20 Popular Jobs for Older Workers
These positions value experience and some even offer flexibility and remote work
While you can be successful in a career at any age, there are certain occupations that attract higher shares of older workers. Whether it’s because the job offers flexible hours and the opportunity for remote work or because the position requires skills and experience that take years to build, some jobs are just more popular with older adults.
AARP examined U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data to identify 20 occupations that had workers who were an average of at least 49 years old. The following list is ranked in order of the total number of workers age 45 and older in each field, from the most workers to the fewest. All wage data is from the BLS. Clicking on the link below each entry will take you to a list of all current postings nationwide for that occupation on the AARP Job Board.
These 20 jobs are the most popular for older workers.
1. Chief executives
- Median age: 52.2 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 1,260,000
- Average wage: $91.12 per hour
- Find chief executive jobs
CEOs aren't limited to the Fortune 500. Smaller businesses and organizations need leaders, too, which explains why there are so many chief executives in the BLS tally. It’s no surprise that many businesses turn to older workers – and their lifelong experience – to fill this role.
2. Bookkeepers, accountants, and auditing clerks
- Median age: 49.2 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 720,000
- Average wage: $22.05 per hour
- Find bookkeeping/accountant jobs
Among the jobs on this list, bookkeeper and accountant are perhaps the roles that offer the most work-from-home opportunities. These positions also tend to offer contract positions and other kinds of flexibility.
3. Real estate brokers and sales agents
- Median age: 50 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 632,000
- Average wage: $25.02 per hour
- Find real estate jobs
Only 6 percent of members of the National Association of Realtors say real estate was their first career, making these jobs good fits for career switchers. “We see that there’s a very diverse background of members who are coming from other industries and starting in real estate,” the association tells AARP.
4. Postsecondary teachers
- Median age: 49.5 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 630,000
- Average wage: $38.86 per hour
- Find teacher jobs
The most familiar workers in this occupation are the professors at colleges and universities across the nation. Another place to find these teachers are in technical and professional schools that award certificates for various careers.
5. Farmers, ranchers and agricultural managers
- Median age: 56 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 613,000
- Average wage: $36.42 per hour
- Find agriculture jobs
This profession has the highest average age of all the jobs on this list. Among all industries, these careers also offer the highest levels of happiness and meaning, according to a Washington Post analysis of BLS data.
6. Home health aides
- Median age: 49.1
- Total workers age 45 and older: 345,000
- Average wage: $14.51 per hour
- Find home health aide jobs
The BLS projects that the number of jobs in this field will grow by 22 percent over the next eight years. If you have experience as a family caregiver or you volunteer to help older family and friends, this job could be a good fit for you.
7. Public transit bus drivers
- Median age: 52.8 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 203,000
- Average wage: $24.47 per hour
- Find bus driver jobs
According to the American Public Transportation Association, 96 percent of transportation agencies reported a shortage of bus drivers in 2022. The job can be stressful in some cases, but there’s steady demand for workers.
8. School bus drivers
- Median age: 55.5 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 159,000
- Average wage: $19.84
- Find bus driver jobs
The unusual schedule suggests why this occupation tends to favor older adults. Working a couple hours in the morning and a couple hours in the afternoon is a better fit for retirees than for most other types of workers.
9. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
- Median age: 49 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 125,000
- Average wage: $101.82 per hour
Soaring through the wide blue yonder can lead to sky-high salaries. Pilots earn the prize for the highest salaries on this list.
10. Facilities managers
- Median age: 53.6 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 110,000
- Average wage: $48.98 per hour
- Find facilities manager jobs
From handling renovations to hiring janitorial staff, facilities managers are responsible for keeping buildings ready for workers and their clients. The role requires both good people skills and knowledge of how to keep a building’s infrastructure up-to-date.
11. Sewing machine operators
- Median age: 52.1 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 90,000
- Average wage: $15.26 per hour
- Find sewing machine operator jobs
This blue-collar job is more like a manufacturing role within the apparel industry. Most jobs in this field do not require a degree or certificate to get hired, opting instead for on-the-job training or previous experience.
12. Payroll clerks
- Median age: 49.5 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 79,000
- Average wage: $23.86 per hour
- Find payroll jobs
Before you receive your check, the payroll department has to tally your hours and calculate your benefits, taxes and other deductions. Clerks are the workers that help get that process started.
13. Property appraisers/assessors
- Median age: 53.2 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 70,000
- Average wage: $29.60 per hour
- Find real estate jobs
If you like the real estate industry but aren’t comfortable with the responsibilities of being an agent or broker, a property appraiser is an interesting alternative. Most cities or states will require you to complete a short training program and pass a licensing exam before you can begin working.
15. Shuttle drivers/chauffeurs
- Median age: 54.3 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 52,000
- Average wage: $15.77
- Find shuttle driver jobs
Flexible schedules and part-time shifts are part of what make these jobs attractive to older adults. And years of personal experience driving in a city or region is a valuable skill these workers bring to the role.
16. Judges
- Median age: 53 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 51,000
- Average wage: $72.61 per hour
- Find lawyer jobs
Many judges are either elected or appointed to their positions, a condition that could give an edge to people with years of experience and larger professional networks. Many states, however, do have mandatory retirement ages (typically 70 years old) for some judge positions, according to the National Center for State Courts.
17. Firefighting supervisors
- Median age: 52.1 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 39,000
- Average wage: $38.53 per hour
- Find firefighter jobs
While firefighters in general are an average of 38.5 years of age, their supervisors are significantly older, according to the BLS. Experience is a highly valuable skill in this high-stakes profession, it seems.
18. Legal secretaries/administrative assistants
- Median age: 53.9 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 38,000
- Average wage: $23.45
- Find secretary jobs
While these secretaries tend to have some knowledge of and experience with the particular needs of a law office, they typically don’t perform legal research or other duties that paralegals fulfill. The secretaries instead schedule meetings, support clients and lawyers, and perform other administrative duties.
19. Crossing guards
- Median age: 55.8 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 36,000
- Average wage: $16.05 per hour
- Find crossing guard jobs
Perhaps the most common place to find these workers on the job is in intersections near elementary schools. That means an early start to work, a few hours to yourself midday, and a few hours of work mid-afternoon – a schedule shared with school bus drivers.
20. Tailors and dressmakers
- Median age: 49 years
- Total workers age 45 and older: 30,000
- Average wage: $16.48 per hour
- Find tailor/dressmaker jobs
These days, you might be likely to find more people at a Taylor Swift concert than you are to find people employed as a tailor, but it’s still a fun, fulfilling job. Not every dress or suit ends up on a stage, but a good tailor or dressmaker can still make your outfit sparkle.
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