Transparency
Where the figures on this site come from.
A figure without a source cannot be published on Dryve. This page documents the sources used, what they cover, where they fall short, and how every claim is labelled.
The ground rule
Every claim published on Dryve carries a confidence label:
Sourced
Taken from verifiable, dated data — a study, an industry survey, a public extract.
Field
Drawn from the author's direct observation on assignments, and stated as such.
Inferred
Inferred from other data, and flagged explicitly as an inference.
Unverified
Not publishable as it stands — held back until a human review confirms it.
No AI-generated content enters the market reference without the author signing off on it by name.
Sources used for day rates and salaries
Pylote — self-reported day rates by role, seniority and location
Self-reported data collected continuously from more than 20,000 tech freelancers. Broad coverage of technical roles, with regional granularity. Limitation: the figures are self-declared and not checked against actual invoicing. Sourced
Silkhom — IT & digital day-rate survey
Actual placement data covering more than 20,000 freelancers (2019–2025), with very broad coverage of IT roles across three geographies. The primary source for the Dryve reference. Sourced
Morgan Philips Freelance — IT day-rate study
An analysis of close to 80 IT roles drawn from the firm's own assignments, with ten roles published in detail. Used to cross-check Silkhom on the roles it covers. Sourced
Where two sources agree, confidence is high. Where they diverge, both ranges are shown rather than averaged — an average would hide a genuine disagreement between methodologies.
What this page does not yet cover
This methodology is a first draft, extended as new Market intelligence modules are published. The skills framework, the bridges between roles and the seniority thresholds will be documented here as each one is validated.
Spotted a figure that doesn't add up?
Tell us — the reference gets better on the back of that kind of feedback.