Tell us the life you want.We'll help you plan for it, realistically.
FuturePath AI helps students and families compare multiple future pathways — a degree, trade, career, business, or hybrid income path — using real labor-market, salary, debt, and cost-of-living data. No hype, no "just follow your passion".
Free to try · No account required · Honest about cost, debt & risk
Planning for
Powered by public & government data
BLS
Wages & job outlook
Census ACS
Local income & rent
FRED
Inflation & jobs
HUD
Fair market rents
EIA
Fuel costs
College Scorecard
Cost & earnings
O*NET
Skills & tasks
Try it — no account
Describe a life. See what it costs.
A comfortable life in Austin needs about
Enter a city we can match and we'll work it out.
Before tax, on default assumptions — not personalised advice.
FuturePath compares more than careers
College, trades, certifications, jobs, entrepreneurship, and hybrid income
We compare all six honestly. Entrepreneurship isn't 'better' than a degree or a job — it's one option with higher upside, higher risk, less predictability, and more responsibility.
College Degree
- Income ceiling
- High
- Stability
- High
- Risk level
- Lower (but debt risk)
- Time to income
- 4+ years
- Upfront cost
- High (tuition)
- Best fit
- Patient, academic; wants a credentialed profession
Skilled Trade
- Income ceiling
- Medium to high
- Stability
- High
- Risk level
- Low
- Time to income
- Months to 2 years
- Upfront cost
- Low to moderate
- Best fit
- Hands-on, practical; wants to earn while learning
Certification
- Income ceiling
- Medium
- Stability
- Medium to high
- Risk level
- Low
- Time to income
- Weeks to months
- Upfront cost
- Low
- Best fit
- Focused; wants a quick, targeted skill
Employment
- Income ceiling
- Medium to high
- Stability
- High
- Risk level
- Lower
- Time to income
- Predictable
- Upfront cost
- Education / training
- Best fit
- Wants stability and a clear path
Entrepreneurship
- Income ceiling
- Very high
- Stability
- Low early
- Risk level
- High
- Time to income
- Unpredictable
- Upfront cost
- Varies
- Best fit
- Wants ownership and upside; tolerates risk
Hybrid: Job + Business
- Income ceiling
- High
- Stability
- Medium
- Risk level
- Medium
- Time to income
- Staged
- Upfront cost
- Moderate
- Best fit
- Wants upside without losing a safety net
Data sources
Every number has a source and a date
We connect to public APIs where keys are available, and fall back to bundled, clearly-labeled sample data otherwise.
BLS
Wages & job outlook
Census ACS
Local income & rent
FRED
Inflation & jobs
HUD
Fair market rents
EIA
Fuel costs
College Scorecard
Cost & earnings
O*NET
Skills & tasks
FAQ
Common questions
Ready to map your future?
Describe the life you want in a few minutes. We'll show you the degree, trade, career, business, or hybrid income path that can realistically support it.
Start my future plan