The proof is in the pudding as they say. Quality work deserves quality pay, and as you gain experience, you gain that better quality pay.
Remember to be realistic when you are giving a client a price quote. You're not trying to rip off the client, your simply trying to get your money's worth, as is the client. I've made 5 page sites for under $500 before, and when they get more complicated (backend systems, forum customization, flash, etc), the price goes, up, because your taking more time, and more effort than a typical site design. It's often a good idea to have base prices for certain services you offer, and as new work comes in, build off that base price, and estimate how much longer these services will take. Multiply the time by your desired hourly rate, and you can come up with a pretty good estimate for your quote.