Source: https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/united-states/ Title: Fractional GC hourly rate in the United States | Deftridge Summary: Fractional General Counsel pay in the United States: median wage $96 an hour, typical part-time contractor rate $245. Free for professionals. United States · **Updated November 3, 2026** # Fractional General Counsel hourly rate in United States The market median wage for a Fractional General Counsel in the United States is **$95.64 an hour**. A senior part-time contractor typically receives **$245 an hour** on Deftridge. **$245/hr** typical contractor rate, senior **$95.64/hr** median wage **$62-133** middle half of wages **$5,310** a month at 5 hours a week ## Fractional General Counsel wage percentiles in United States Employee wages for the role. The yellow row is the median. | Percentile | Per hour | 5 h a week, per month | Full time, per year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 10th | $46.94 | $1,020 | $97,600 | | 25th | $61.69 | $1,340 | $128,300 | | Median | $95.64 | $2,070 | $198,900 | | 75th | $132.61 | $2,870 | $275,800 | | 90th | $210.62 | $4,560 | $438,100 | Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025; aged to October 2026; about 747,750 people employed in the role. [How rates are built](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/). ## United States in numbers What sets the United States apart for a Fractional General Counsel, from the same sources as the table above. - **$146.15** highest median wage, California - **$56.97** lowest median wage, Arkansas - **747,750** people employed in the role - **$176.75** median wage in the San Jose metro area, the highest in the country - **$35** country floor: no United States rate is published below it - Self-employment tax is 15.3%: 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare; the employer-equivalent half is deductible in working out adjusted gross income. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) - For 2026 the first $184,500 of combined wages, tips and net self-employment earnings is subject to the Social Security part. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) ## What contractors receive The Deftridge rate for a Fractional General Counsel in the United States by level and by format. The company adds 15% on top; you keep all of the rate shown. | Level | Per hour | Per month at 5 h/week | | --- | --- | --- | | Director | $200 | $4,330 | | Executive | $245 | $5,310 | - Regular role **$245** - One-off task **$250** - Task bundle **$250** - Expert hour **$250** ## Fractional General Counsel pay by region in United States Typical contractor rate for a senior Fractional General Counsel, highest first; 9 of 51 places shown. | Place | Median wage | Contractor rate | | --- | --- | --- | | California | $146.15 | $250 | | District of Columbia | $125.69 | $250 | | New York | $116.90 | $250 | | Delaware | $113.13 | $250 | | Massachusetts | $111.43 | $250 | | Colorado | $100.95 | $250 | | Illinois | $99.44 | $250 | | Virginia | $99.34 | $250 | | Nevada | $97.92 | $250 | ## Highest-paying metro areas Median employee wage for the role in the metro area (BLS OEWS). - [San Jose $176.75/hr median wage · range $136-245](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [San Francisco $158.93/hr median wage · range $116-220](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [Los Angeles $152.14/hr median wage · range $96-211](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [Fresno $146.15/hr median wage · range $97-203](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [Hanford $146.15/hr median wage · range $97-203](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [Riverside $146.15/hr median wage · range $97-203](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [San Luis Obispo $146.15/hr median wage · range $97-203](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [Vallejo $145.55/hr median wage · range $94-150](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [Santa Cruz $142.46/hr median wage · range $98-162](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/california/) - [New York City $134.20/hr median wage · range $83-186](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/new-york/) ## Questions about pay, fees and privacy The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: [Pricing](https://deftridge.com/pricing/) explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; [How it works](https://deftridge.com/how-it-works/) covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job. [Fractional General Counsel rates in every country](https://deftridge.com/rates/fractional-general-counsel/) · [Fractional General Counsel jobs in United States](https://deftridge.com/jobs/fractional-general-counsel/united-states/) · [Methodology](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/)