Audit is different because that's a fixed fee, generally speaking. Audit also bills differently but the actual rate billed is blended.

For instance, the partner rate on a contract may say $850 / hour but I can guarantee the partner is not putting in 40 hours on the contract and is leveraging the managers, seniors and associates heavily for 45+ hours a week if not more.

I'm advisory/consulting.

What my clients pay covers my annual salary + bonus + benefits + overhead + set aside funds.

ERP is the adjusted internal rate percentage applied to the engagement. An ERP rate of 45% means that the rates are reduced to 55% of the actual rate; normally, I see ERP rates at about 35 - 38% so my $1100/hr rate becomes $385 per hour.

MY salary is part of that basically, for every hour I bill, about $250 goes to the firm for overhead and set aside funds (funds to grow the firm - marketing, sales, etc; and then things like investment funds so if there is a downturn, the firm can remain functioning without laying off people).

I have 30 years experience in what I do. I have NEVER billed my clients for more than $200 / hour when I owned my company. I think I'm worth that, on my own and within the Big 4.

My OCI architect got billed at $250/hr with 5% on top of that for me. His experience and skillset is very difficult to find. Basically, I charge about 5-10% over whatever their bill rate is for my own processing of their payments and insurance coverages (work comp, health, business professional E&O, general liability, etc.)

If I were to go back out on my own, I don't think I'd structure deals differently other than I'd go fixed fee, payment in 1/3 before start, 1/3 at mid with sign off on deliverables, 1/4 of the remainder at go-live and then the rest after hypercard and turnover.

I don't know that I will go out on my own again... but I never say never.