Deliverable-based consultants always have a high hourly rate, because they are rarely fully booked. A freelancer is often 50% or less utilized, especially if they do short engagements. So in reality, they are making ($100k-taxes-insurance-overhead) per year.
The whole point of hiring a consultant is to get someone who knows what he is doing to do specific work and leave. The alternative is paying an employee $40/hr to learn, do work and take care of overhead activities, and keep that employee around for an extended period.
Offshoring has overhead costs too -- depending on what you are doing, the "total cost of ownership" for an offshore developer may or may not justify taking that route.
The whole point of hiring a consultant is to get someone who knows what he is doing to do specific work and leave. The alternative is paying an employee $40/hr to learn, do work and take care of overhead activities, and keep that employee around for an extended period.
Offshoring has overhead costs too -- depending on what you are doing, the "total cost of ownership" for an offshore developer may or may not justify taking that route.