Being a contractor costs you the 15.3% self-employment tax. It also gives you something a salaried employee does not have, which is the ability to deduct the genuine costs of doing the work before tax is calculated.
What the listings actually pay
The honest framing matters here. A deduction is not a discount and it is not free money. It means you are taxed on profit rather than revenue, which is the correct measure for a business. Spending money to create a deduction leaves you worse off, not better.
| # | Role | Advertised rate | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oncologist | $350 to $450 an hour | Mercor |
| 2 | BigLaw lawyers | $140 to $400 an hour | micro1 |
| 3 | Cardiologist | $350 to $350 an hour | Mercor |
| 4 | Arts, Media & Design Expert | $150 to $350 an hour | micro1 |
| 5 | Corporate Attorney | $140 to $350 an hour | micro1 |
| 6 | CUDA Engineering Expert | $300 to $300 an hour | Mercor |
| 7 | Equity Research Expert | $175 to $300 an hour | micro1 |
| 8 | Street Performing Musician | $100 to $300 an hour | micro1 |
Source: 1456 live listings on this board that publish a rate, read directly from each posting on 2026-10-24. Listings without a published rate are excluded rather than estimated.
What moves your rate
The costs that typically apply to this work are unglamorous: the share of your home internet used for work, a computer bought for the work, a second monitor, software subscriptions the work requires, and a home office if it meets the specific requirements. Across 1456 live listings publishing a rate, the median top-of-range is $90 an hour, so equipment that makes you faster can pay for itself before the deduction is even considered.
How to apply
Every role above links to its own page with the full requirements and a direct application link. Applications are completed on the hiring platform and typically take a few minutes, with a short skills assessment in place of an interview.
Two things are worth doing before you apply. Check whether the role accepts applicants from your country using the eligibility checker, and run the advertised rate through the take-home calculator, because this is contract work and the headline rate is before self-employment tax.
Frequently asked questions
Can I deduct my internet bill?
Generally the business-use portion of it, not the whole bill, unless the line is genuinely used only for work. You need a reasonable and consistent basis for the split.
What about a home office?
There are specific requirements, and the space usually needs to be used regularly and exclusively for the work. A kitchen table used for meals as well typically does not qualify.
Is a new laptop deductible?
If it is bought for the work, generally yes, with rules about whether it is deducted at once or over several years. Mixed personal and business use complicates it.
Do I need receipts?
Yes. Keep them as you go. Reconstructing a year of expenses from memory is both painful and unreliable, and documentation is what supports the deduction if it is ever questioned.
Does a deduction mean I get that money back?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding. It reduces the income you are taxed on, so you save your tax rate on the amount, not the amount itself.
See every live role
The full board updates several times a week, with the advertised rate on each listing and closed roles removed.