These are pretty half-baked but:

1. Is there any way to test out whether you are more or less likely to be on the fat end of the tail? Doing smaller projects, volunteering (not necessarily working) with orgs in your intended field, etc?
2. If your goal is to leave room open for earning to give, are there other routes that offer either more flexibility or higher earning potential? Off the top of my head (and with no evidence whatsoever), I would think degrees in business, computer science, etc. also leave the door open for earning to give, while also providing skills that might be useful in direct work, giving you more flexibility in the future when you have the information you need in order to make that decision