South Holland freelancers charge €85 an hour on average

ROTTERDAM, 30 March 2026 – Freelancers in South Holland are charging an average of €85 an hour at the start of 2026 and recorded an average profit of €63,214 in 2025. Both figures are above the national average, according to new research by Knab based on responses from more than 20,000 self-employed professionals across the Netherlands.

For anyone working independently in Rotterdam or elsewhere in South Holland, the picture is relatively strong. The province ranks among the better-performing parts of the country when it comes to both hourly rates and average profit.

The figures come from the Knab ZZP hourly rates survey 2026 (Knab Zzp Uurtarievenonderzoek 2026), which included around 3,500 respondents from South Holland. Nationally, the average hourly rate stands at €83, while average annual profit comes in at €61,536. In case your wondering, ZZP is the Dutch acronym for Zelfstandige Zonder Personeel, which translates to 'independent, without employees'.

Profit in South Holland stays strong

With an average profit of €63,214, self-employed workers in South Holland are doing better than the national average. The profit figures are based on freelancers who have been active for at least one year and do not combine self-employment with a salaried job.

That makes the result especially relevant for full-time freelancers in cities such as Rotterdam, where self-employed professionals are active across a wide range of sectors and often balance rising costs with the pressure to keep rates realistic.

Hourly rates remain above average

The average hourly rate in South Holland is now €85, placing the province among the higher-priced regions in the country. Over the past year, 55% of freelancers in South Holland increased their rate, with an average rise of 9%.

That is almost identical to the national pattern. At the same time, 68% of respondents in South Holland say they are satisfied with their current hourly rate, suggesting that many freelancers feel their pricing is holding up reasonably well.

A broad mix of freelance work

South Holland stands out for its broad sector mix. Construction, business services and healthcare each account for 12% of the freelance market in the province, making them the three largest sectors among self-employed workers.

Because of that mix, the type of assignments varies widely. Alongside practical trades, the province also has a strong presence of knowledge-based services, something that fits the economic profile of the Rotterdam-The Hague region in particular.

Experience and confidence stay high

The average freelancer in South Holland is 48 years old and has around nine years of experience as a self-employed professional. Around 67% have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, which is slightly above the national average, while women make up about 41% of freelancers in the province.

Confidence also remains high. Some 82% say they usually experience strong demand for work, 83% say they are financially managing well, and 87% feel positive about the future of their business.

Concerns over rules are rising

Even with that optimism, worries about regulation have grown sharply. In South Holland, 52% of freelancers say they are concerned about rules affecting self-employment, including the Deregulation Assessment of Employment Relationships Act (Wet DBA).

A year earlier, that figure was still around 27%. According to Knab financial expert Oskar Barendse, South Holland benefits from the strength of a large and diverse economy, where the demand for specialist knowledge often translates into higher-than-average rates and profits.

Knab report and download link

Knab has also published the Knab ZZP hourly rates booklet 2026 (Knab Zzp Uurtarievenboekje 2026), based on the same research. It includes hourly rates, turnover and profit figures for 80 common freelance professions and around 400 specialisations.

You can download it for free here: https://www.knab.nl/uurtarief