What should you charge per consulting day — after tax?
Tell us the take-home you want and how many days you can actually bill. We reverse-engineer the day rate using the same tax engine as our freelance calculators.
Rates and assumptions last updated: July 2026. Sources & methodology
Consulting practice
On-site or deep-work days you can sell — not admin or sales.
$123,787 gross across 110 days (~$141/hr at 8 hrs).
- Gross revenue needed
- $123,787
- Estimated tax (2026)
- $27,787
- Business expenses
- $6,000
- 8-hour equivalent
- $141/hr
Built for consultants who sell days, not hourly blocks. Tax uses real federal brackets for a single filer. State tax and benefits are extra.
How this is calculated
Consultants often quote per day or per engagement, not hourly. This calculator works backwards from your net target: it finds the gross revenue that clears federal SE tax and income tax, then divides by billable consulting days.
Count only days you sell — not proposals, travel admin, or business development. Underestimating sellable days is the fastest way to underprice a practice.