Again, finding 6-12 month contracts at 40 hrs a week isn't hard. So you don't need to make $150 / hr to make $150k / yr. $75 / hr will get you there if you can

Again, finding 6-12 month contracts at 40 hrs a week isn't hard. So you don't need to make $150 / hr to make $150k / yr. $75 / hr will get you there if you can bill 2000 hrs, and doing a longer-term contract gig like that will get you there. As for the rate, these companies aren't "outsourcing" or "offshoring" in the sense that you're thinking of. They just want to hire someone to get their work done, and they're desperate enough that they don't care where you are. Again, your experience might differ, but this is what I've found.