I’ve been both as well. Contractor pay is not significantly higher unless you have a very specific skill with lots of experience.

Find the labor categories under the contract vehicle. You should get a sense of the hourly rate, though it's often
a loaded rate. Contractors usually get a percentage of that loaded rate. Multiple by 2080, or whatever annual hours are.

I've been a fed, onsite contractor, and off site consultant. Most contractors don't get paid more than their fed counterparts.

Met someone at a mutual friend's party, who works at ASPR (Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response) as a contractor. They seems to be very happy with the contractor work, and says it pays a lot better than the federal employee though they do basically the same work. I'm a fed in a different but related agency and would like to switch if pay is significantly better. My spouse can cover health care, etc. Anyone has any idea on how the contractor pay is compared to fed. salary? Is bring-home income 50% higher?