I was a contractor, so that probably contributed to the higher rate, as contractors are responsible for their own insurance etc and get taxed at a slightly high

I was a contractor, so that probably contributed to the higher rate, as contractors are responsible for their own insurance etc and get taxed at a slightly higher rate. Also, it helped that I was recruited by said company, rather than reaching out myself. Gave me more confidence negotiating my rate, especially since I wasn't really even looking for a job at the time.