page of text, although specific projects can demand higher or lower fees. Rates vary widely depending upon the number of index entries required per page, amount of text on the page, number of illustrations, and complexity of the subject matter. Some projects are charged at a per-entry rate. Contact me for quotations on specific projects.

The most common billing method for back-of-the-book indexing is based on a page rate per indexable page. Indexable pages are those containing content the indexer is expected to evaluate for index entries. In some fields, such as medicine, rates are commonly charged by the entry rather than by the page. Entries may be counted as the total number of locators (page numbers) or the total number of subject headings in the index.

The rate per indexable page is based on such factors as the size of pages, the number of words per page, the complexity of the material, the number of authors, and the number of days the indexer has to complete the index. A job with a short turnaround demands a higher rate. Multiple indexes (names, titles, first lines) require additional time and result in a higher per-page rate.

I will probably ask to see some representative pages of your book before giving a firm quotation. When sending sample pages, select a section from a central chapter that is typical of the entire text. Do not select pages from the first or last chapter since these sections are usually not representative of the entire book. Also, these need to be typeset pages, not manuscript, since the amount of text per page is very different between the two. For most books, sending ten pages by fax or email attachment allows an accurate quotation.