Price Setter
Determine the right price for your next assignment by weighing market rates, your cost base, salary expectations, and desired profit margin.
Pricing an assignment too low leaves money on the table; pricing too high means you don't win the work. This calculator helps you find the sweet spot by starting from your true costs, layering in your desired salary and margin, then cross-checking against market rates and the classic time-quality-cost triangle.
Assignment Pricing Inputs
Enter your costs, salary needs, and the market rate band
| Item | Value | Daily Equiv. |
|---|---|---|
| Market Rate Range (Daily) How do I find this? | ||
| Market Low ($/day) | $184,000 | |
| Market High ($/day) | $276,000 | |
| Market Mid-Point | $1,000 | $230,000 |
| Contractor Cost Base (Annual) | ||
| Professional Insurance | $11 | |
| Tools & Licences | $13 | |
| Accounting & Legal | $13 | |
| Training & Development | $9 | |
| Other Business Costs | $7 | |
| Total Cost Base | $12,000 | $52 |
| Salary Component | ||
| Base Salary Requirement (Annual) | $652 | |
| Billable Days per Year | working days | |
| Profit Margin | ||
| Target Profit Margin | % | $176 |
| Calculated Prices | ||
| Floor Price (cost + salary) | $704 | $162,000 |
| Target Price (floor + margin) | $880 | $202,400 |
Floor Price
Target Price
Market Position
Market Position
Where your target price sits within the market range
Time – Quality – Cost Triangle
Adjust the sliders to model client trade-offs. You can only maximise two of three.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the market rate for an assignment?
Market rates are notoriously hard to pin down because contractors rarely publish their rates. Use a multi-source approach: download annual salary guides (Hays, Robert Half), mine job boards for contract listings that show rates, talk to 2–3 recruiters, and check peer networks. Enter the lowest realistic rate as the Market Low and the highest as the Market High. For a detailed research strategy with profession-specific resources, see our Finding Market Rates guide.
What goes into my cost base?
Your cost base covers everything you must spend to deliver the assignment: insurance, tools, licences, training, accountant fees, co-working space, and any travel or equipment. These are non-negotiable costs that must be recovered before you see profit.
What is the base salary component?
This represents the equivalent annual salary you need to draw from the assignment to cover personal living costs and super contributions. It's the minimum personal income the assignment must fund, converted to a daily cost using your billable days.
How does the Time-Quality-Cost triangle work?
The project management triangle says you can optimise for two of three constraints: Time (speed of delivery), Quality (depth and polish), and Cost (budget). Drag the sliders to model the trade-off. Emphasising all three equally is rarely achievable — the triangle helps set realistic client expectations.
Should I price at the floor or the ceiling?
Start from your floor price (cost base + salary + minimum margin). Then position upward toward the market ceiling based on your experience, niche skills, and the urgency of the client's need. Pricing below your floor erodes your business viability.
How It Works
Enter Market & Cost Data
Input the market rate range for the assignment and your personal cost base.
Set Your Margin
Choose a profit margin and salary component to calculate your minimum and target prices.
Balance the Triangle
Use the Time-Quality-Cost triangle to visualise the trade-offs and finalise your price.
Contractor Pricing Guide
Learn strategies for positioning your rate competitively while protecting your margin.
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