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IT Consultant Rate Calculator

See your real take-home on any hourly rate — and what the same money looks like on W2, C2C, and 1099. Built by a 15-year U.S. IT recruiter.

Your hourly rate (the bill rate you're offered)

Engagement type (what you're offered)

Hours per week

Billable weeks / year (48 = ~4 wks off/bench)

State income tax

Annual business costs (C2C/1099: insurance, benefits, LLC)

Same money, three ways apples to apples

Your entered rate converted into the equivalent bill rate under each model, so you can compare offers fairly. A C2C rate should be meaningfully higher than a W2 rate for the same take-home — because on C2C you cover the taxes and benefits an employer would otherwise pay.

Your walk-away rate

The minimum you can accept. Enter the monthly take-home you need to live + save, and see the lowest bill rate that clears it in each model.

Monthly take-home needed

How the numbers are calculated (assumptions)

Estimates for a single filer using simplified federal brackets and a standard deduction of $15,000. W2 deducts employee FICA (7.65%), federal, and state income tax. C2C and 1099 apply self-employment tax (15.3% on 92.35% of net, with the SS portion capped), then federal and state, then your entered business costs; half of SE tax is treated as deductible. The equivalent-rate comparison uses a standard employer burden of ~20% (employer FICA + benefits/PTO/overhead) between W2 and C2C/1099. Real numbers depend on your filing status, deductions, S-corp election, and expenses.

Not tax advice. This is a rough planning estimate only. Confirm your actual numbers with a licensed CPA or tax professional before making decisions.

A free tool from DigitalBloomBox
Want the full system? The IT Consultant's Guide to the U.S. Recruitment Process — on Amazon.