I know this is an obvious troll but you really have no idea what you're talking about. For a consultant, you're at the mercy of the billable hour, of which there's a finite amount in any given week. What this means is that there's a real opportunity cost associated with every job you take on, and it has to be profitable for the business to function, just like any business, and that means margins: you need to bill out enough to cover your own salary, other people's salaries (we have bosses and accountants too), expenses (who do you think picks up the tab at lunch?), plus have enough leftover to turn a profit. Some consultancies turn more profits than others, like any other business, but a consultant's billable rate != consultant's hourly salary.