[johnward]

Some anecdotal stats from my experience being a consultant with both megacorps and smaller gov contractor. The hourly rate is about $200 an hour on average. This is for a senior, highly specialized, engineer type role. Megacorp paid me about $60 per hour where the smaller firms paid me closer to $80. Both as an employee with benefits. When I first joined a startup we would go as low as $120 per hour and pay $30 an hour too a junior/mid level consultant.

I'm sure someone super specialized and in a hot market could get up to $300 an hour if they are delivering value.

[__sisyphus__]

having been employed by agencies directly, and having worked as a freelancer working with agencies as well as other businesses directly, these rates are right in line with my experience.