Finance Calculators
Contractor Rate Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate the hourly rate needed to reach a target annual income after allowing for expenses, unpaid time and fewer billable hours.
Target amount you want to reach or plan around with this calculator.
Hours you can charge clients, not total working hours. Exclude admin, quoting, breaks, leave and unpaid time.
Extra percentage for business costs, tax, admin time, unpaid time and uncertainty. Increase it if your costs are not fully captured.
Controls rounding in the displayed result only; it does not change the underlying calculation.
Formula
Worked example
A $120,000 target income, 30 billable hours per week and a 25% overhead buffer gives an estimated rate of about $96.15 per hour.
How to use this calculator
Start with realistic inputs, run more than one scenario, and compare the result with nearby calculators in the same topic cluster. This makes the page useful for both a quick answer and a deeper planning workflow.
For important financial, health, construction or employment decisions, treat the output as a planning estimate rather than a final professional assessment.
Accuracy note
CalculatorWorks explains formulas and assumptions so results are easier to review. Inputs, rounding, local rules, fees and personal circumstances can change real outcomes.