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What is a fair hourly-rate for a php/web developer???
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:04 am
by Bossman
I currently work at a school as a technician (music & performing arts).
I haver been doing some bits of html and php programming for them and they are asking me to develop html/php full-time as i know a lot more about it than anyone else on campus and they dont want to hire someone in from outside.
At the moment im fairly in-experienced (I learn as i go along). But still more experienced than the IT staff here (in html/php/java).
Im just wondering what is a fair hourly-rate for a php/html (and the odd bit of Javascript too) programmer?
How do other programmers charge? by the hour?, or by the project/contract?
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:22 am
by feyd
my rate varies from 50-120 ($US) (4 hr minimum) for hourly depending on the demands of the client, and the urgency/short notice. The more urgent and short notice it is the higher it'll go beyond the "normal" range to force the client to back off at some level. During hourly, once I finish that single task for the client plus a certain amount of time (varies by urgency) passes, I tell them "our agreement has ended, if you need me again, it'll be another 4 hr charge."
Contracts are a whole 'nother ball game. I basically work until their budget is spent. Sometimes that's 40 hrs a day (yes, that's right,) sometimes less than a few hrs a day. Length of these contracts vary wildly. Under contracts, I will only do what I've been contracted to do, if they want more, they'll have to pay more. If they want less, too bad, they don't get their money back, nor do they get a lower bid.
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 7:03 am
by Bossman
thanks for your reply feyd

I guess you work mostly freelance, right?
anyone else have any suggestions for a fair hourly-rate? not freelance - I will be working full-time for one company.
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 7:18 am
by patrikG
It depends very much on what services you offer. For the UK the going rate for standard PHP/MySQL starts around £15 (gets higher if it's a high profile job, other skills required etc.). If you throw in Linux, Apache Admin, Oracle, ASP etc. you can fetch anything between £20-£30 more or less.
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 1:00 am
by fastfingertips
Damn it!
Here in Romania the hour rate for a PHP developer is something between 1-2 USD and if you a great skilled you may ask for 3 USD/hour.
So now is explained why every people from Eastern Europe (like me) is travelling to West

.
Lucky me i'm working for a 7 USD/hour but i'm doing many other extra things (not only PHP and MySQL) like design or migrating the script to other platforms (like ASP .Net with MSSQL etc).
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 1:41 am
by feyd
you'll have to remember, cost of living in my area (Silicon Valley) is quite high, and the US is a huge country, the rate will likely vary wildly from region to region...
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:52 am
by fastfingertips
I know feyd.
Here in my country a salary beteen 400USD to 800USD is a very nice one. With a 800 monthly you afford to do almost anything you'd like to do

.
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 10:31 am
by PAW Projects
Located in the Netherlands, I work on a fixed fee basis, based on a €40 to €70 rate, depending on the size of the project, size of the company, the amount of time I have at hand, possibility of other bidders and the number of uncertain factors.
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:51 pm
by xisle
try this for web developer salary in Boston MA
here
feyd | switched syntax of link to fit the screen better.
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:20 am
by magicrobotmonkey
Hey - i'm moving to boston this fall. hopefully ill be able to find a job like that there!
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:44 am
by malcolmboston
patrikG wrote:It depends very much on what services you offer. For the UK the going rate for standard PHP/MySQL starts around £15 (gets higher if it's a high profile job, other skills required etc.). If you throw in Linux, Apache Admin, Oracle, ASP etc. you can fetch anything between £20-£30 more or less.
£15!? you've got to be joking right?
I currently work on for a company doing a whole web ring and all of its associated sites for a government funded charitable organisation, and my fixed salary per month is circa £350 for which i do around 15 hours a week (from home)
now if im freelancing it, its a whole other ball game as i have been known to charge £100 an hour, but usually £35-£50 is my usual price.
just my $0.02
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:09 am
by redmonkey
£15-20 per hour seems to be about the average in the UK.
I would think you would be hard pushed (but not impossible) to find a php/web developer worth £35+ per hour in the UK. As patrikG suggests, experience/knowledge in other areas will help you justify a higher than average charge.
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:45 am
by patrikG
malcolmboston wrote:£15!? you've got to be joking right?
If you look at the php-jobs on jobserve.com you'll find that the largest share of those requiring only php, mysql, html, javascript hardly go for more than £15. If you have a solid and established client-base, of course you can charge more - but if you start your first PHP freelancing job, don't be under any illusions that you'd be earning an hourly rate greater than £20, if you're lucky.
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 1:44 am
by phice
patrikG wrote:malcolmboston wrote:£15!? you've got to be joking right?
If you look at the php-jobs on jobserve.com you'll find that the largest share of those requiring only php, mysql, html, javascript hardly go for more than £15. If you have a solid and established client-base, of course you can charge more - but if you start your first PHP freelancing job, don't be under any illusions that you'd be earning an hourly rate greater than £20, if you're lucky.
That's right...
If this is your first few jobs, then you would
want to charge a little amount because the reward of teaching yourself how to handle clients, keeping a schedule, getting the program done in time, and providing more to your customer is a much greater reward then the money received.
Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 3:04 am
by Bossman
thanks all for your replies