Career path finder: the next jobs from yours, with pay and skills
Reviewed Nov 3, 2026 O*NET® 31.0 related occupations and skills (U.S. Department of Labor) and BLS OEWS pay, May 2025 How we verify
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This career path finder lists the occupations that the O*NET 31.0 Database relates to the job you pick, with each one's job zone, the skills it rates higher and its national median pay from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for May 2025.
Find the career paths from your job
Example result
15 of 20 related occupations are a step up
Your job: Customer Service Representatives (O*NET-SOC 43-4051.00), Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed, median pay $44,770 per year ($21.53 per hour).
Of the 20, 15 have a higher median pay and 7 are in a higher job zone.
| Related occupation | O*NET tier | Job zone | Median pay (BLS OEWS) | Change vs your job | Skills rated more important |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 1 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $69,990 per year ($33.65 per hour) | +$25,220 per year (+56.3%) | Systems Analysis (2.25 to 2.88 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 2.00 of 5); Active Learning (2.88 to 3.38 of 5); and 13 more skills |
| Telemarketers | Primary-Short, no. 2 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $35,450 per year ($17.04 per hour) | -$9,320 per year (-20.8%) | Persuasion (3.00 to 4.12 of 5); Social Perceptiveness (3.00 to 3.25 of 5); Speaking (3.88 to 4.12 of 5) |
| Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 3 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $49,230 per year ($23.67 per hour) | +$4,460 per year (+10.0%) | Time Management (3.12 to 3.50 of 5); Systems Analysis (2.25 to 2.62 of 5); Systems Evaluation (2.25 to 2.62 of 5); and 9 more skills |
| Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 4 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $50,080 per year ($24.08 per hour) | +$5,310 per year (+11.9%) | Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 1.88 of 5); Management of Material Resources (1.38 to 1.75 of 5); Mathematics (2.25 to 2.50 of 5); and 7 more skills |
| New Accounts Clerks (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 5 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $47,670 per year ($22.92 per hour) | +$2,900 per year (+6.5%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 2.88 of 5); Social Perceptiveness (3.00 to 3.25 of 5); Coordination (2.88 to 3.12 of 5); and 6 more skills |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | Primary-Long, no. 6 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $38,010 per year ($18.27 per hour) | -$6,760 per year (-15.1%) | Social Perceptiveness (3.00 to 3.12 of 5); Coordination (2.88 to 3.00 of 5) |
| Billing and Posting Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 7 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $48,500 per year ($23.32 per hour) | +$3,730 per year (+8.3%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 3.00 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.38 to 3.75 of 5); Operations Monitoring (1.75 to 2.00 of 5); and 3 more skills |
| Brokerage Clerks (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 8 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $65,750 per year ($31.61 per hour) | +$20,980 per year (+46.9%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 3.00 of 5); Systems Analysis (2.25 to 2.88 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 2.00 of 5); and 13 more skills |
| Bill and Account Collectors (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 9 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $47,030 per year ($22.61 per hour) | +$2,260 per year (+5.0%) | Social Perceptiveness (3.00 to 3.38 of 5); Persuasion (3.00 to 3.38 of 5); Mathematics (2.25 to 2.62 of 5); and 4 more skills |
| Order Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 10 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $46,170 per year ($22.20 per hour) | +$1,400 per year (+3.1%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 3.00 of 5); Management of Material Resources (1.38 to 1.75 of 5); Judgment and Decision Making (2.88 to 3.12 of 5); and 6 more skills |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 11 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $87,520 per year ($42.08 per hour) | +$42,750 per year (+95.5%) | Management of Personnel Resources (2.38 to 4.00 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 2.88 of 5); Management of Material Resources (1.38 to 2.88 of 5); and 19 more skills |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | Supplemental, no. 12 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $41,300 per year ($19.86 per hour) | -$3,470 per year (-7.8%) | Management of Material Resources (1.38 to 2.12 of 5); Operations Monitoring (1.75 to 2.38 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 2.00 of 5); and 2 more skills |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 13 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $69,500 per year ($33.41 per hour) | +$24,730 per year (+55.2%) | Management of Personnel Resources (2.38 to 3.75 of 5); Management of Material Resources (1.38 to 2.75 of 5); Coordination (2.88 to 4.00 of 5); and 21 more skills |
| Office Clerks, General (step up: higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 14 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $45,010 per year ($21.64 per hour) | +$240 per year (+0.5%) | Management of Material Resources (1.38 to 1.88 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.38 to 3.75 of 5); Operations Monitoring (1.75 to 2.12 of 5); and 3 more skills |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 15 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $54,210 per year ($26.06 per hour) | +$9,440 per year (+21.1%) | Writing (3.00 to 3.75 of 5); Social Perceptiveness (3.00 to 3.75 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.38 to 3.88 of 5); and 6 more skills |
| Insurance Sales Agents (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 16 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $62,280 per year ($29.94 per hour) | +$17,510 per year (+39.1%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 3.00 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.38 to 4.00 of 5); Writing (3.00 to 3.62 of 5); and 13 more skills |
| Correspondence Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 17 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $46,800 per year ($22.50 per hour) | +$2,030 per year (+4.5%) | Writing (3.00 to 4.00 of 5); Mathematics (2.25 to 2.75 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.38 to 3.75 of 5); and 4 more skills |
| Management Analysts (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 18 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $101,860 per year ($48.97 per hour) | +$57,090 per year (+127.5%) | Systems Evaluation (2.25 to 3.88 of 5); Systems Analysis (2.25 to 3.75 of 5); Operations Analysis (1.62 to 3.00 of 5); and 22 more skills |
| Tellers | Supplemental, no. 19 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $43,030 per year ($20.69 per hour) | -$1,740 per year (-3.9%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 3.00 of 5); Operations Monitoring (1.75 to 2.00 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 1.62 of 5); and 5 more skills |
| Cashiers | Supplemental, no. 20 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $32,880 per year ($15.81 per hour) | -$11,890 per year (-26.6%) | Mathematics (2.25 to 2.62 of 5); Operations Monitoring (1.75 to 1.88 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.38 to 1.50 of 5) |
Related occupations: O*NET 31.0 Database (Related Occupations, Job Zones, Essential and Transferable Skills). Pay: BLS OEWS national medians, May 2025. Computed by InterObservers; general information, not an offer.
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. InterObservers has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET database license · CC BY 4.0 license text · What InterObservers computed
Of the 923 occupations with job data in the O*NET 31.0 Database, all 923 have related occupations, and 899 of them have at least one related occupation with a higher national median pay in the BLS OEWS May 2025 figures, computed by InterObservers.
Related occupations and job zones: O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), latest release as checked Sep 29, 2026. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates released May 15, 2026.
What to do next
Pick the related occupation you want, compare its skills with yours and put your results in writing before you ask for the move.
- Self evaluation templateMake the case for the next step with your own results
- Job description templateThe tasks and pay range an employer lists for the job you are aiming for
- The Performance DeskReviews, self evaluations and ratings
- Minimum wage by stateThe lowest hourly pay allowed in each state, to compare with a job you are aiming for
Career path examples
The result card above is the first example (Customer Service Representatives). Two more common jobs, computed with the same code as the tool: every related occupation in O*NET order, with the step-up rows marked.
Retail Salespersons: career path example
Your job: Retail Salespersons (O*NET-SOC 41-2031.00), Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed, median pay $35,410 per year ($17.03 per hour). 19 of 20 related occupations are a step up. Of the 20, 19 have a higher median pay and 7 are in a higher job zone. In the step-up view, the closest three are First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers, Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers and Counter and Rental Clerks.
| Related occupation | O*NET tier | Job zone | Median pay (BLS OEWS) | Change vs your job | Skills rated more important |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counter and Rental Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 1 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $41,300 per year ($19.86 per hour) | +$5,890 per year (+16.6%) | Operations Monitoring (2.00 to 2.38 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.25 of 5); Management of Material Resources (2.00 to 2.12 of 5) |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 2 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $41,380 per year ($19.89 per hour) | +$5,970 per year (+16.9%) | Speaking (3.75 to 4.00 of 5); Social Perceptiveness (3.50 to 3.75 of 5); Coordination (3.00 to 3.25 of 5); and 4 more skills |
| Stockers and Order Fillers (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 3 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $37,330 per year ($17.95 per hour) | +$1,920 per year (+5.4%) | Troubleshooting (1.75 to 1.88 of 5) |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 4 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $39,320 per year ($18.91 per hour) | +$3,910 per year (+11.0%) | Operations Analysis (1.50 to 2.00 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.25 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (2.75 to 3.00 of 5); and 9 more skills |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 5 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $48,520 per year ($23.33 per hour) | +$13,110 per year (+37.0%) | Systems Analysis (2.00 to 3.00 of 5); Systems Evaluation (2.00 to 3.00 of 5); Operations Analysis (1.50 to 2.50 of 5); and 14 more skills |
| Cashiers | Primary-Long, no. 6 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $32,880 per year ($15.81 per hour) | -$2,530 per year (-7.1%) | none: every skill both jobs rate is rated the same or lower here |
| Parts Salespersons (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 7 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $38,630 per year ($18.57 per hour) | +$3,220 per year (+9.1%) | Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.62 of 5); Active Listening (3.75 to 4.00 of 5); Speaking (3.75 to 4.00 of 5); and 11 more skills |
| Customer Service Representatives (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 8 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $44,770 per year ($21.53 per hour) | +$9,360 per year (+26.4%) | Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.38 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (2.75 to 3.12 of 5); Active Listening (3.75 to 4.00 of 5); and 7 more skills |
| Telemarketers (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 9 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $35,450 per year ($17.04 per hour) | +$40 per year (+0.1%) | Speaking (3.75 to 4.12 of 5); Active Listening (3.75 to 4.00 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.25 of 5); and 1 more skill |
| Order Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 10 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $46,170 per year ($22.20 per hour) | +$10,760 per year (+30.4%) | Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.50 of 5); Mathematics (2.62 to 3.00 of 5); Active Listening (3.75 to 4.00 of 5); and 8 more skills |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 11 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $72,080 per year ($34.65 per hour) | +$36,670 per year (+103.6%) | Critical Thinking (3.12 to 3.50 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.38 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (2.75 to 3.12 of 5); and 12 more skills |
| Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 12 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $77,710 per year ($37.36 per hour); BLS figure for Buyers and Purchasing Agents | +$42,300 per year (+119.5%) | Critical Thinking (3.12 to 4.00 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (2.12 to 3.00 of 5); Systems Analysis (2.00 to 2.88 of 5); and 17 more skills |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 13 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $104,920 per year ($50.44 per hour) | +$69,510 per year (+196.3%) | Systems Analysis (2.00 to 2.88 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.75 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (2.75 to 3.38 of 5); and 20 more skills |
| Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 14 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $39,390 per year ($18.94 per hour) | +$3,980 per year (+11.2%) | Operations Analysis (1.50 to 2.38 of 5); Systems Analysis (2.00 to 2.38 of 5); Systems Evaluation (2.00 to 2.25 of 5); and 4 more skills |
| Advertising Sales Agents (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 15 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $64,820 per year ($31.16 per hour) | +$29,410 per year (+83.1%) | Systems Analysis (2.00 to 3.00 of 5); Operations Analysis (1.50 to 2.25 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.62 of 5); and 13 more skills |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 16 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $45,260 per year ($21.76 per hour) | +$9,850 per year (+27.8%) | Operations Monitoring (2.00 to 2.25 of 5); Troubleshooting (1.75 to 2.00 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (2.75 to 2.88 of 5); and 4 more skills |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 17 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $77,710 per year ($37.36 per hour); BLS figure for Buyers and Purchasing Agents | +$42,300 per year (+119.5%) | Systems Analysis (2.00 to 2.88 of 5); Management of Material Resources (2.00 to 2.88 of 5); Critical Thinking (3.12 to 3.88 of 5); and 14 more skills |
| Sales Managers (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 18 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $148,270 per year ($71.28 per hour) | +$112,860 per year (+318.7%) | Systems Analysis (2.00 to 3.62 of 5); Systems Evaluation (2.00 to 3.62 of 5); Management of Personnel Resources (2.38 to 3.88 of 5); and 19 more skills |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel (step up: higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 19 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $69,990 per year ($33.65 per hour) | +$34,580 per year (+97.7%) | Systems Analysis (2.00 to 2.88 of 5); Systems Evaluation (2.00 to 2.75 of 5); Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 3.62 of 5); and 9 more skills |
| Procurement Clerks (step up: higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 20 | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed | $50,580 per year ($24.32 per hour) | +$15,170 per year (+42.8%) | Reading Comprehension (3.00 to 4.00 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (2.75 to 3.50 of 5); Critical Thinking (3.12 to 3.75 of 5); and 15 more skills |
Registered Nurses: career path example
Your job: Registered Nurses (O*NET-SOC 29-1141.00), Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed, median pay $97,550 per year ($46.90 per hour). 14 of 20 related occupations are a step up. Of the 20, 12 have a higher median pay and 14 are in a higher job zone. In the step-up view, the closest three are Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Anesthetists.
| Related occupation | O*NET tier | Job zone | Median pay (BLS OEWS) | Change vs your job | Skills rated more important |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acute Care Nurses | Primary-Short, no. 1 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $97,550 per year ($46.90 per hour); BLS figure for Registered Nurses | same BLS wage figure | Active Learning (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); Management of Personnel Resources (2.62 to 3.12 of 5); and 21 more skills |
| Nurse Practitioners (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Primary-Short, no. 2 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $132,300 per year ($63.61 per hour) | +$34,750 per year (+35.6%) | Operations Analysis (2.00 to 3.00 of 5); Science (2.88 to 3.75 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (3.50 to 4.12 of 5); and 17 more skills |
| Critical Care Nurses | Primary-Short, no. 3 | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed | $97,550 per year ($46.90 per hour); BLS figure for Registered Nurses | same BLS wage figure | Operations Analysis (2.00 to 2.62 of 5); Operation and Control (2.25 to 2.75 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.62 to 2.12 of 5); and 13 more skills |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists (step up: higher job zone) | Primary-Short, no. 4 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $97,550 per year ($46.90 per hour); BLS figure for Registered Nurses | same BLS wage figure | Operations Analysis (2.00 to 3.00 of 5); Persuasion (2.88 to 3.62 of 5); Active Learning (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); and 15 more skills |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Primary-Short, no. 5 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $64,400 per year ($30.96 per hour) | -$33,150 per year (-34.0%) | Time Management (3.12 to 3.62 of 5); Operation and Control (2.25 to 2.62 of 5); Management of Personnel Resources (2.62 to 2.88 of 5); and 3 more skills |
| Nurse Midwives (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 6 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $134,040 per year ($64.44 per hour) | +$36,490 per year (+37.4%) | Active Learning (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (3.50 to 3.88 of 5); Operations Analysis (2.00 to 2.38 of 5); and 8 more skills |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (step up: higher job zone) | Primary-Long, no. 7 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $97,550 per year ($46.90 per hour); BLS figure for Registered Nurses | same BLS wage figure | Time Management (3.12 to 4.00 of 5); Negotiation (2.75 to 3.62 of 5); Persuasion (2.88 to 3.62 of 5); and 16 more skills |
| Nurse Anesthetists (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 8 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $236,590 per year ($113.75 per hour) | +$139,040 per year (+142.5%) | Science (2.88 to 3.88 of 5); Equipment Selection (1.88 to 2.75 of 5); Operation and Control (2.25 to 2.88 of 5); and 20 more skills |
| Physician Assistants (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Primary-Long, no. 9 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $135,880 per year ($65.33 per hour) | +$38,330 per year (+39.3%) | Science (2.88 to 3.62 of 5); Operations Analysis (2.00 to 2.62 of 5); Management of Financial Resources (1.62 to 2.12 of 5); and 17 more skills |
| Nursing Assistants | Primary-Long, no. 10 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $42,260 per year ($20.32 per hour) | -$55,290 per year (-56.7%) | none: every skill both jobs rate is rated the same or lower here |
| Paramedics | Supplemental, no. 11 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $60,600 per year ($29.13 per hour) | -$36,950 per year (-37.9%) | Operation and Control (2.25 to 3.00 of 5); Persuasion (2.88 to 3.12 of 5) |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 12 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $335,550 per year ($161.32 per hour) | +$238,000 per year (+244.0%) | Persuasion (2.88 to 3.62 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (3.50 to 4.12 of 5); Active Learning (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); and 19 more skills |
| Family Medicine Physicians (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 13 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $244,180 per year ($117.39 per hour) | +$146,630 per year (+150.3%) | Science (2.88 to 3.88 of 5); Time Management (3.12 to 4.00 of 5); Active Learning (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); and 13 more skills |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | Supplemental, no. 14 | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed | $44,470 per year ($21.38 per hour) | -$53,080 per year (-54.4%) | no O*NET skill ratings to compare |
| Anesthesiologists (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 15 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $391,490 per year ($188.22 per hour) | +$293,940 per year (+301.3%) | Science (2.88 to 4.00 of 5); Time Management (3.12 to 3.88 of 5); Operation and Control (2.25 to 2.88 of 5); and 20 more skills |
| Pediatric Surgeons (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 16 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $559,030 per year ($268.76 per hour) | +$461,480 per year (+473.1%) | no O*NET skill ratings to compare |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 17 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $292,910 per year ($140.82 per hour) | +$195,360 per year (+200.3%) | Science (2.88 to 3.75 of 5); Time Management (3.12 to 3.75 of 5); Active Learning (3.50 to 4.12 of 5); and 15 more skills |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 18 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $256,560 per year ($123.35 per hour) | +$159,010 per year (+163.0%) | Science (2.88 to 4.00 of 5); Operations Analysis (2.00 to 2.75 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (3.50 to 4.00 of 5); and 14 more skills |
| Cardiologists (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 19 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $496,010 per year ($238.47 per hour) | +$398,460 per year (+408.5%) | no O*NET skill ratings to compare |
| Hospitalists (step up: higher job zone, higher median pay) | Supplemental, no. 20 | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed | $265,930 per year ($127.85 per hour); BLS figure for Physicians, All Other | +$168,380 per year (+172.6%) | Active Learning (3.50 to 4.12 of 5); Complex Problem Solving (3.50 to 4.12 of 5); Science (2.88 to 3.38 of 5); and 14 more skills |
How the career path finder works
- Related occupations. From the Related Occupations file of the O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026):
This file provides details of 10 primary and 10 supplemental related O*NET-SOC occupations for each included occupation.
Each related occupation keeps its O*NET relatedness tier and position: Primary-Short,Five most strongly related occupations after expert review.
Primary-Long,6th to 10th most strongly related occupations after expert review.
Supplemental,11th to 20th most strongly related occupations after expert review.
The tool lists them in that order (O*NET data dictionary: Related Occupations). - Job zone.
Job Zones group occupations into one of four categories based on levels of education, experience, and training necessary to perform an occupation.
The four names used in this release, as published: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed, Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed, Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed and Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. - Median pay. The national median annual and hourly wage of the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, released May 15, 2026, for all industries and ownerships. 921 of the 923 occupations have an OEWS figure: 748 by their own SOC code, 143 O*NET specialties by the code of the SOC occupation they belong to, 12 through a combined OEWS occupation and 18 through the broader SOC occupation that OEWS publishes. When the BLS figure covers a wider occupation, the tool names it. The other 2 have no OEWS row, so the tool says “no OEWS wage published” instead of a number.
- Change vs your job. The related occupation's median minus your job's median, in dollars per year and as a percentage (per hour when either job has only an hourly figure). When one job has only an annual median and the other only an hourly one, BLS publishes no figure on a common basis, so the tool says “not compared: one wage is published per hour and the other per year” instead of converting one into the other. When the same BLS figure covers both occupations, the tool says so instead of showing a change of zero.
- Skills rated more important. The O*NET essential and transferable skills that both occupations rate, with the importance rating on the O*NET scale of 1 to 5: the skills the related occupation rates higher than your job, largest difference first, up to 3 named per row and the number of others after them. Ratings flagged for suppression or marked not relevant are left out, as in the rest of the Performance Desk.
- Step up. A related occupation with a higher job zone or a higher median pay than your job. The step-up view lists the closest first (Primary-Short, then Primary-Long, then Supplemental) and, inside each tier, the largest pay increase first.
- What it does not say. Related does not mean a promotion: O*NET relates occupations by the work they share, after expert review. The pay figures are national medians across all employers, not an offer and not what a given employer pays; pay differs by state, area, industry and experience.
The figures on this page are general information, not career, legal or financial advice. Data status: O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), latest release as checked Sep 29, 2026. How the O*NET data is checked. The data of every occupation is in the Performance Desk API (/api/v1/performance/career-paths.json).
Questions people ask
What is a career path?
A career path is the sequence of jobs a person moves through over time, often toward more responsibility, pay or specialization. This tool shows the first step: the occupations closest to the one you hold now, with what they pay and what they ask more of (InterObservers wording).
How does the career path finder choose the next jobs?
It does not choose them: the list is the related occupations of your job in the O*NET 31.0 Database, 20 per occupation, in the order of the O*NET data, set after expert review. The tool adds the job zone, the BLS median pay, the pay change and the skills rated more important, and marks the step-up rows.
Does a higher job zone mean a promotion?
No. A job zone groups occupations by the education, experience and training they need. A higher job zone means more preparation, which often comes with more pay and responsibility, but a move into it may need a degree, a license or years of experience first.
Where does the pay come from?
From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025: the national median wage of each occupation across all employers. It is not a job offer. An employer posting the job sets its own pay range; see the job description template, which shows the BLS OEWS pay range of each job by state.
How do I ask for the next step?
Show the results you already deliver in the skills the next job rates higher. A written self evaluation before your review puts them on the record, with examples your manager can check.
Sources (6)
- O*NET 31.0 Database (O*NET Resource Center)
- O*NET 31.0 Data Dictionary: Related Occupations
- O*NET Database license
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
- BLS news release: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. InterObservers has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
General information, not legal advice. Not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. This page is for general information only and isn’t legal, financial or tax advice. For a question about your own job, talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Report an error