Rate Reality Check: Free 1099 vs W-2 Pay Benchmarks for Healthcare Workers + Worked Example, Checklist & 2 Scripts

A recruiter quotes you an hourly rate. Is it enough? That depends on one number: the break-even. It's the lowest 1099 rate that leaves you as well off as the W-2 job you'd be giving up.

This free pack works out the break-even for five healthcare roles: RN, NP, PA, CRNA and radiologic technologist. It starts with the national median W-2 pay for each role (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). It counts the health and retirement money the employer pays. Then it solves for the break-even and tests higher offers against it.

What you get: 5 files

- The spreadsheet. The break-even 1099 rate for each role, a rate to ask for, and a table of higher offers (5, 10, 15 and 20 percent above the break-even). A Test an Offer tab where you type the rate you were offered and read the result. Assumptions you can change.

- A print version (PDF) of the main table and how it's worked out.

- A 1-page worked example. One PA offer tested from start to finish, with every step shown.

- The free "Before You Say Yes" checklist (2 pages). 10 questions to ask about pay, costs people overlook, malpractice and tail coverage, and the contract.

- 2 sample scripts from my Starter Kit. How to ask for a higher rate, and how to ask who pays for tail coverage. Word for word.

Who it's for

Nurses, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and radiologic technologists weighing a 1099 or locums offer against a W-2 job, or thinking about extra contract shifts next to one.

Good to know

- The numbers are before income tax.

- National medians won't match your state or your employer. The assumptions are there so you can put in your own figures.

- It's an educational tool, not tax or legal advice. Talk to a CPA before you rely on a figure, and have a lawyer read any contract before you sign.

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Free. Instant download.

For educational purposes only. Not financial or tax advice. Consult a CPA for your specific situation.