The academic authority ROI calculator.
Choose the work you would actually accept alongside your research and teaching, set a realistic volume, and see the first year return against the cost of building the profile that produces it.
Tap the kinds of paid work you actually want. You can pick more than one.
Drag each slider, or use the minus and plus buttons for exact numbers.
Conservative market rates for experienced physicians. A planning model, not a projection. Advisory equity is paper value and only converts on an exit.
- Advisory retainers1 × $4,000/mo
- $48,000
- Paid speaking3 × $6,000
- $18,000
- Gross opportunity
- $66,000
- Cost of the work12 × $1,000/mo
- -$12,000
Four numbers. The full picture.
Gross opportunity
The annualised value of the outcomes you selected, priced at rates we see experienced academics and researchers command in their market.
Cost of the work
Twelve months of the monthly investment you set. Shown in red because it is subtracted from the gross figure.
Net gain
Gross opportunity minus the cost of the work. The honest number, before tax and before any academic salary you already earn.
Return
Gross opportunity divided by cost. Anything under one times means the volume you set does not yet justify the spend.
There are many ways academics and researchers get paid beyond the university.
Advisory retainers
$2k to $6k per monthAdvisory seats with HealthTech and pharma companies for academics with a visible point of view. Usually two to four hours a month, billed as a monthly retainer.
Board seats
$20k to $45k per yearNon-executive and clinical advisory boards, paid as an annual fee plus meeting fees. Almost never advertised. Filled from the names people already trust.
Paid keynotes
$3k to $10k per eventConference and corporate speaking, priced per event. The fee follows the profile, not the CV. Most academics speak free until the profile changes.
Expert consulting
$250 to $900 per hourProduct input, expert review, market research calls and litigation work. Almost always billed by the hour, not the day, so we model it that way.
Media and podcasts
$1k to $5k per featurePaid commentary, guest appearances and recurring segments. The fee is modest, but the real value is the public proof that makes advisory and speaking enquiries easier.
Book deals
$15k to $50k advanceA published book is still the fastest way to become the default expert in a niche. Advances vary, but the authority it creates feeds every other income line.
Brand partnerships
$5k to $25k per dealLong-form collaborations with health, tech and lifestyle brands that fit your specialty. We only pursue deals that protect your academic credibility.
Advisory equity
$10k to $100k paper valueEarly-stage HealthTech companies often pay part of an advisory package in equity. The calculator counts the paper value; cash only arrives on an exit.
Where the assumptions come from.
Conservative rate anchors
We use the lower half of observed market ranges so the model understates rather than flatters.
Twelve month horizon
Costs are modelled across a full year. Most engagements produce their first paid opportunity between month four and month nine.
No academic salary included
The calculator measures only income created outside your university post, so nothing here double counts your salary.
How the numbers actually work.
Ready to become the known academic voice and get paid what you deserve?
Pick a time below. We will run your specialty, market and availability against the model and tell you honestly which routes are worth your time.
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