What do IT consultants and freelancers earn in 2025? Current hourly rates by technology, experience, and region. With comparisons and negotiation tips.

IT Consultant Hourly Rates 2025: Market Rates

What's an appropriate hourly rate as an IT consultant? Too low, and you work under your value. Too high, and you lose projects. The truth lies somewhere in between – and depends on many factors.

In this guide, you'll find current market data for 2025, broken down by technology, experience level, and region.

Quick Overview: Hourly Rates 2025

Experience	Hourly Rate	Day Rate (8h)
Junior (0-2 years)	$50 - $75	$400 - $600
Mid-Level (3-5 years)	$75 - $100	$600 - $800
Senior (6-10 years)	$100 - $140	$800 - $1,120
Expert (10+ years)	$140 - $180	$1,120 - $1,440
Architect/Lead	$150 - $200	$1,200 - $1,600

Important: These are averages for the US market. Rates can go much higher – specialists in niche technologies can reach $250-350/hour.

Hourly Rates by Technology

Software Development

Technology	Junior	Senior	Expert
Java/Spring	$60	$120	$160
.NET/C#	$60	$115	$155
Python	$60	$120	$160
JavaScript/TypeScript	$55	$110	$150
React/Vue/Angular	$60	$120	$155
Node.js	$55	$115	$150
PHP	$45	$85	$120
Ruby	$60	$115	$150
Go	$70	$130	$170
Rust	$75	$140	$180
Swift/iOS	$65	$125	$165
Kotlin/Android	$65	$125	$160

Cloud & DevOps

Technology	Junior	Senior	Expert
AWS	$70	$130	$175
Azure	$70	$130	$170
Google Cloud	$70	$125	$165
Kubernetes	$75	$140	$180
Docker	$60	$110	$145
Terraform	$70	$130	$170
CI/CD (Jenkins, GitLab)	$60	$115	$150
Ansible/Chef/Puppet	$60	$115	$150

Data & AI

Technology	Junior	Senior	Expert
Data Engineering	$70	$130	$170
Data Science	$75	$140	$185
Machine Learning	$80	$150	$200
AI/Deep Learning	$85	$160	$220
LLM/GenAI	$90	$170	$240
BI/Analytics	$60	$115	$150
Databricks/Spark	$75	$140	$180

Enterprise & ERP

Technology	Junior	Senior	Expert
SAP (Basis)	$80	$145	$190
SAP (Development/ABAP)	$85	$155	$200
SAP S/4HANA	$90	$165	$220
Salesforce	$75	$140	$180
ServiceNow	$80	$145	$185
Microsoft Dynamics	$70	$130	$170

Security

Area	Junior	Senior	Expert
IT Security General	$70	$135	$175
Penetration Testing	$80	$150	$200
Security Architecture	$85	$155	$210
CISO/Security Management	$100	$175	$240
Cloud Security	$80	$150	$200

Project Management & Agile

Role	Mid-Level	Senior	Expert
Scrum Master	$75	$115	$150
Product Owner	$80	$125	$165
Agile Coach	$90	$145	$190
IT Project Manager	$85	$140	$180
Program Manager	$100	$160	$210

Hourly Rates by Region (US)

Rates vary significantly by region:

Region	Factor
San Francisco/Bay Area	1.25 - 1.40
New York City	1.20 - 1.35
Seattle	1.15 - 1.25
Boston	1.10 - 1.20
Los Angeles	1.05 - 1.15
Austin/Denver	1.00 - 1.10
Remote (US-based)	0.95 - 1.05
Midwest/South	0.85 - 0.95

Example: A Senior Java developer at $120/hour baseline could charge $150-168 in SF, or $102-114 in the Midwest.

Remote vs. On-Site

Since COVID, expectations have shifted:

Model	Impact on Hourly Rate
100% Remote	Base or slightly below (-5%)
Hybrid (2-3 days/week)	Base
100% On-Site	Base + 5-15%
Travel-Heavy	Base + 15-25% + expenses

2025 Trend: Clients increasingly accept remote, but for certain roles (Architect, Lead, Consulting), on-site presence still commands a premium.

Hourly Rate vs. Day Rate: Which Is Better?

	Hourly Rate	Day Rate
Advantages	Flexible, fair for short engagements	Less discussion, planning certainty
Disadvantages	"Clock-watching" feeling, hour disputes	Client expects full availability
Common for	Agile projects, support	Fixed-price projects, consulting

Recommendation: For most IT projects, day rate is standard. Hourly rates are more common for support, maintenance, or very short engagements.

Conversion:

Day rate = Hourly rate × 8
But: Many calculate with 7 or 7.5 effective work hours

Fixed Price vs. Time & Materials

	Fixed Price	Time & Materials
When useful	Clear scope, known technology	Unclear scope, agile projects
Risk	On you	On client
Rate	Implicitly higher (risk buffer)	Standard
Client preference	Planning certainty	Flexibility

Pro tip: For fixed-price projects, build in 20-30% buffer. Projects almost always take longer than estimated.

Factors That Influence Your Hourly Rate

Increases Your Rate:

Rare technology (mainframe, COBOL, specialized SAP modules)
Certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, CISSP, etc.)
Industry expertise (finance, healthcare, automotive)
Immediate availability
Proven references in similar projects
Team lead/project leadership experience
Consulting skills (not just technical)

Decreases Your Rate:

Very common technology (WordPress, basic PHP)
Long project duration (security for you)
Remote-only (less overhead for you)
Follow-up project with existing client
Learning curve into new technology

How to Find Your Hourly Rate

Step 1: Market Research

Job boards for current freelance postings
LinkedIn/professional networks: Ask colleagues for experience
Industry reports and salary surveys

Step 2: Your Own Calculation

Calculate from the bottom up:

What do you want to earn?
Plus all costs (insurance, retirement, etc.)
Plus taxes
Divided by realistic billable hours

→ See our Guide to Day Rate Calculation

Step 3: Positioning

Where do you stand in the market?

Lower third: Many inquiries, little profit
Middle: Solid utilization, fair
Upper third: Fewer inquiries, but better projects

Step 4: Test

Start with a rate
Too many inquiries? Raise it.
Too few inquiries? Either lower it or sharpen your positioning.

Negotiating Your Rate: Dos and Don'ts

Do:

Communicate value: "My last project saved the client $200,000 per year."
Offer package prices: Get out of hourly thinking
Provide alternatives: "For $140/hr you get X, for $120/hr only Y"
Name references: "I did similar work at [known company]"

Don't:

Immediately give discounts: Signals your first price was inflated
Justify: "I have to live too" doesn't interest the client
Negotiate down without getting something: Less money = less scope
Appear uncertain: Stand by your price

Most Common Pricing Mistakes

Mistake 1: Going by Gut Feel

"$100 sounds good" isn't a calculation. Calculate your minimum rate – and stay above it.

Mistake 2: Always the Same Rate

An SAP migration project at a bank isn't the same as a WordPress site for a small business. Adjust.

Mistake 3: Naming Price Too Early

Client: "What's your hourly rate?" You: "That depends on the project. Tell me more, then I can estimate."

Understand first, then price.

Mistake 4: Never Increasing

Inflation, experience, better skills – you become more valuable every year. Your rate should reflect that.

Conclusion: What's a Fair Hourly Rate?

A fair hourly rate is one where:

You can live well
The client gets value that justifies the price
You get enough inquiries to stay busy
You don't feel like you're selling yourself short

There's no "right" hourly rate. There's only your hourly rate – and it should fit you, your skills, and your target market.

Your Hourly Rate Is Set – Now You Need the Proposal

You know what you're worth. Now you need to communicate that value. A professional proposal doesn't show the client your hourly rate – it shows them the value you deliver.

With SimpleProposals, you create proposals that convince. Clearly structured, professionally designed, done in minutes.

Create your proposal now

IT Consultant Hourly Rates 2025: Market Rates by Technology