The pay is usally fairly good as compared to employee (even considering their benefits.) If you do not live in metro area though you may find yourself flying into a job on Monday and returning home on Friday. If you like that life then go for it. I did it while I was young and loved the travel. Now that I have a child, I don't want any part of it. Additional benefit, as an consultant I have worked for many different companies, IBM, Cap One, Citibank etc etc. I've learned a lot of business domains. As an employee somewhere you may not get that. This business knowledge has helped me start my own consultant business locally with a vast array of clients. Headaches: paperwork! Ensuring you have a good accountant who understands the business of a consultant so you get max return. May be hard to find. Sometimes you may be aware more so than you should that you are just a consultant, not an employee. It hasn't happen too me but others have personally told me they were treated unfailry because they were not an employee. I've been doing it 12 years now, no regrets! Oh yeah, big plus, no more freaking annoying 360 evaluations. If that does not mean anything, those annoying evaluations where you judge your fellow co-workers. Ahhhhhhh!