IT Consulting Rates: What Should You Charge?

IT consulting rates need to be based on the area you live as well as the type of business you're working with. To move your practice from moonlighting to full-time you need to be on the higher end of IT consulting rates.
Your hourly IT consulting rate potentials will vary according to where you live. The rates in this article will be based in U.S. dollars, so if you're reading this in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, or another country, you'll need to do some conversions.

These IT consulting rates work well for densely populated suburban areas and major metro areas. For very sparsely populated areas and rural areas you are going to find that you can’t charge as much, but then again your costs of doing business are also going to be generally a lot lower.

What IT Consulting Rates are Appropriate for Sweet Spot Clients?

In terms of micro small businesses IT consulting rates are all over the map because volunteers and gurus are involved. It can be from zero to $50, sometimes more. If you want to work with micro small businesses as a stepping stone clients, you will only want the cream of the crop and skim only the most profitable opportunities in micro small businesses.

Charge at the Top of the Range

You are going to need to charge either at the absolute top of that range or even above that range, because you simply are not going to be able to make your switch over from part time moonlighting over to full time on $50 an hour.

It just doesn’t work. When you start putting that rate into a spreadsheet, you'll see that the only people who can charge low rates like that are moonlighters who will never be full time IT consultants. No one is content to work 80 hours a week for $20,000 dollars a year.

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About the Author:

Joshua Feinberg of Computer Consulting 101 helps computer consultants get more steady, high-paying clients. Sign-up now for free access Joshua's field-tested, proven Computer Consulting 101 strategies at http://ComputerConsulting101.blogspot.com
   By Joshua Feinberg
Published: 6/4/2006
 
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