Colorado benefits from skiing, drawing tourists from around the world in a way that Washington does not. Also, Colorado isn't surrounded by states with a lot of medical marijuana, and it's closer to the Midwest, South and Northeast. All of this has driven prices down in Washington for farmers like Lauerman. In the early days, we were able to get, like, $1,700 to $2,200 a pound, wholesale. Now it's like $700, $800 a pound, he said.
Keep in mind, these rates are based on agencies that are members of the 4A's, which are typically larger agencies. In contrast, the rates in smaller markets are typically more in the $100-$200 per hour range. Also, smaller projects typically go to the younger team members who bill at a proportionately lower rate.
Most workers earn a salary or hourly rate, which is typically the largest part of a person's total income. For example a marketing manager may earn $80,000 per year in salary. Excluding any incentive payments, the $80,000 salary may represent 85 percent of the marketing manager's total annual income.