Skip to main content

Consulting Rate Calculator

Calculate your optimal hourly and daily consulting rates based on income goals and expenses

$
$

Every result you generate disappears when you close this tab. A free account saves everything — plus 5 Idea Studio sessions per month.

Create Free Account — Save My Results

Get the free AI productivity cheat sheet — 7 generators that take 3 minutes and save 3 hours.

How to Calculate Your Consulting Rate

Setting your consulting rate requires balancing your income goals with market reality. Many consultants make the mistake of calculating based on desired income alone, forgetting to account for non-billable time, business expenses, and taxes. This calculator helps you determine a rate that covers all your costs while achieving your financial goals.

The key insight is that you can't bill every hour of your work week. Between marketing, administrative tasks, and professional development, most consultants bill 20-30 hours per week at most. Your rate needs to compensate for this unbillable time. Additionally, as an independent consultant, you're responsible for self-employment tax (15.3%), income tax, health insurance, equipment, software, and other business expenses.

Related Free Tools