Difference between revisions of "Careers"

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{{Work in progress}}
  
EVE is a sandbox game, so it's up to each player to set their own goals and decide what they want to do in the game. Here are some of the most common activities available in the game, although keep in mind that many players engage with the game in far more unusual ways, and that therefore this (or any) list of "things to do in EVE" can never be complete.
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Once players have completed the [[Tutorial]] they need to find their own way in New Eden. EVE is a sandbox and players will soon find they need to make their own entertainment and income.  This brief guide intends to describe some of the typical options that many EVE players pursue, together with the likely income from them.
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{{Related class|EVE Careers 101}}
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=Industrial careers=
  
=Choosing a career=
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Industrial careers are focused on gathering resources and creating ships and items. This is often referred to in other games as "crafting".
  
Few new capsuleers consider the potential career implications of their racial, bloodline and ancestry selections when establishing their first characterGenerally, they select what sounds like the most interesting or fun character background to play.   
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==Mining and refining==
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{{main|Mining}}
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[[File:Miningventure.png]]<br />
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Asteroid belts spawn throughout New Eden and can be mined to extract ores. In addition to ores, players can use specialised equipment to mine ice from ice belts and harvest gas from gas clouds. The ore, ice and gas can either be sold in its raw form, or refined into minerals. In general rarer and more valuable resources are found in lower security space. Mining has a low entry barrier, though mining efficiency can be substantially improved by training the right skills and implants and using more advanced equipment and ships. [[Alpha clones]] can mine, although the only specialised mining ship they can use is the [[Venture]].  Players can mine either alone or as part of a mining fleet, and can produce a stable income stream. However, miners are always vulnerable to attacks by other players as well as [[Can flipping|can flippers]], so it can be a risky profession, particularly in lower security areas.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* Mining Ore:
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** solo mining (no boosts): {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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** fleet mining (with boosts) {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* Harvesting Ice: {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* Harvesting Gas in known-space: {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* Harvesting Gas in wormholes:
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** low level gas sites (Barren, Minor, Ordinary, Sizeable, Token): 15-20 M ISK/hour
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** mid-level gas sites (Vital and Bountiful): up-to 30-40 M ISK/hour
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** high-level gas sites (Instrumental and Vital): up-to 50-70 M ISK/hour}}
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<br />
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==Planetary interaction==
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{{main|Planetary Interaction}}
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Capsuleers can extract planetary resources and produce commodities on all the planets of New Eden.  Pilots can run several planets at once, and with the right combination of planets, PI can be quite lucrative. 
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* High-sec planet:  {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* Low-sec planet: {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* Null-sec planet:  {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* Wormhole planet: 4-6M per planet per day with daily monitoring}}
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<br />
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==Hauling==
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{{main|Hauling}}
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Also a relatively low-risk way to earn ISK, haulers either buy low in one location, and sell high in another, or execute courier contracts in return for payment.  To become a hauler, you only need an industrial ship and suitable command skills.  Moving goods around in high security space is fairly safe, but hauling in low sec or 0.0 can be extremely risky - and also extremely rewarding. There are entire corporations of haulers, such as Red Frog and PushX.  The career for a hauler can be fairly long, starting with simple industrial ships, then eventually moving to blockade runners and huge freighters. 
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* Courier contracts:  Approx 50 - 70 M ISK/hour
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* Hauling goods for sale: {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
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==Manufacturing==
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{{main|Manufacturing}}
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Almost everything in New Eden - ships, modules, ammo, etc. - is created by players, for their own use, or more frequently, for sale to other players.  Building items and charging for the value-add can be a very lucrative way to generate ISK.  Unfortunately, this career option is one of the hardest to generate large amounts of ISK from, as it is extremely competitiveIn addition, many miner/manufacturers undercharge because they do not include the value of the minerals they collected - they tend to think of ore they mined as "free" - so, many common items have very low profit margins, if any at all.  However, for those who develop a high degree of manufacturing skills, and who can amass sufficient capital to purchase blueprint originals (BPOs) for high-demand items, this can be a lucrative second career.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
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==Research and invention==
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{{main|Research}}
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All advanced items in New Eden, of the Tech 2 variety, are made possible by the efforts of players who conduct invention on lower-tech items.  The capabilities of Tech 2 items keep them in high demand, so invention can be a rewarding source of ISK.  Through research, players can also improve the efficiency of blueprints.  Because they improve production time and reduce manufacturing time, blueprints with higher efficiency are valuable to manufacturers - and therefore are another potential source of income. Players can also work with dedicated research agents to "farm" valuable datacores, used in invention - a form of passive income that can produce a reasonable stream of ISK over timeTo become a scientist/researcher/inventor, players must invest in science and related skills, and have access to a research facility.
  
This isn't necessarily a bad thing for [[Clone_states#Omega_clones|Omega]] players (with an EVE subscription), however, as no in-game career choice is blocked to any racial faction (Amarr, Gallente, Minmatar or Caldari) or bloodline. Omega characters can learn any skill in the game.  On the other hand, [[Clone_states#Alpha_clones|Alpha]] players (with no subscription may find themselves limited by their choice of race, as they each have their own strengths.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
  
===Do the starter career mission tracks===
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=Business careers=
  
Once you've established your character, it is recommended that you play all five of the starter career mission tracks offered: industry, military, exploration, business, and advanced military.  These career introduction missions dish out numerous additional skills for free, and each is nicely explained in practice - sometimes with special "civilian" versions of the necessary module so you can try out the mechanic before training the skill needed for the real version of the module in question.  
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While Industrialists specialize in making and moving things, Business people earn ISK by investing capital, liquidity and talents in corporations, markets and infrastructure, and earning returns from their investment.
  
To access these career mission tracks, press the F12 key, then select "Show Career Agents"These introductory missions are entirely optional, but highly recommended because they provide essential skillbooks, ships, and some initial capital, with a relatively minor investment in time. The starter missions also teach you the basics of the principal career options for making money in EVE.
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==Trading==
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{{main|Trading}}
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The dynamic and comprehensive player-driven market in EVE provides multiple opportunities for players to earn ISK, without even owning a ship or leaving a station!  By investing in trade skills, building up your standings with a owner of the station you plan to trade in, and with a bit of starting capital, players can purchase goods on the market, and then sell them at higher pricesBy providing liquidity to the markets, traders can make a good return, although this requires some investigation of market opportunities and vigilance in monitoring your market orders. If you've ever fantasized about making it big as a Wall Street speculator, becoming an EVE trader might be for you.  
  
* {{co|wheat|Industry}} missions cover the basics of mining, refining and manufacturing of goods.  
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
* {{co|wheat|Business}} missions introduce players to EVE's open and comprehensive market system. 
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
* {{co|wheat|Military}} missions cover shooting stuff for loot and salvage.
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}}
* {{co|wheat|Exploration}} missions cover the discovery of valuable sites in EVE space - wormholes, deadspace pockets, and undiscovered archeology sites, among others.
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<br />
* {{co|wheat|Advanced Military}} missions will introduce you to the finer details of EVE combat. These missions are more difficult than those of in the Military career track, and as a result, these should be taken after the other track is completed.
 
  
After the five career introductions, each consisting of ten missions, you will be pointed towards the first epic mission arc of EVE, "The Blood-Stained Stars". While a definite challenge for a new player, this 50-mission arc provides some substantial rewards, and is worth finishing. The arc takes you all over the safe empire space and you can freely branch off to do other things, returning to the arc later as you chooseIf you decide to pursue this arc, you should read the handy mission guide on our wiki: [[The Blood-Stained Stars]].
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==Corporate Executive==
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{{main|Corporation#Forming_a_Corporation|Forming a Corporation}}
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Become your own CEO!  By developing Corporate Management skills, players can found their own corporations, recruit other players, and earn ISK from a salary drawn from [[Tax#Corporation_tax|taxes]] and fees. At a more advanced level, you can also create a [[citadel]] or [[POS]] to host valuable research facilities and a market, or you could join an alliance and negotiate to build a lucrative moon mining POS.  Being a corporate CEO requires some very advanced skills, and a great amount of capital - either yours or someone else's - and so, this career option usually comes later in most players' EVE experience, if everBut the entry requirements for starting an EVE corporation are quite low, and since non-player corporations (NPCs) now charge an 11% tax on bounties and mission rewards, starting a small corp of your own might be an attractive option.
  
===Develop a career plan===
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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There is no such thing as an average income as it varies so widely depending on the size of the corporation and the taxes/fees charged
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}}
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<br />
  
Once you've been introduced to some of the basics of EVE, and have sampled the starter career mission tracks, you now know enough to begin optimizing your character for one or more ISK-making specialties.  It's generally best, at least initially, to get very good at one kind of ISK-generating activity, rather than be not-so-great at a lot of different money-earning ventures.  The essential steps for developing your ISK-earning career plan are as follows:
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=Exploration careers=
  
# Create a concept in your mind of what you want to do in EVE. Don't limit yourself.  Make this anything you can imagine, no matter how unlikely or outlandish.
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Explorers are people that find things, and then make money on what they find.
# Do some Level 1 (and later, more advanced level) missions until you have enough resources to begin doing what you thought of in Step 1.
 
# Begin to execute your idea from Step 1.
 
# If the idea isn't profitable enough by itself to '''sustain''' itself initially, supplement with occasional mission running.
 
# Keep developing your idea, evolve it, and figure out ways to make it self-sustaining.
 
# If your idea is ultimately ''not'' self-sustaining, think of a different concept, and go to Step 2.
 
  
Though this approach seems obvious, very few EVE players actually plan their character's career development in this way.  Instead, they try everything that comes by, as it becomes available to them, which provides a lot of variety but not any development of expertise (except in a very long run)Or, they get in a rut and start doing the same thing over and over, and eventually lose interest.  If mining isn't your thing, don't do it just to earn ISK - try something else.  But first, '''think''', develop a plan, start executing the plan, refine the plan as necessary, and then either build on the plan or start overThis approach will produce the best results - in EVE, or in real life!
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==Exploration and hacking==
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{{main|Exploration}}
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Searching wormholes and hidden space for valuable sites, then selling the relics and information you discover, can be a very productive way to generate ISK - and a lot of fun, tooTo become an explorer, players must invest in several specialty skills (Astrometrics, Archeology and Hacking), some dedicated equipment (probe launcher, codebreaker modules) and a suitable ship with bonuses for astrometric modulesYou must also become an expert at probing.
  
= [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBfEVd3bbf4 Security Missions] =
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* In high-sec, low-sec and null-sec: up-to 1M per site
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* In wormhole pirate data sites: up-to 5-8M ISK per site
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* In wormhole pirate relic sites: 10-60M ISK per site
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* In wormhole sleeper data/relic sites: up-to 1M ISK per site - not recommended as this is a low reward for relatively high risk hacking in wormholes
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* In sleeper cache sites: 100-300 M ISK per site
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* In ghost sites: 30-60 M ISK per site, reported cases with up to a few hundred million ISK per site
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}}
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<br />
  
Doing Security Missions is one of the two most common career choices next to Mining. In its essence you keep doing combat missions while increasing your combat skills and your standing. This then allows you to do more difficult missions with higher risk/reward. The upside of this career is, that every skill you learn for PvE is also useful for PvP. And in the end you can naturally progress to [[Incursions]] which are one of the best sources of PvE ISK out there.
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==Salvaging==
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{{main|Salvaging}}
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EVE Online is a place of constant combat, and as a result, there are a lot of wrecked ships left behind after every battle. Finding, collecting and selling items from wrecks can be a great way for players to earn ISK. Many items collected from wrecks are used to produce specialized rigs for ships, and so there is always a strong demand for these items. To become a successful salvager, players must develop salvaging skills (of course), and also sufficient command, electronics and engineering skills to use tractor beams and the salvager module.  It is also useful to acquire a destroyer ship and convert it into a dedicated salvage vessel - with their large number of high slots and fairly large cargo bay, destroyers are perfect for this task. You can peruse asteroid belts for wrecks, of course, but the best way to earn a salvage income is to join a mission team and clean up any resulting wrecks, then split the resulting revenue with your teammates.
  
The UniWiki has a basic [[Missions]] article. Pilots who wish to mission close to the EVE University HQ in Slays often run missions for a number of Gallente and other NPC corps located in or near the [[Highsec_Campus|Highsec Campus]] (HSC).  Many active members in that campus will assist you and have you join missioning fleets.  There is a lot of benefit to running missions in fleets.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
  
We recommend declining kill missions against the four main empire factions (Amarr, Caldari, Gallente, and Minmatar) to avoid having access to that faction's empire space become problematic due to negative [[Faction_Standings|standings]] that can accrue for you. Having a negative faction status will start to cause you problems when it's at an adjusted -2.0 or below. When you have -2.0 or below standing with a faction, only the Level 1 agents will be available to grind standings, which could be a lengthy process. At an adjusted -5.0 and below that faction's NPC navy will spawn attack you. Station and gate guns will also look to attack you. Unlike CONCORD you can evade these NPCs. You will know if a mission is a faction kill mission because it will have the faction's logo next to the objective.
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=Combat careers=
  
You can check mission information before accepting or declining on [http://eve-survival.org/wikka.php?wakka=MissionReports EVE Survival].  
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Combat specialists earn their income from becoming very, very good at one thing: blowing stuff up. Since EVE Online is a universe populated by players interested in developing their power and influence, there is always a demand for military might.
  
If you want to find agents close to a particular system, you can use the [http://util.eveuniversity.org/Missions/AgentRangefinder/ Agent Rangefinder] web applicationUsing the Agent Finder in-game is also a good tool. Access this via the NeoCom Menu, Business, and select the Agent FinderYou can also drag the icon from that submenu onto your NeoCom bar for quick access.
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==Mission running==
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{{main|Missions}}
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One of the first ways that every player makes ISK in EVE is by executing assigned missions assigned by agents in non-player corporations, or by running through deadspace complexes. Mission running is worthy of an extensive guide all by itself, so we won't belabor all aspects of this career option hereSuffice it to say that to earn real ISK as a mission-runner, players must invest in larger ships and develop the skills to fly them, so that they can earn access to higher level agents, higher level missions and the much higher levels of rewards that come with themThere are also non-repeatable COSMOS missions, that give you modules worth hundreds of millions of ISK, but beware, they are harder than your average missions!
  
There is a database of agents available on the [http://eve-agents.com/ EVE Agents] website.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* Level 1 missions: 1M per hour
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* Level 2 missions: 2-4 M ISK per hour
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* Level 3 missions: 5-10 M ISK per hour
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* Level 4 missions: 30 - 200 M ISK per hour (very dependent on skills, fit, type of missions, LP conversion)
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}}
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<br />
  
'''Notice''':Some of the entries are outdated and you should always check in-game to confirm the existence and location of the agent.
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==Ratting==
  
You can also use the map to see systems where you have agents available to you. Open the map (Ctrl-F10) or click on the default (beta) map icon off your NeoCom, mouse over the colored circle in the menu at the top to open the "Color by: menuSelect the "Personal" line to open the selections and click on the radio button for "My Available Agents"For the old map (F10), go to the Star Map tab, go to the Stars sub-tab, go to the My Information section and select My Available Agents. Flattening the map can make it easier to navigate. Hovering your cursor over these star systems will list the available agents along with their respective corporation, level, quality, and division.
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Hunting and killing NPC pirates (a.k.a. "rats") can earn some ISKBut frankly, this is not the most lucrative way to earn money in EVEStill, as a supplemental source of income, ratting can be fun, and a great way to refine some combat skills.  To be a ratter, players only need to develop some combat skills and have a suitably outfitted fighting ship. High-sec rats are relatively easy to kill, and they spawn most frequently in asteroid belts - low-sec rats are a little tougher, but ratting in low-sec space is riskier because real-player pirates, who are infinitely more dangerous, also lurk there. Player beware!
  
You should also listen to these [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/EVE_University_Class_Library#Missions.2C_Factions classes] but be mindful of their age as some information presented can be obsolete.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* In High sec: 1-3 M ISK per hour
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* In Low sec: 10-20 M ISK per hour
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* In Null sec: 25+ M ISK per hour (depends on the security level: the lower security the harder rats the higher income)
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}}
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<br />
  
= Mining =
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==Running wormhole sites==
{{main|Mining}}
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{{main|Wormholes}}
If shooting red icons is not your type of work you may want to consider the second popular profession in EVE: Mining. Mining is as straightforward as is doing security missions. You start out with a [[Venture]] and then progress to [[Mining Barge|Mining Barges]] and [[Exhumer|Exhumers]]. Mining is infamous for being able to be done afk. Just start your mining lasers and do something else while your ship fills its orehold automatically.  
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Wormholes are an environment which is difficult to inhabit, and yet which many players call home. Players can live in wormholes by establishing citadels or POSes, or alternatively players may choose to "day trip"i.e. visit a wormhole temporarily. Wormholes have 'sites' which can be very lucrative. The difficulty of the site (and the payout) depends on the class of wormhole. Most wormhole sites require tanky ships or a group of people to run, so they are normally suited to more experienced players.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* C1 holes: 20-50 M ISK/hour
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* C2 holes: 30-60 M ISK/hour
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* C3 holes: 100-200 M ISK/hour
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* C4 holes: {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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* C5 holes: 180-250 M ISK/hour
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* C6 holes: {{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
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==Incursions==
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{{main|Incursions}}
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Incursions are high-end PvE content and are done are part of a fleet. They involve repelling NPC invaders and can be a reliable method of earning a high amount of ISK. Payouts are made to a limited number of people within the fleet, which means that each member of the fleet needs to be effective in their role - you cannot compensate for inexperience and low skills with lots of people! For this reason incursion runners normally fly battleships or more advanced ships, with logistics support. For EVE University members, our [[EVE University Incursion Community]] always need players to act as scouts or pickets, and this role does not require any specific skills or experience. In return for keeping the incursion fleet safe, they will provide tips, which can be a very lucrative income for a new player. However, note that this is specific to our community, and not a role that all incursion communities use.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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* Vanguards: 60 - 120 M ISK/hour
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* Headquarters: 150 - 300 M ISK/hour (heavily influenced by fleet composition and CONCORD LP-conversion)
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* Scouting or picketing: 30 - 60 M ISK/hour
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}}
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<br />
  
When you become more proficient you may also try [[Ice Mining]] or even [[Gas Cloud Mining]]. You should also join the [[Amarr Mining Campus]] where you will get advice and can join mining fleets. This fleets will usually provide an [[Orca]] which will increase your mining yield. If you have no access to the [[AMC]] you should consider getting a second account in order to train a hauler and Orca alt.
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==Factional Warfare==
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{{main|Factional Warfare}}
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Factional warfare allows players to fight for one of the main four factions (Amarr, Caldari, Gallente, Minmatar) for control over certain areas of low-sec space. Players fight players from opposing factions in an attempt to gain control of the system, and are rewarded with Loyalty Points.
  
After you have mined your ore you might consider refining it. This is not the default choice but needs some serious calculation. Since refining is determined by your skills and your standing with the corporation owning the station where you refine a considerable amount of minerals might be lost to the Nether if you are a new player. Unista [[Makie Tachibana]] created a helpful [https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByIiSolpXj4BM0d5cC1RZ2RraFk/edit?usp=sharing&pli=1 spreadsheet] for you to determine if you should refine or just sell your ore. If you are a member of EVE University you can also use the [[Perfect Refine List|Perfect Refine Service]] where other Unistas will do the refining for you.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
 +
}}
 +
<br />
  
You should also listen to these [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/EVE_University_Class_Library#Mining classes]
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==Mercenary==
  
= [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kmUf3fflrA Exploration] =
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If you can develop very high levels of combat skills, you can make a decent living by hiring your guns out to corporations that can use you for fighting pirates or war targets. Mercenaries are typically hired by large corporations who want something done without their name being all over it.  A mercenary could also be a hired guard for miners, an extra hand in a full scale war, or an escort through low sec areas, among other duties.  If you are serious about being a mercenary, joining a dedicated mercenary corporation is a good idea, as the one thing you need more than anything else as a "merc" is contacts. Be wary of courier assignments ending in low sec areas - they may actually be an ambush set up by a crafty pirate.
  
If doing missions or shooting space rocks is too dull for you, you might be in for the recently updated profession of exploration. Exploration means that you look for hidden sites and go to loot them for profit. A [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Exploration guide] to exploration is provided in the wiki.
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
  
Exploration is a very fun activity but the gain is somewhat random. While data and relic sites provide blueprints and material for production, combat sites may escalate and drop valuable faction or deadspace loot. Or not so valuable, if you are unlucky. As you get more experience you can progress from high-sec exploration to low- and null-sec explorations where the rewards but also the risks are higher. A cloaking device is most essential.  
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==Bounty Hunter==
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{{main|Bounty Hunting System}}
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Many players that pursue outlaw careers (more on this later) have bounties assigned to them. Players can hunt down these characters using locator agents and intelligence gathered from other players, and collect the bounties. While this sounds like an exciting career, it is really very difficult to execute. You must have extremely high combat skills, a powerful ship, and a lot of luck - you must also have the element of surprise. The rewards are also fairly minimal. For this reason, bounty hunting, when it occurs, is usually a venture of opportunity, rather than of planning.
  
You should also listen to these [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/EVE_University_Class_Library#Exploration classes]
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{{Color box|color=black|border=#888888| [[File:Wallet.png|32px]]'''Average Income:'''
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{{co|lightblue|<no data>}}
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}}
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<br />
  
= Science & Industry =
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=Outlaw Careers=
  
So you neither want to shoot ships nor asteroids? And you do not want to endanger your ship while strolling around in null-sec? You are pretty decent in math and you want to create instead of destroy? Welcome to Manufacturing! Manufacturing is the art of using a [[blueprint]] to produce items that are then sold to the market. You can read this [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Manufacturing guide] to get an overview of how it works.  
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In the EVE sandbox, there are people who play nice and pursue honorable careers - and then there are those who do not.  Both styles of play are allowed. In fact, EVE Online is one place where crime does indeed pay - and pretty well, too.
  
Basically you will first search the market for something you want to produce. Ships, Drones and Ammunition are a good starting point since the modules you can produce have better (and cheaper) counterparts in their Meta 1-4 variations. You will then acquire a blueprint. This can either be a blueprint original (BPO) or a blueprint copy (BPC). The first one allows unlimited runs, the latter only a specific number until it vanishes.  
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==Can Flipping==
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{{main|Can flipping}}
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Perhaps the easiest entry-level way to get into a life of crime in EVE is to simply steal from miners who are "jetcanning", where miners jettison their collected ore into unsecured cargo containers for later retrieval.  Can flippers only have to get within 2,500 meters of a jetcan, then grab the contents. Miners are generally in weaker ships, with poor defenses and few weapons, and there is usually little they can do to stop this theft.  Further, if the miner fights back, then the can flipper may simply destroy the miner, and then loot the poor victim.
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{{co|red|Note that can flipping is not allowed whilst a member of EVE University, under the [[EVE University Rules]].}}
  
You can also buy either unresearched blueprints from the market or researched blueprints from contracts. Research provides lower material costs and lesser production time. If you go for a researched blueprint do your math first and compare the amount of ISK you save for lower production cost with the cost of the blueprint. If you save less money then you spend its obviously not worth it.  
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You can also always research the blueprint yourself. The problem with that is, that you might have to wait for a really long time until a high-sec research slot becomes available.
+
==Piracy==
  
If you are a member of EVE University you can use the E-Uni POS to do your research. You can also join [[Project Solitude]] which operates in a high-sec pocket surrounded by low- and null-sec. This has the advantage that it is far easier to get a empty research facility. You can also sell ships and modules for a premium price there.
+
Pirates specialize in player-versus-player (PvP) skills, so that they can attack and pillage players (mostly haulers) in low security space, or capture them and ransom their ship or pod for money. Successful pirates must also have good scanning and probing skills, and the best ones hunt in packs.  Joining a piracy corporation is therefore an attractive option for the aspiring space buccaneer.  
  
Like Security Missions and Mining, Science & Industry comes with a steady progression. You will start manufacturing T1 items. But after a while your skills are high enough to start producing T2 items. And after that you can venture into T3 production, manufacturing the components that [[Strategic Cruisers]] are made of. You could even become a capital ship manufacturer as the pinnacle of your career.
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You should also listen to this [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Manufacturing_101 class].
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==Scamming or theft==
  
= [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKviRpvGXBs Business] =
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If you have ever fantasized about being a high-stakes confidence man, EVE provides you with lots of options for becoming a professional scammer - tricking players into giving you ISK or luring them into traps for profit.  Some of these scams are simple - mislabeling contracts on the market and selling items for far more then they are worth, for example. But some are far more elaborate and dangerous - issuing an attractive courier contract into low-sec or null-sec space, for example, for the sole purpose of tricking a hauler into an ambush. Another form of scam is the corporate raider, who gains entry into a corporation, earns a director level position, and then uses that position to steal everything - including the corporation itself! {{co|red|Note that scamming and theft are not allowed whilst a member of EVE University, under the [[EVE University Rules]].}}
  
What do the mission runner, the miner, the explorer and the manufacturer have in common? They sell their goods to the market. So why not be the market maker? Let the peons grind, while you sit in the station buying low and selling high? Pretty good idea! But not so fast, the entry barrier to doing business is pretty high. Experience-wise as ISK-wise. You can read this basic guide on [[Trading]] to get a good idea.
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Basically there are three different types of trading with increasing difficulty.
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==Suicide Ganking==
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{{main|Suicide ganking}}
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If you initiate an unprovoked attack on a ship in high-security space (0.5 or higher), then [[CONCORD_Details|CONCORD]] will destroy your ship.  But losing a ship might be a small price to pay if you pick the right target - a nice fat freighter or a faction ship laden with high priced modules, for example. By working with teammates, who can loot the victim after your suicide attack, you can earn enormous rewards.  This comes at a cost to your [[Security_Status_Details|security status]] and grants kill rights though, which may severely impact your ability to operate in highsec.  A judicious ganker should be able to easily afford [[security tags]], while an indiscriminate one may have to rat or live with the consequences.
  
The first one is hauling. Hauling means that you buy items at station A, put them into your cargohold and ship them to a local tradehub where you can sell them higher. You can either do this as inter-region hauling, where you exploit price differences of items in different regions. Another apporach is to set-up buy orders in mission hubs to buy the loot from mission runners. You then haul the stuff to a local trade hub and return with ammunition, ships and exotic dancers that are useful for mission runners. A third way to do hauling is to buy up stuff for cheap in the career agent systems. Especially the ships that are given out by the career agents to new players can be bought cheaply and resold in the next hub.  
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A more sophisticated form of trading is station-trading. This involves no time in space. Your character is just sitting in a station and buys and sells items. For this you want to look for items that have high-volume and high-price differences. You will then set-up buy orders and wait for people to sell you their stuff. You will then resell it on the market for a higher price, therefore making profits. Your biggest competition in this field are market bots that over-/undercut your prices by 0.01 ISK.
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==Drug Dealing==
  
The ultimate form of trading is inter-hub trading. This combines both approaches above. You set up buy and sell orders for items in several trading hubs. You will compare the prices and volume of items in different hubs and then buy where it is cheap and sell where it is expensive. This might require additional characters in each of the trading hubs you are dealing in.
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There are illegal substance abusers in the EVE universe - and this includes many pilots. Booster drugs can temporarily increase certain capabilities, and though illegal in Empire space, they are in demand. And where there are buyers, there is a market - one that a disreputable drug dealer can fill, and for decent profit, at moderate risk.
  
You should also listen to these [http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/EVE_University_Class_Library#Trading classes].
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Revision as of 10:26, 26 March 2017

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This article or section is in the process of an expansion or major restructuring. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well.
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Once players have completed the Tutorial they need to find their own way in New Eden. EVE is a sandbox and players will soon find they need to make their own entertainment and income. This brief guide intends to describe some of the typical options that many EVE players pursue, together with the likely income from them.

E-UNI Emblem.png EVE University offers
a class on:

Industrial careers

Industrial careers are focused on gathering resources and creating ships and items. This is often referred to in other games as "crafting".

Mining and refining

Main article: Mining

Miningventure.png

Asteroid belts spawn throughout New Eden and can be mined to extract ores. In addition to ores, players can use specialised equipment to mine ice from ice belts and harvest gas from gas clouds. The ore, ice and gas can either be sold in its raw form, or refined into minerals. In general rarer and more valuable resources are found in lower security space. Mining has a low entry barrier, though mining efficiency can be substantially improved by training the right skills and implants and using more advanced equipment and ships. Alpha clones can mine, although the only specialised mining ship they can use is the Venture. Players can mine either alone or as part of a mining fleet, and can produce a stable income stream. However, miners are always vulnerable to attacks by other players as well as can flippers, so it can be a risky profession, particularly in lower security areas.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • Mining Ore:
    • solo mining (no boosts): <no data>
    • fleet mining (with boosts) <no data>
  • Harvesting Ice: <no data>
  • Harvesting Gas in known-space: <no data>
  • Harvesting Gas in wormholes:
    • low level gas sites (Barren, Minor, Ordinary, Sizeable, Token): 15-20 M ISK/hour
    • mid-level gas sites (Vital and Bountiful): up-to 30-40 M ISK/hour
    • high-level gas sites (Instrumental and Vital): up-to 50-70 M ISK/hour


Planetary interaction

Main article: Planetary Interaction

Capsuleers can extract planetary resources and produce commodities on all the planets of New Eden. Pilots can run several planets at once, and with the right combination of planets, PI can be quite lucrative.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • High-sec planet: <no data>
  • Low-sec planet: <no data>
  • Null-sec planet: <no data>
  • Wormhole planet: 4-6M per planet per day with daily monitoring


Hauling

Main article: Hauling

Also a relatively low-risk way to earn ISK, haulers either buy low in one location, and sell high in another, or execute courier contracts in return for payment. To become a hauler, you only need an industrial ship and suitable command skills. Moving goods around in high security space is fairly safe, but hauling in low sec or 0.0 can be extremely risky - and also extremely rewarding. There are entire corporations of haulers, such as Red Frog and PushX. The career for a hauler can be fairly long, starting with simple industrial ships, then eventually moving to blockade runners and huge freighters.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • Courier contracts: Approx 50 - 70 M ISK/hour
  • Hauling goods for sale: <no data>


Manufacturing

Main article: Manufacturing

Almost everything in New Eden - ships, modules, ammo, etc. - is created by players, for their own use, or more frequently, for sale to other players. Building items and charging for the value-add can be a very lucrative way to generate ISK. Unfortunately, this career option is one of the hardest to generate large amounts of ISK from, as it is extremely competitive. In addition, many miner/manufacturers undercharge because they do not include the value of the minerals they collected - they tend to think of ore they mined as "free" - so, many common items have very low profit margins, if any at all. However, for those who develop a high degree of manufacturing skills, and who can amass sufficient capital to purchase blueprint originals (BPOs) for high-demand items, this can be a lucrative second career.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Research and invention

Main article: Research

All advanced items in New Eden, of the Tech 2 variety, are made possible by the efforts of players who conduct invention on lower-tech items. The capabilities of Tech 2 items keep them in high demand, so invention can be a rewarding source of ISK. Through research, players can also improve the efficiency of blueprints. Because they improve production time and reduce manufacturing time, blueprints with higher efficiency are valuable to manufacturers - and therefore are another potential source of income. Players can also work with dedicated research agents to "farm" valuable datacores, used in invention - a form of passive income that can produce a reasonable stream of ISK over time. To become a scientist/researcher/inventor, players must invest in science and related skills, and have access to a research facility.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Business careers

While Industrialists specialize in making and moving things, Business people earn ISK by investing capital, liquidity and talents in corporations, markets and infrastructure, and earning returns from their investment.

Trading

Main article: Trading

The dynamic and comprehensive player-driven market in EVE provides multiple opportunities for players to earn ISK, without even owning a ship or leaving a station! By investing in trade skills, building up your standings with a owner of the station you plan to trade in, and with a bit of starting capital, players can purchase goods on the market, and then sell them at higher prices. By providing liquidity to the markets, traders can make a good return, although this requires some investigation of market opportunities and vigilance in monitoring your market orders. If you've ever fantasized about making it big as a Wall Street speculator, becoming an EVE trader might be for you.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Corporate Executive

Main article: Forming a Corporation

Become your own CEO! By developing Corporate Management skills, players can found their own corporations, recruit other players, and earn ISK from a salary drawn from taxes and fees. At a more advanced level, you can also create a citadel or POS to host valuable research facilities and a market, or you could join an alliance and negotiate to build a lucrative moon mining POS. Being a corporate CEO requires some very advanced skills, and a great amount of capital - either yours or someone else's - and so, this career option usually comes later in most players' EVE experience, if ever. But the entry requirements for starting an EVE corporation are quite low, and since non-player corporations (NPCs) now charge an 11% tax on bounties and mission rewards, starting a small corp of your own might be an attractive option.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

There is no such thing as an average income as it varies so widely depending on the size of the corporation and the taxes/fees charged


Exploration careers

Explorers are people that find things, and then make money on what they find.

Exploration and hacking

Main article: Exploration

Searching wormholes and hidden space for valuable sites, then selling the relics and information you discover, can be a very productive way to generate ISK - and a lot of fun, too. To become an explorer, players must invest in several specialty skills (Astrometrics, Archeology and Hacking), some dedicated equipment (probe launcher, codebreaker modules) and a suitable ship with bonuses for astrometric modules. You must also become an expert at probing.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • In high-sec, low-sec and null-sec: up-to 1M per site
  • In wormhole pirate data sites: up-to 5-8M ISK per site
  • In wormhole pirate relic sites: 10-60M ISK per site
  • In wormhole sleeper data/relic sites: up-to 1M ISK per site - not recommended as this is a low reward for relatively high risk hacking in wormholes
  • In sleeper cache sites: 100-300 M ISK per site
  • In ghost sites: 30-60 M ISK per site, reported cases with up to a few hundred million ISK per site


Salvaging

Main article: Salvaging

EVE Online is a place of constant combat, and as a result, there are a lot of wrecked ships left behind after every battle. Finding, collecting and selling items from wrecks can be a great way for players to earn ISK. Many items collected from wrecks are used to produce specialized rigs for ships, and so there is always a strong demand for these items. To become a successful salvager, players must develop salvaging skills (of course), and also sufficient command, electronics and engineering skills to use tractor beams and the salvager module. It is also useful to acquire a destroyer ship and convert it into a dedicated salvage vessel - with their large number of high slots and fairly large cargo bay, destroyers are perfect for this task. You can peruse asteroid belts for wrecks, of course, but the best way to earn a salvage income is to join a mission team and clean up any resulting wrecks, then split the resulting revenue with your teammates.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Combat careers

Combat specialists earn their income from becoming very, very good at one thing: blowing stuff up. Since EVE Online is a universe populated by players interested in developing their power and influence, there is always a demand for military might.

Mission running

Main article: Missions

One of the first ways that every player makes ISK in EVE is by executing assigned missions assigned by agents in non-player corporations, or by running through deadspace complexes. Mission running is worthy of an extensive guide all by itself, so we won't belabor all aspects of this career option here. Suffice it to say that to earn real ISK as a mission-runner, players must invest in larger ships and develop the skills to fly them, so that they can earn access to higher level agents, higher level missions and the much higher levels of rewards that come with them. There are also non-repeatable COSMOS missions, that give you modules worth hundreds of millions of ISK, but beware, they are harder than your average missions!

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • Level 1 missions: 1M per hour
  • Level 2 missions: 2-4 M ISK per hour
  • Level 3 missions: 5-10 M ISK per hour
  • Level 4 missions: 30 - 200 M ISK per hour (very dependent on skills, fit, type of missions, LP conversion)


Ratting

Hunting and killing NPC pirates (a.k.a. "rats") can earn some ISK. But frankly, this is not the most lucrative way to earn money in EVE. Still, as a supplemental source of income, ratting can be fun, and a great way to refine some combat skills. To be a ratter, players only need to develop some combat skills and have a suitably outfitted fighting ship. High-sec rats are relatively easy to kill, and they spawn most frequently in asteroid belts - low-sec rats are a little tougher, but ratting in low-sec space is riskier because real-player pirates, who are infinitely more dangerous, also lurk there. Player beware!

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • In High sec: 1-3 M ISK per hour
  • In Low sec: 10-20 M ISK per hour
  • In Null sec: 25+ M ISK per hour (depends on the security level: the lower security the harder rats the higher income)


Running wormhole sites

Main article: Wormholes

Wormholes are an environment which is difficult to inhabit, and yet which many players call home. Players can live in wormholes by establishing citadels or POSes, or alternatively players may choose to "day trip"i.e. visit a wormhole temporarily. Wormholes have 'sites' which can be very lucrative. The difficulty of the site (and the payout) depends on the class of wormhole. Most wormhole sites require tanky ships or a group of people to run, so they are normally suited to more experienced players.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • C1 holes: 20-50 M ISK/hour
  • C2 holes: 30-60 M ISK/hour
  • C3 holes: 100-200 M ISK/hour
  • C4 holes: <no data>
  • C5 holes: 180-250 M ISK/hour
  • C6 holes: <no data>


Incursions

Main article: Incursions

Incursions are high-end PvE content and are done are part of a fleet. They involve repelling NPC invaders and can be a reliable method of earning a high amount of ISK. Payouts are made to a limited number of people within the fleet, which means that each member of the fleet needs to be effective in their role - you cannot compensate for inexperience and low skills with lots of people! For this reason incursion runners normally fly battleships or more advanced ships, with logistics support. For EVE University members, our EVE University Incursion Community always need players to act as scouts or pickets, and this role does not require any specific skills or experience. In return for keeping the incursion fleet safe, they will provide tips, which can be a very lucrative income for a new player. However, note that this is specific to our community, and not a role that all incursion communities use.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:
  • Vanguards: 60 - 120 M ISK/hour
  • Headquarters: 150 - 300 M ISK/hour (heavily influenced by fleet composition and CONCORD LP-conversion)
  • Scouting or picketing: 30 - 60 M ISK/hour


Factional Warfare

Main article: Factional Warfare

Factional warfare allows players to fight for one of the main four factions (Amarr, Caldari, Gallente, Minmatar) for control over certain areas of low-sec space. Players fight players from opposing factions in an attempt to gain control of the system, and are rewarded with Loyalty Points.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Mercenary

If you can develop very high levels of combat skills, you can make a decent living by hiring your guns out to corporations that can use you for fighting pirates or war targets. Mercenaries are typically hired by large corporations who want something done without their name being all over it. A mercenary could also be a hired guard for miners, an extra hand in a full scale war, or an escort through low sec areas, among other duties. If you are serious about being a mercenary, joining a dedicated mercenary corporation is a good idea, as the one thing you need more than anything else as a "merc" is contacts. Be wary of courier assignments ending in low sec areas - they may actually be an ambush set up by a crafty pirate.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Bounty Hunter

Main article: Bounty Hunting System

Many players that pursue outlaw careers (more on this later) have bounties assigned to them. Players can hunt down these characters using locator agents and intelligence gathered from other players, and collect the bounties. While this sounds like an exciting career, it is really very difficult to execute. You must have extremely high combat skills, a powerful ship, and a lot of luck - you must also have the element of surprise. The rewards are also fairly minimal. For this reason, bounty hunting, when it occurs, is usually a venture of opportunity, rather than of planning.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Outlaw Careers

In the EVE sandbox, there are people who play nice and pursue honorable careers - and then there are those who do not. Both styles of play are allowed. In fact, EVE Online is one place where crime does indeed pay - and pretty well, too.

Can Flipping

Main article: Can flipping

Perhaps the easiest entry-level way to get into a life of crime in EVE is to simply steal from miners who are "jetcanning", where miners jettison their collected ore into unsecured cargo containers for later retrieval. Can flippers only have to get within 2,500 meters of a jetcan, then grab the contents. Miners are generally in weaker ships, with poor defenses and few weapons, and there is usually little they can do to stop this theft. Further, if the miner fights back, then the can flipper may simply destroy the miner, and then loot the poor victim. Note that can flipping is not allowed whilst a member of EVE University, under the EVE University Rules.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Piracy

Pirates specialize in player-versus-player (PvP) skills, so that they can attack and pillage players (mostly haulers) in low security space, or capture them and ransom their ship or pod for money. Successful pirates must also have good scanning and probing skills, and the best ones hunt in packs. Joining a piracy corporation is therefore an attractive option for the aspiring space buccaneer.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Scamming or theft

If you have ever fantasized about being a high-stakes confidence man, EVE provides you with lots of options for becoming a professional scammer - tricking players into giving you ISK or luring them into traps for profit. Some of these scams are simple - mislabeling contracts on the market and selling items for far more then they are worth, for example. But some are far more elaborate and dangerous - issuing an attractive courier contract into low-sec or null-sec space, for example, for the sole purpose of tricking a hauler into an ambush. Another form of scam is the corporate raider, who gains entry into a corporation, earns a director level position, and then uses that position to steal everything - including the corporation itself! Note that scamming and theft are not allowed whilst a member of EVE University, under the EVE University Rules.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Suicide Ganking

Main article: Suicide ganking

If you initiate an unprovoked attack on a ship in high-security space (0.5 or higher), then CONCORD will destroy your ship. But losing a ship might be a small price to pay if you pick the right target - a nice fat freighter or a faction ship laden with high priced modules, for example. By working with teammates, who can loot the victim after your suicide attack, you can earn enormous rewards. This comes at a cost to your security status and grants kill rights though, which may severely impact your ability to operate in highsec. A judicious ganker should be able to easily afford security tags, while an indiscriminate one may have to rat or live with the consequences.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>


Drug Dealing

There are illegal substance abusers in the EVE universe - and this includes many pilots. Booster drugs can temporarily increase certain capabilities, and though illegal in Empire space, they are in demand. And where there are buyers, there is a market - one that a disreputable drug dealer can fill, and for decent profit, at moderate risk.

Wallet.pngAverage Income:

<no data>