About 7.5 percent of all working people are self-employed or own their own unincorporated business, and this is a common work arrangement among high-paying occupations. For example, many health-care professionals own their own practices, and many artists and designers own their own studios.
The jobs in the lists in this section all have 10 percent or more self-employed workers. Fiftyone jobs met this requirement. In these lists you will find many of the same jobs that appear in the lists of jobs with a lot of part-time workers-jobs that require professional status or certification. But there are also several jobs in other fields, such as the arts, business, and construction. While the lists do not include data on age and gender, older workers and women make up a rapidly growing part of the self-employed population. For example, some highly experienced older workers set up consulting and other small businesses following a layoff or as an alternative to full retirement. Large numbers of women are forming small businesses or creating self-employment opportunities as an alternative to traditional employment.
| Best-Paying Jobs for Self-Employed Workers | ||||
| Job | Percent Self-Employed Workers | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 15.7% | more than $145,600 | 16.2% | fewer than 500 |
| 2. Orthodontists | 35.9% | more than $145,600 | 12.8% | 1,000 |
| 3. Prosthodontists | 38.2% | more than $145,600 | 13.6% | fewer than 500 |
| 4. Chief Executives | 16.2% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 5. Government Service Executives | 16.2% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 6. Private Sector Executives | 16.2% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 7. Dentists, General | 30.7% | $125,300 | 13.5% | 7,000 |
| 8. Podiatrists | 19.8% | $100,550 | 16.2% | 1,000 |
| 9. Lawyers | 24.1% | $98,930 | 15.0% | 40,000 |
| 10. Optometrists | 27.4% | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 11. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 37.6% | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 12. Construction Managers | 54.2% | $72,260 | 10.4% | 28,000 |
| 13. Veterinarians | 20.7% | $68,910 | 17.4% | 8,000 |
| 14. Chiropractors | 49.2% | $67,200 | 22.4% | 4,000 |
| 15. Sales Agents, Financial Services | 12.5% | $67,130 | 11.5% | 37,000 |
| 16. Sales Agents, Securities and Commodities | 12.5% | $67,130 | 11.5% | 37,000 |
| 17. Management Analysts | 24.7% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 18. Art Directors | 55.8% | $63,950 | 11.5% | 10,000 |
| 19. Personal Financial Advisors | 38.9% | $63,500 | 25.9% | 17,000 |
| 20. Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | 20.1% | $62,850 | 17.3% | 7,000 |
| 21. First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 37.1% | $61,970 | 1.9% | 38,000 |
| 22. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts | 19.9% | $61,750 | 54.6% | 43,000 |
| 23. Fashion Designers | 26.5% | $60,860 | 8.4% | 2,000 |
| 24. Real Estate Brokers | 59.9% | $57,190 | 7.8% | 12,000 |
| 25. Clinical Psychologists | 38.2% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 26. Counseling Psychologists | 38.2% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 27. School Psychologists | 38.2% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 28. Plant Scientists | 35.9% | $54,530 | 13.9% | 1,000 |
| 29. Soil Scientists | 35.9% | $54,530 | 13.9% | 1,000 |
| 30. Landscape Architects | 23.7% | $54,220 | 19.4% | 1,000 |
| 31. Directors-Stage, Motion Pictures, Television, and Radio | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 32. Producers | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 33. Program Directors | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 34. Talent Directors | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 35. Technical Directors/Managers | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 36. Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | 39.3% | $53,800 | 11.8% | 2,000 |
| 37. Orthotists and Prosthetists | 14.4% | $53,760 | 18.0% | fewer than 500 |
| 38. Sociologists | 11.7% | $52,760 | 4.7% | fewer than 500 |
| 39. Accountants | 10.9% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 40. Auditors | 10.9% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 41. Commercial and Industrial Designers | 30.1% | $52,200 | 10.8% | 7,000 |
| 42. First-Line Supervisors and Manager/Supervisors-Construction Trades Workers | 24.7% | $51,970 | 10.9% | 57,000 |
| 43. First-Line Supervisors and Manager/Supervisors-Extractive Workers | 24.7% | $51,970 | 10.9% | 57,000 |
| 44. Food Scientists and Technologists | 28.8% | $51,440 | 10.9% | 1,000 |
| 45. Multi-Media Artists and Animators | 60.8% | $50,290 | 14.1% | 14,000 |
| 46. Funeral Directors | 19.7% | $47,630 | 6.7% | 3,000 |
| 47. Film and Video Editors | 18.2% | $46,930 | 18.6% | 3,000 |
| 48. Caption Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 49. Copy Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 50. Creative Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 51. Poets and Lyricists | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
Jobs 4, 5, and 6 share 38,000 job openings. Jobs 15 and 16 share 37,000 job openings. Jobs 25, 26, and 27 share 10,000 job openings. Jobs 28 and 29 share 1,000 job openings. Jobs 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 share 11,000 job openings. Jobs 39 and 40 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 42 and 43 share 57,000 job openings. Jobs 48, 49, 50, and 51 share 14,000 job openings.
| Best-Paying Jobs with the Fastest Growth for Self-Employed Workers | ||||
| Job | Percent Self-Employed Workers | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts | 19.9% | $61,750 | 54.6% | 43,000 |
| 2. Personal Financial Advisors | 38.9% | $63,500 | 25.9% | 17,000 |
| 3. Accountants | 10.9% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 4. Auditors | 10.9% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 5. Chiropractors | 49.2% | $67,200 | 22.4% | 4,000 |
| 6. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 37.6% | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 7. Management Analysts | 24.7% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 8. Optometrists | 27.4% | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 9. Landscape Architects | 23.7% | $54,220 | 19.4% | 1,000 |
| 10. Clinical Psychologists | 38.2% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 11. Counseling Psychologists | 38.2% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 12. School Psychologists | 38.2% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 13. Film and Video Editors | 18.2% | $46,930 | 18.6% | 3,000 |
| 14. Orthotists and Prosthetists | 14.4% | $53,760 | 18.0% | fewer than 500 |
| 15. Caption Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 16. Copy Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 17. Creative Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 18. Poets and Lyricists | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 19. Veterinarians | 20.7% | $68,910 | 17.4% | 8,000 |
| 20. Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | 20.1% | $62,850 | 17.3% | 7,000 |
| 21. Directors-Stage, Motion Pictures, Television, and Radio | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 22. Producers | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 23. Program Directors | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 24. Talent Directors | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 25. Technical Directors/Managers | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
Jobs 3 and 4 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 10, 11 and 12 share 10,000 job openings. Jobs 15, 16, 17, and 18 share 14,000 job openings. Jobs 22, 23, 24, and 25 share 11,000 job openings.
| Best-Paying Jobs with the Most Openings for Self-Employed Workers | ||||
| Job | Percent Self-Employed Workers | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Accountants | 10.9% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 2. Auditors | 10.9% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 3. Management Analysts | 24.7% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 4. First-Line Supervisors and Manager/Supervisors-Construction Trades Workers | 24.7% | $51,970 | 10.9% | 57,000 |
| 5. First-Line Supervisors and Manager/Supervisors-Extractive Workers | 24.7% | $51,970 | 10.9% | 57,000 |
| 6. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts | 19.9% | $61,750 | 54.6% | 43,000 |
| 7. Lawyers | 24.1% | $98,930 | 15.0% | 40,000 |
| 8. First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 37.1% | $61,970 | 1.9% | 38,000 |
| 9. Chief Executives | 16.2% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 10. Government Service Executives | 16.2% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 11. Private Sector Executives | 16.2% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 12. Sales Agents, Financial Services | 12.5% | $67,130 | 11.5% | 37,000 |
| 13. Sales Agents, Securities and Commodities | 12.5% | $67,130 | 11.5% | 37,000 |
| 14. Construction Managers | 54.2% | $72,260 | 10.4% | 28,000 |
| 15. Personal Financial Advisors | 38.9% | $63,500 | 25.9% | 17,000 |
| 16. Caption Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 17. Copy Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 18. Creative Writers | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 19. Poets and Lyricists | 67.7% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 20. Multi-Media Artists and Animators | 60.8% | $50,290 | 14.1% | 14,000 |
| 21. Real Estate Brokers | 59.9% | $57,190 | 7.8% | 12,000 |
| 22. Directors-Stage, Motion Pictures, Television, and Radio | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 23. Producers | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 24. Program Directors | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 25. Talent Directors | 30.4% | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
Jobs 1 and 2 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 4 and 5 share 57,000 job openings. Jobs 9, 10, and 11 share 38,000 job openings. Jobs 12 and 13 share 37,000 job openings. Jobs 16, 17, 18, and 19 share 14,000 job openings. Jobs 22, 23, 24, and 25 share 11,000 job openings with each other and with another job not included in this list.