Salary vs Freelance Equivalent
Compare W2 salary offers against 1099 freelance rates.
Salary vs. Freelance Equivalent Calculator
Thinking about leaving a full-time job to freelance? Or trying to price a contract role? This tool deducts the value of W2 benefits (PTO, 401k, Health) from a salary offer to mathematically show what freelance hourly rate you actually need to charge to break even.
W2 Salary Offer (The Baseline)
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Contract / Freelance Variables
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Time spent hunting clients, invoicing, admin.
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In the US, employers pay 7.65% of FICA; freelancers must pay this employer portion themselves.
The Breakdown
Base Salary$100,000
+ Value of Paid Time Off$8,077
+ Value of Health Ins.$6,000
+ Value of 401k Match$4,000
True Package Value$118,077
Equivalent Freelance Rate
$85/hr
To match the salary package, cover your $5,000 expenses and extra SE taxes, while only billing 1,560 hours a year.
W2 Gross Hourly
$48
Contract Hourly
$85
Why calculate true equivalents?
A $100k salary is not the same as $100k of freelance gross revenue. W2 employees receive tax advantages, paid time off, and employer-sponsored benefits that freelancers must pay out-of-pocket.