Just what is a good hourly rate as a self-employed person? It sounds simple, but the answer can be complicated. After all, it depends on your expenses, income, sector and how many hours you can actually invoice. The right rate will ensure you don't undervalue or end up with too little afterwards. In this article, we explain how best to calculate your hourly rate and at the bottom you will find an overview with guidelines for each profession.
Calculate your own hourly rate
Do you want to have a realistic hourly rate as a self-employed person? Then ask yourself some questions. How much do you want to have left over per month? How many hours can you actually invoice? And what are your fixed and variable costs?
A simple calculation gives quick insight:
- Determine your total annual costs (including taxes, insurance, pension, etc.)
- Add the net amount you want to have left over each year
- Divide the total by the number of hours you can bill per year
So you know exactly what you need to charge as a minimum to run a sustainable and profitable business, without any financial pressure or surprises.
Want a quick insight into this? Then use a online calculation tool for self-employed hourly rates.
Hourly rate self-employed vs salaried employment
Many self-employed people also look a lot at what they earned in employment to determine their rate. That sounds logical, but it is not quite so. After all, as a self-employed person, you have to take care of your own holidays, pension, insurance, laptop, administration and other costs. And as a self-employed person, you by no means work all the hours you can invoice every week.
A gross salary of €3,000 a month may seem equivalent to €20 an hour. But to have the same net left over as a sole trader, you are often at a rate of around €50 or more.
What do other self-employed people charge on average in 2025?
You determine your hourly rate based on your situation, of course, but it is useful to know what others in your field charge. Below is an overview of the average self-employed hourly rates for 2025. Please note that the amounts do not include VAT and may vary depending on experience, region and type of work.
| Profession | Average hourly rate |
| Nurse | €45 – €60 |
| Electrician | €40 – €55 |
| ICT specialist | €65 – €90 |
| Welder | €40 – €50 |
| Psychologist | €70 – €100 |
| Truck driver | €35 – €50 |
| Administrative assistant | €35 – €45 |
| Project manager | €75 – €100 |
| Painter | €45 – €55 |
| Security guard | €35 – €50 |
| Cleaner | €30 – €40 |
| Carpenter / construction | €40 – €60 |
| Childcare | €35 – €50 |
| Demolisher | €35 – €50 |
| Disability care | €40 – €55 |
| Agricultural sector | €35 – €50 |
| Sales freelancer | €50 – €80 |
| Education / tutoring | €35 – €60 |
| ICT support | €50 – €70 |
| Skipper | €40 – €55 |
Note: these are really guide amounts. In some sectors, such as healthcare for example, you often work with agencies or deal with fixed contract rates. So use these figures as a handy indication, not as a strict norm.
Conclusion
A good hourly rate is not something you just determine. You determine it on the basis of what you really need as a self-employed person. With a calculation tool, you will discover in no time what you need to charge to both make ends meet and grow. Then combine that insight with what the market is asking. And this will give you a much stronger negotiating position.
