Skip to content

Know Your Worth / Career paths

1,000 paths. Find your next move.

Compare skills, employee pay, and freelance economics. Explore industries from optical and food to science, music, games, writing, and coaching.

Browse 30 sectors + cross-industry careers

337–384 of 1,000 careers

How to read these rates

Employee references are annual US median wages for the cited BLS occupation, which may cover several career paths. Freelance examples add $15,000 for benefits and $20,000 for business costs, then divide by 1,200 billable hours a year. Annual figures are rounded to the nearest $1,000 and hourly figures to the nearest dollar. Figures are before personal taxes, with no percentage fees. Open a guide to see the source or adjust the assumptions in the calculator.

Cross-industry

Executive assistant

Employee reference
$77K/yr
Freelance example
$93/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

An executive assistant protects a leader's attention and keeps important commitments moving. The role combines judgment, coordination, confidentiality, and anticipation so decisions and relationships do not depend on an overflowing inbox.

View career → Executive assistant
Architecture & construction

Facade Engineer

Employee reference
$101K/yr
Freelance example
$113/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Civil Engineers

Evaluate building facade requirements across structure, environmental performance, materials, and interfaces. Document assumptions and testing needs so proposed details can receive qualified engineering and architectural review before implementation.

View career → Facade Engineer
Food & beverage

Fermentation Scientist

Employee reference
$89K/yr
Freelance example
$103/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Food Scientists and Technologists

Investigate fermentation behavior for food or beverage applications. Use controlled experimental design and careful measurement to understand variability before proposing changes to a commercial production process.

View career → Fermentation Scientist
Optical & photonics

Fiber Optic Engineer

Employee reference
$121K/yr
Freelance example
$130/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Electrical Engineers

Plan optical links that transmit information within a defined loss and reliability budget. Connect component choices, installation constraints, and measurement evidence to the required communication performance.

View career → Fiber Optic Engineer
Media & entertainment

Film colorist

Employee reference
$75K/yr
Freelance example
$92/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Film and video editors

Shape the consistency and visual intent of recorded images while managing shot matching, color-pipeline assumptions, and the technical requirements of final delivery.

View career → Film colorist
Music & audio

Film score composer

Employee reference
$74K/yr
Freelance example
$91/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Music Directors and Composers

Develop original musical cues that support a film's dramatic intentions while coordinating timing, revisions, and the practical limits of recording or digital production.

View career → Film score composer
Cross-industry

Financial analyst

Employee reference
$103K/yr
Freelance example
$115/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Financial and investment analysts

A financial analyst turns financial and operating information into decision support. In a business planning role, they build forecasts, investigate variances, and explain which assumptions change the economics of a proposed action.

View career → Financial analyst
Food & beverage

Flavor Scientist

Employee reference
$91K/yr
Freelance example
$105/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Chemists

Investigate flavor perception and ingredient behavior within a defined food application. Coordinate analytical evidence and sensory evaluation while documenting formulation restrictions and the limits of proposed flavor claims.

View career → Flavor Scientist
Transport & logistics

Fleet manager

Employee reference
$102K/yr
Freelance example
$114/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Management analysts

Coordinates vehicle availability, maintenance, records, suppliers, and operating responsibilities, relying on qualified technical and safety professionals for inspections, repairs, and regulatory decisions.

View career → Fleet manager
Music & audio

Foley artist

Employee reference
$73K/yr
Freelance example
$90/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Sound engineering technicians

Create synchronized physical sound performances that make screen actions feel consistent, detailed, and believable.

View career → Foley artist
Food & beverage

Food Authenticity Analyst

Employee reference
$89K/yr
Freelance example
$103/hr

BLS · May 2025 · Food Scientists and Technologists

Investigate whether ingredient and product evidence supports identity and origin claims. Combine analytical results, documentation, and uncertainty to flag inconsistencies without overstating what a single method can establish.

View career → Food Authenticity Analyst