Salary to Freelance Rate Calculator
Enter your current W-2 salary and benefits. We'll calculate the freelance hourly rate you need to maintain the same standard of living.
Your base W-2 salary
$
Annual value of employer-provided health insurance
$
Annual amount your employer contributes
$
Total vacation/sick days per year
How many hours per week you'll bill clients
⚠️ Estimates only. Tax rates updated for 2026. Consult a CPA for advice specific to your situation.
Equivalent Freelance Hourly Rate
$108
Based on 30 billable hrs/week
Day Rate (8 hours)
$864
Week Rate
$3,238
Month Rate
$14,033
Annual Gross Needed
$158,684
What your job actually pays you
Base Salary$95,000
Health Insurance Value$6,000
401(k) Match$4,750
PTO Value (15 days)$5,481
Total Compensation$111,231
Why the freelance rate is higher: As an employee, your take-home is $66,384. As a freelancer, you need to earn $158,684 gross to match that take-home AND cover $10,750 in benefits you currently get for free. Plus, you're only billing 1,470 hours/year instead of a full-time schedule.