I run Facet (www.facet.net), we help software engineers find contract work and full-time jobs. We've worked with hundreds of companies and helped hundreds of co

I run Facet (www.facet.net), we help software engineers find contract work and full-time jobs. We've worked with hundreds of companies and helped hundreds of contract developers find contract/consulting work. Generally speaking, there is no limit to the rate you can charge per hour for highly specialized skills. But companies will only pay an exceptionally high hourly rate for very short term engagements. For short term engagements you are better off charging a fixed price for the project. It makes it easier for companies to translate what they are spending into the value they are receiving. Disclosing a $1,000/hr rate will be hard for anyone to swallow. In the US, full-time, 40 hours a week contracting/consulting work pays $150-$225/hr for Senior to Principal level engineers. Companies like IBM or Accenture will charge $300-$400/hr, but companies generally won't pay that for individuals. Hope that helps!