For students, age 18-22, pursuing engineering, how are the hourly rates, or freelancing rates, determined?
For example, I am 20, have 2 years of experience in making iOS apps and have about 10-15 apps in my portfolio.
So how can a rate be decided? Are students paid equally as normal freelancers, or we are paid less?
I am able to give adequate time to iOS development.
For students, age 18-22, pursuing Engineering, How the hourly rates, or freelancing rates are determined?
Rates are not something that depend upon age. They depend upon other factors like knowledge, experience, communication skills, quality of work
For e.g, I am 20, have 2 years of experience in making iOS apps, have about 10-15 apps in my portfolio.
So how can a rate be decided. Are students paid equally as normal freelancers, or we are paid less.
And I am able to give adequate time to iOS development.
It cannot be answered that easily. From my experience (I am 19), I have met several clients (very few) who just don't want to hire because of my age. Apart from this, clients have a fear that students freelancers are generally non-serious, time waster and irresponsible. So, you have to act like a professionals and deliver the work with quality. If you made to this point, you can earn even more an adult freelancer.
If you are beginning, I advice to observe the market, keep your hourly rates slightly lower than other, deliver high quality work in a timely manner, and build a reputation. Once you build a reputation, you can earn a lot.
P.S. Don't keep your hourly rates much lower. It shows you are unconfident about your skills. Keeping rates very lower also harms the market.
Your first mistake is telling your clients that you're a student. It's not something you are required to share with them.
We're all students in some way or another. Your clients, or potential ones, might have some money to spend on a project but it doesn't guarantee that your work will ever earn them one thin dime. So as you're gaining experience, your clients are too.
Why I mention this is that whether you're a student or not, your work has value. I've never gone into a McDonald's and been able to get a Big Mac for 50% off because the cashier was a student. The McDonald's can't pay the cashier 50% off the minimum wage because the cashier is a student. Are you following this? (I hope you're a smart student!)
VarunAgw is right about keeping your hourly rates lower - it is a tool to at least get some work and take the edge off of client expectations. You can use that angle for a while, but just a while.
When you're dealing in BUSINESS, you need to lead with your strengths, i.e.:
You throw all that strength out the window the first time you say
I've been there. Do your thing. Get those skills, and get your money.
