You should end up grossing 30%-50% higher than FTE, because your cost structure is worse:
* You own both halves of payroll tax
* You're out probably $500/mo in benefits
* You have no paid vacations or sick days
* You need to smooth out income for dry months
On top of that, contractors offer companies a huge benefit: getting work done on (relatively) short notice (plan-hire-rampup for an FTE can take 6-9 months) with no commitment (you can't hire an FTE to build a simple CRUD app and fire them when they're done). Your prices should reflect not only the (probably superior) technical acumen you offer, but also the structural benefit of working with contractors and not FTEs.
Long story short, you should be making MUCH more --- on a "per project, projecting the rate over an entire year" basis --- as a freelancer than as an FTE.
* You own both halves of payroll tax
* You're out probably $500/mo in benefits
* You have no paid vacations or sick days
* You need to smooth out income for dry months
On top of that, contractors offer companies a huge benefit: getting work done on (relatively) short notice (plan-hire-rampup for an FTE can take 6-9 months) with no commitment (you can't hire an FTE to build a simple CRUD app and fire them when they're done). Your prices should reflect not only the (probably superior) technical acumen you offer, but also the structural benefit of working with contractors and not FTEs.
Long story short, you should be making MUCH more --- on a "per project, projecting the rate over an entire year" basis --- as a freelancer than as an FTE.