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Freelance Rate Calculator for Washington

Set a freelance rate that covers taxes and the cost of living in Washington (WA).

Washington numbers for freelancers

Top state income tax rateNone on wages
Cost of living index113 (US average = 100)
Example hourly rate (see below)$126.19

Taxes to build into a Washington freelance rate

Washington has no state income tax on wages, so the tax rate you enter mainly needs to cover federal income tax and self-employment tax (15.3% on 92.35% of net self-employment earnings, with the Social Security part capped each year). That usually lets Washington freelancers enter a lower blended tax rate than freelancers in high-tax states.

Not sure what blended rate to use? Divide last year's total tax bill by your net profit, or ask a tax professional. This page is general education, not tax advice.

A Washington rate example

Washington's cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100). Scale the calculator's default $85,000 target salary by that index and you'd aim for about $96,000. With the other defaults — 4 weeks off, 25 billable hours a week, $10,000 of business expenses and a 30% tax rate — you'd need to bill about $151,429 a year: $126.19 an hour, or $1,010 a day (8 hours).

A cost of living index compares household costs, not what clients will pay. If your clients are remote or national, treat the Washington figure as a floor for what you need to earn, not a cap on what you can charge.

Billable hours are the number most new freelancers overestimate: admin, sales and unpaid revisions don't bill, which is why the calculator starts at 25 billable hours a week rather than 40.

Open the Freelance Rate Calculator to run your own numbers.

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