Side Hustle Real Hourly Rate
Side Hustle Hourly Rate Calculator — Real Earnings After Costs
What this calculator does
This calculator turns gross side hustle pay into a real hourly rate by subtracting taxes, gas, and unpaid hours.
The math, with a worked example
Total hours = billed hours + unpaid hours. Gas cost = miles ÷ MPG × gas price. Net pay = gross pay × (1 − tax rate) − gas cost. Real hourly rate = net pay ÷ total hours. A $200 gig with 8 billed hours, 4 unpaid hours, 40 miles at 25 MPG and $3.50 gas, and a 25% tax rate leaves $144.40 across 12 total hours: a real rate of $12.03 an hour.
Why this matters
Gig income lies by the hour: the $200 day ignores the unpaid hours, the gas, and the untaxed-ness of it. Count all 12 hours and the costs and it's $12 an hour — a number to compare against any boring W-2 shift before taking the next gig.
Methodology and transparency
Real hourly rate = (gross × (1 − tax rate) − miles ÷ MPG × gas price) ÷ (billed + unpaid hours). The tax input matters more than it looks: self-employment income carries both halves of FICA on top of income tax, so a 25% entry is optimistic for many filers — and the model prices only gas, not vehicle wear, which the IRS standard mileage rate values at several times fuel cost alone. Everything runs in your browser; no data is sent or stored.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08
Common questions
Should I include unpaid prep time?
Yes. Commute, prep, and cleanup time are real hours you spend on the gig.
What about wear and tear on my car?
The calculator includes gas. Add a mileage rate to the gas cost if you want to include vehicle depreciation and maintenance.
Is my side hustle worth it?
Compare your real hourly rate to your day job. If it is much lower, the side hustle may not be a good use of time.