Gig Worker Real Hourly Wage Calculator (Uber, DoorDash)

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Gig Hourly Wage

Real take-home per hour

Gross earnings (this week)

Hours worked

hrs

Miles driven

Other expenses ⓘ

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Enter your week to see your real wage

How the Gig Wage Calculator Works

Enter your gross earnings, hours and miles for a typical week.
We subtract the IRS mileage cost (70¢/mile), your expenses, and a self-employment tax set-aside.
See your real hourly wage vs the gross-per-hour the app shows.

What Do Gig Drivers Really Earn Per Hour?

Rideshare and delivery apps advertise gross earnings, but your car does a lot of unpaid work. This calculator subtracts the real costs: the IRS standard mileage rate (about 70¢/mile) — which covers gas, maintenance, insurance and depreciation — plus your other expenses and a self-employment tax set-aside (15.3% of net profit). What's left, divided by hours, is your true hourly wage.

Drivers are often surprised: a $900 week over 40 hours looks like $22.50/hr, but after 500 miles of driving and SE tax it can fall well below $15. Tracking your miles is also valuable at tax time — the mileage deduction usually beats deducting actual costs. Estimate only; not tax advice.

Gig Wage FAQ

Why is my real wage so much lower than the app shows? ▾

Apps show gross pay before your car's costs. Gas, maintenance, insurance and depreciation (captured by the ~70¢/mile IRS rate) plus self-employment tax can eat 30–50% of gross.

Should I track mileage? ▾

Absolutely. At ~70¢/mile, the standard mileage deduction usually saves more tax than deducting actual expenses — and it directly lowers your taxable profit.

Do I owe self-employment tax as a driver? ▾

Yes — gig drivers are independent contractors, so net profit over $400 owes 15.3% self-employment tax plus income tax. Set money aside each week.