What should you charge? Start with evidence.
Find a practical freelance-rate starting point for your work and country. We show the official wage evidence separately from our clearly labeled planning estimate.
Calculate your benchmark →Why this calculator is different
Start with a real source
See the occupation source, date, and unit behind each result—before deciding what to quote.
A clear planning estimate
We multiply the official employee-wage reference by 1.75 once to create a freelance planning estimate. It is a starting point, not a government freelancer-rate statistic.
Clear about what is local
When reviewed local occupation data is available, it appears first. Otherwise, we clearly show a separate U.S.-based international reference instead of pretending it is local data.
How it works
- Search your job title; we match it to the closest occupation in our wage database.
- Select where you are based. We show reviewed local wage data first when it is available for that occupation.
- Use the Lower, Median, and Upper wage references to choose a starting point for your quote. They are positions in the wage distribution—not experience or career levels.
- Then factor in your scope, urgency, fees, and personal minimum. Those choices do not change the underlying benchmark.
Example: what you will see
For a Backend Developer in the United States, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 data shows an official median employee wage of $65.38 per hour. Separately, applying the disclosed ×1.75 planning coefficient gives a $114.42 per hour modeled freelance planning reference. Your actual quote can still vary with the work, client, and your business needs.
Country coverage
Reviewed local occupation data is currently available for the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, and Sweden. For the other 150 supported countries, the calculator provides a clearly labeled U.S.-anchored international reference—not a claim about local wages.
Explore the evidence
Occupation categories · Occupation guides · Country coverage · Methodology · Changelog