Career Paths by Role

Updated September 22, 2026 · By Andrew Johnson, OneTwo Resume

In short: each guide maps a job from its usual starting point to senior and adjacent roles, using only steps documented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or O*NET, with the BLS median pay and typical education and experience for every step that has its own occupation.

Data: BLS OES May 2025 (national median annual wage), BLS Employment Projections education and training table (2025), O*NET OnLine. Sources checked September 22, 2026.

Which career paths are covered?

Accountant career path
The typical accountant career path runs from staff or junior accountant to senior accountant, then accounting manager or controller (a financial manager role), and for some, chief financial officer; BLS lists a bachelor’s degree to enter and 5 years or more of related experience for financial managers.
Accountants and Auditors median: $83,680
Registered Nurse career path
Most registered nurses begin as staff nurses, gain experience toward charge nurse and nurse manager roles, and then either move into management (director of nursing, a medical and health services manager role) or earn a master’s degree to become an advanced practice nurse such as a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist.
Registered Nurses median: $97,550
Software Engineer career path
Software engineers usually start with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, grow from junior to senior and architect-level work within the same BLS occupation, and then choose a direction — BLS names project management specialist and computer and information systems manager as the advancement roles.
Software Developers median: $135,980
Project Manager career path
Project managers typically enter with a bachelor’s degree, often after related work such as business analysis; BLS says they may begin as trainees on small projects and progress to large, complex ones, and O*NET relates the role to general and operations, IT and construction management.
Project Management Specialists median: $102,320
Marketing Manager career path
Most marketing managers first work as marketing specialists, market research analysts, sales representatives or public relations specialists; BLS lists a bachelor’s degree plus 5 years or more of related experience as typical for the manager role, which also covers marketing director titles, with top executive roles above it.
Marketing Managers median: $166,790
Teacher career path
Elementary teachers start with a bachelor’s degree and, in public schools, a state license; experienced teachers can become mentor or lead teachers, and with a master’s degree and several years in the classroom move into instructional coordinator, school counselor, assistant principal or principal roles.
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education median: $63,970
Paralegal career path
Paralegals typically enter with an associate’s degree or certificate in paralegal studies (some start as legal secretaries or are trained on the job), specialize in areas such as litigation or real estate, and can move into legal records management, compliance or — with a law degree and bar admission — practice as a lawyer.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants median: $62,890
Electrician career path
Most electricians start in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, work as journey workers (journeyman electricians) once it is complete and they are licensed where required, may then qualify as master electricians, and can advance to supervisor or project-management roles.
Electricians median: $63,190
Sales Representative career path
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives often start in a company training program, earn promotion through larger accounts or territories, and with a strong sales record and leadership ability move up to sales supervisor, district manager, sales manager or vice president of sales.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products median: $72,080
Executive Assistant career path
Executive assistants usually start as secretaries or administrative assistants, since BLS says the role typically needs several years of administrative experience; from there, O*NET relates the job to office supervisor and administrative services manager roles, and to paralegal work.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants median: $76,590

How are these career paths built?

Every step comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (how people advance and which occupations are similar) or O*NET (related occupations and reported job titles). Pay is the national median for the step’s whole occupation; BLS does not publish pay for levels such as senior or lead inside an occupation, so those steps show no figure. Each step links to the pages it was taken from.