Consulting Day Rate Calculator
Day rate from your income target.
Enter your values
Enter the target take-home in $.
Enter the business costs in $.
Enter the tax rate in %.
Enter the working weeks you are working with.
Enter the utilisation in %.
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed. Your values are remembered on this device, and the shareable link reopens the calculator with exactly these numbers.
- Day rate needed
- $983.02
- Billable days per year
- 143
- Gross revenue needed
- $140,571.43
- Hourly equivalent
- $131.07
Quick answer
Consulting day rates must cover non-billable days, costs and tax on top of your take-home target.
Day rate = (target + costs) ÷ billable days
At a glance
| What it does | Day rate from your income target. |
|---|---|
| Category | Business |
| Inputs needed | Target take-home, Business costs, Tax rate, Working weeks, Utilisation |
| Main output | Day rate needed |
| Formula | Day rate = (target + costs) ÷ billable days |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the Consulting Day Rate Calculator
- 1Enter your target take-home pay.
- 2Add annual business costs and your tax rate.
- 3Set working weeks and realistic utilisation.
Inputs explained
- Target take-home($)
- Enter the target take-home in $.
- Business costs($)
- Enter the business costs in $.
- Tax rate(%)
- Enter the tax rate in %.
- Working weeks
- Enter the working weeks you are working with.
- Utilisation(%)
- Enter the utilisation in %.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Target take-home90000 $
- Business costs12000 $
- Tax rate30 %
- Working weeks44
- Utilisation65 %
Results
- Day rate needed$983.02
- Billable days per year143
- Gross revenue needed$140,571.43
- Hourly equivalent$131.07
Frequently asked questions
What utilisation is realistic?
60–70% for independents once sales and admin are counted.
Should I discount for long engagements?
A 10% discount for 20+ day bookings is common and often worth it.
What do I need to enter into the Consulting Day Rate Calculator?
Just 5 values: target take-home, business costs, tax rate, working weeks, utilisation. Every field starts with a realistic example, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result update instantly.
How does the Consulting Day Rate Calculator work out the answer?
Consulting day rates must cover non-billable days, costs and tax on top of your take-home target. It applies the formula Day rate = (target + costs) ÷ billable days and shows the working so you can check each step by hand.
Is the Consulting Day Rate Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up, no download and no usage limit. Everything is calculated in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.