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Day rate calculator
Your salary goal, translated into a day rate.
Freelancers and consultants think in day rates, but goals are annual. Enter what you want to take home, how many days you'll actually work, and your costs — we'll gross it up for taxes and divide by real working days.
Results
Charge this day rate
$0.00
To hit your take-home target after expenses and taxes
Hourly equivalent (8-hr day)$0.00
Gross revenue needed$0.00
Your take-home target$0.00
Business expenses$0.00
Tax buffer set aside$0.00
Billable days$0.00
220 days = 260 weekdays minus holidays, vacation, and sick days. Most freelancers overestimate billable days — be honest here.
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Why day rate beats hourly for projects
Clients buy outcomes, not hours, and day rates keep scope conversations simple. The math is the same either way: your annual target plus expenses, grossed up for taxes, divided by days you'll actually bill. The tax buffer is the part most people skip — as a freelancer you owe both halves of Social Security and Medicare on top of income tax.
The billable-day reality check
A full-time employee works about 260 weekdays. Subtract 10 holidays, 15 vacation days, 5 sick days, and the admin/marketing time freelancers can't bill, and 200–220 billable days is realistic. Every 10 days you overestimate cuts your real income by ~4.5%.
From day rate to quote
Multiply the day rate by your estimated days, then add a 10–15% contingency for scope creep. If the quote scares you, the problem is usually the target or the billable days — adjust the inputs, not your worth.
Frequently asked questions
What day rate do I need for $120,000 a year?
At 220 billable days, $8,000 in expenses, and a 25% tax buffer, you'd need about $776/day. Change the inputs to match your real costs.
How many billable days are in a year?
About 200–220 for most freelancers after holidays, time off, and non-billable admin work. Employees work ~260 weekdays before time off.
Should I charge hourly or daily?
Day rates simplify quoting and reward efficiency; hourly protects you on open-ended work. The calculator shows both so you can quote either way.
What tax buffer should freelancers use?
25–30% is a common planning buffer covering income tax plus self-employment tax. Your real rate depends on income level, deductions, and state — this is planning math, not tax advice.
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