Freelance RateSetting a freelance rate in the United States
A checklist of the things that change a freelancer's rate in the United States, with a calculator that starts with example figures.
A US freelancer is usually self-employed, which means no employer pays part of the social insurance, health cover or paid leave. The rate must carry all of it, and the tax bill arrives in instalments during the year.
What to include in your rate
- Tax: self-employed people usually pay their own social insurance contribution on top of income tax, and often make estimated payments during the year. Use the tax percentage box for the total share of profit that goes to taxes, and confirm the figure with the IRS or a tax professional.
- Health cover: if you do not have it through a partner or another job, treat the yearly premium as a business cost or a personal saving, but do count it.
- Paid leave and holidays: none. Count the federal holidays you will not work, your own vacation and sick days as weeks off.
- Invoices and clients: clients may ask for a tax form from you before the first payment. Keep your business details ready so onboarding does not delay work.
- Different states have different rules for sales tax and local taxes, so check the state where you live and where your client is.
Try it with example figures
The form below starts with example numbers in us dollar. They are made up: replace each one with your own.
A worked example
| Take-home wanted | $80,000 |
| Business costs | $7,000 |
| Profit needed before tax and savings (28% + 10%) | $129,032 |
| Income to bill in the year | $136,032 |
| Billable hours (46 weeks, 40 hours, 55% billed) | 1,012 |
| Hourly floor | $134 |
| Day rate floor | $1,075 |
That is a floor of $134 an hour. With 3 more weeks off the floor would be $144.
Common questions
Which weeks off should a freelancer in the United States count?
Count the public holidays in the place where you live, your own leave and a few sick days. This example uses 6 weeks; use your own number and be cautious, because most freelancers take more time off than they plan.
Where do I check the tax rules?
Ask the IRS and your state tax office, or a qualified accountant in the United States. This site does not state rates because they change; type your own percentage into the form.
Keep going
Example figures on this site are made up to show the working. They are not market rates or averages. Tax, social-insurance, sales-tax and holiday rules differ by country and change, so this site does not state them: ask the tax authority of your country or an accountant. Checked 14 November 2026.