If you want to earn $100,000 as a freelancer while operating at 50% utilization, your hourly rate must be significantly higher to compensate for non-billable time. Use this calculator to estimate what you should charge.
Freelancers must account for taxes, downtime, and business expenses. A common rule is to increase your target salary by 30–50% to arrive at a sustainable freelance rate.
At 50% utilization, only half your time is billable. To reach $100k annually, your hourly rate must increase to compensate for unpaid time and gaps between work.
This is useful for comparing freelance rates, job offers, or understanding your effective hourly earnings.