What's a good day rate in 2026?
Last updated:
Every rate benchmark on this page is computed from 450 live outside-IR35 listings on this board right now: not a survey, not a salary-guide PDF, and not last year's numbers. When the market moves, this page moves.
Where the market sits today
| Percentile | Day rate | Read it as |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10% | £650 | Exceptional: niche skill, scarce supply or senior delivery risk |
| Top 25% | £545 | Strong: above most peers in the same market |
| Median | £400 | The market's middle: a fair benchmark for a solid CV |
| Bottom 25% | £256 | Below market: negotiate, or you're early-career |
| Bottom 10% | £182 | Entry point: fine for a first contract, not for a fifth |
Verdicts at the rates people actually ask about
- £250/day: below the 25th percentile (£256). Fine for a first contract; below market for anyone with 2+ years.
- £350/day: between the 25th percentile (£256) and the median (£400). Common for junior-mid roles outside London.
- £500/day: between the median (£400) and the 75th percentile (£545). A solid, defensible rate for experienced contractors.
- £650/day: around the 90th percentile (£650). Senior delivery, architecture or scarce skills.
- £850+/day: above the 90th percentile (£650). Only justified by genuine scarcity or senior programme risk.
How to use this when negotiating
Anchor on the role's percentile, not the market median: a Scrum Master at the market median may be overpaid, a Solution Architect at it underpaid. Our role rate pages give the same percentiles per role, and the negotiation guide shows how to present them.
Email me roles at my percentile
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