Career
What Happens If You Freelance at $100/Hour Instead of Working a Salary Job?
The Answer
$144,000 gross, ~$108K take-home
The Full Picture
At $100/hour, 30 billable hours/week, 48 working weeks/year, you gross $144,000. But freelancers pay self-employment tax (15.3%), cover their own health insurance ($6,000+/year), fund their own retirement, and have no paid vacation. After taxes and expenses, take-home is closer to $100,000-$110,000 — equivalent to a $140K-$150K salaried role.
By the Numbers
Gross annual revenue$144,000
Self-employment tax-$20,300
Health insurance + expenses-$8,000
Estimated take-home~$108,000
Change the numbers
These numbers are just a scenario. Use our Hourly to Salary Calculator to see what your specific situation looks like.