Top 20 Retirement Jobs and Industries

By: Bob Skladany | Source: AARP.org |

Are you age 50+? Do you want to continue working or to return to the office? Consider these 20 best jobs to have in retirement. These were selected on the basis of several factors, including:

• Large numbers of openings currently exist or are expected to in the near future.
• The industry or occupation is receptive to, and welcoming of, age 50+ workers.
• The nature of the work, scheduling flexibility, benefit coverage, and pay attract age 50+ workers.
• Duties and the work environment of the job or industry are appropriate for age 50+ workers.

Below we list widely available jobs and the pay ranges for the positions. Many of the jobs also offer employer-sponsored health care for people working as few as 24 hours per week. Of course, the quality of health care benefits can vary widely among employers.

1. Job/Industry: Nursing
Qualifications: Formal education (two to six years) and licensing are required for registered and practical nurses. Accelerated training is often available through community colleges.   
Employers: Hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices
Expected hourly earnings: $20- to $60 or more per hour, based on training, level, and specialization

2. Job/Industry: Health Care Technician
Qualifications: One to four years of training beyond high school in a health care specialty, whether in the laboratory, radiology, nutrition, physical therapy, or the nursing-assistant field. 
Employers: Hospitals, clinics, and medical practices
Expected hourly earnings: $12 to $30 per hour, based on training, responsibility level, and specialization
 
3. Job/Industry: Health Care Administration (Non-Medical)
Qualifications: A wide range of insurance, health care-specific, and general education and skills, based on varied job requirements from the clerical to the administrative or management levels
Employers: Hospitals, health insurance companies
Expected hourly earnings: $10 to $15 per hour for clerical; $20 to $30 for professional; and $25+ for managerial positions
 
4. Job/Industry: Teaching Assistant and Aide
Qualifications: A background in education and child care would help applicants, as would a formal education beyond high school.
Employers: All elementary schools, public or private school systems, and the education divisions of temporary-staffing firms, such as Kelly Educational Staffing
Expected hourly earnings: $8 to $15 per hour, based on level of responsibility and qualifications
 
5. Job/Industry: Contract or Temporary Professional
Qualifications: Formal education and relevant experience within the profession (for instance, law, information technology, human resources, engineering, sciences, accounting and finance, or project management)
Employers: Any major staffing agency, including Robert Half, Manpower, Kelly, and Express Personnel
Expected hourly earnings: $30 to $70 per hour, based on profession and level of experience and knowledge
 
6. Job/Industry: General Merchandise and Grocery Retailing
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education or training to four or more years beyond high school, based on position
Employers: Department-store and grocery chains; for instance, Macy’s, Target, Nordstrom, Sears, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods
Expected hourly earnings: $8 to $15 per hour for sales associates and customer service; $15 to $40 for supervisors and managers
 
7. Job/Industry: Specialty Retailing
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education to several years of industry experience and training within specialty sales, stocking, customer service, and management jobs.
Employers: Chain retail stores; for instance, Crate and Barrel, Best Buy, Borders, Barnes & Noble, REI, and Staples
Expected hourly earnings: $10 to $20 per hour for sales, stocking, and customer service; $15 to $40 for supervisors and managers
 
8. Job/Industry: Accounting & Finance and Tax Preparers
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education to technical training (in tax preparation, for example); can also include formal education of four to six years plus relevant experience
Employers: H&R Block, Accountemps, Robert Half F&A, Accounting Principals, and the accounting and finance unit of any employer
Expected hourly earnings: $12 to $15 per hour for clerical and bookkeeping; $15 to $30 for tax preparers and specialists; $25 to $40 for formally trained professionals
 
9. Job/Industry: Banking and Lending
Qualifications: Ranges from no formal education up to formal education of four to six years plus relevant experience; technical training is also considered.
Employers: Banking and lending institutions; for instance, Wells Fargo, Wachovia, Citizens Bank, National City Bank, or Bank of America
Expected hourly earnings: $10 to $15 per hour for tellers and customer service; $15 to $30 for lending, $20 to $35 for supervisors and managers
 
10. Job/Industry: Car/Van/Light Truck or Bus Driver
Qualifications: Passenger-vehicle license up to special-vehicle licensing and certification with “clean” driving record
Employers: Boston Coach, First Student Bus, or Schneider National Trucking, for example 
Expected hourly earnings: $10 to $15 per hour for driving small vehicles; $15 to $30 for larger vehicles
 
11. Job/Industry: Customer Service or Technology Representative
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education or training to between two and four years’ formal education or technical training; strong telephone and interpersonal skills are required.
Employers: Quest Diagnostics, JetBlue, Pitney Bowes, AT&T call centers, and other major retailers and temporary-staffing agencies. Some employers may permit work from home.
Expected hourly earnings: $10 to $14 per hour for non-technical positions, $14 to $20 for technology-related jobs
 
12. Job/Industry: Nonprofit Services Delivery & Administration
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education or training to up to 4 or more years beyond high school, based on position
Employers: American Red Cross, Peace Corps, and other nonprofit organizations
Expected hourly earnings: $8 to $14 per hour for service delivery and clerical; $14 to $25 for professional
 
13. Job/Industry: Insurance and Investment Services
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education up to 4 or more years of education and training and the ability to secure industry-specific certifications and licenses
Employers: Insurance and investment companies; for example, John Hancock Financial, Liberty Mutual Insurance, MetLife, Principal Financial, The Hartford, Vanguard, or Fidelity
Expected hourly earnings: $12 to $18 per hour for entry sales and customer service; $15 to $25 for technical and licensed jobs; sales commissions available
 
14. Job/Industry: Home Health Care or Personal Aide
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education or training to 4 years beyond high school, based on position as well as licenses and certifications
Employers: The Visiting Nurses Association, Visiting Angels, or temporary-staffing agencies, for example
Expected hourly earnings: $8 to $14 per hour for personal-care providers; $12 to $20 for advanced-care providers who administer medication or the like
 
15. Job/Industry: Hospitality and Food-Service Staff
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education or training to 4 or more years  beyond high school, based on position 
Employers: Hotels, restaurants, and amusement parks. Some likely employers include Applebee’s, Starbucks, Drury Hotels, Six Flags, and Hershey Entertainment.
Expected hourly earnings: $8 to $12 per hour for entry-level service providers; $10 to $15 for front desk or reception staff; $12 to $16 for sales and supervision
 
16. Job/Industry: Office Clerical and Administrative
Qualifications: Can range from no formal education or training to 4 or more years beyond high school, based on position; computer skills are often essential.
Employers: Any age-friendly employer or temporary staffing agency
Expected hourly earnings: $9 to $12 for entry-level clerical and administrative jobs; $12 to $16 for skilled administrative staff
 
17. Job/Industry: Self-Employment
Qualifications: No formal education up to college equivalent. Small-business management, sales, customer service, and technical abilities are important. Licenses and certification may be required based on trade or profession.
Expected hourly earnings: Earnings can vary widely, based on the type of trade or business and personal capabilities and motivation.
 
18. Job/Industry: Franchise or Business Owner
Qualifications: No formal education is required. Small-business management, sales, customer service, and technical abilities are important. A hefty personal investment may be required for franchised or licensed operations.
Expected hourly earnings: Earnings can vary widely based on the cost of a franchise, business revenues, type of business, and personal capabilities and motivation.
 
19. Job/Industry: Small Employers
Qualifications: More than 97 percent of employers have fewer than 100 employees. Small employers provide diverse and challenging jobs requiring little formal education and training up to 4 years beyond high school.
Employers: Local businesses, which may only advertise in newspapers or via word of mouth.
Expected hourly earnings: Earnings can vary widely based on the industry, the type of job, and the scope of responsibilities.
 
20. Job/Industry: Federal, State, or Municipal Governments
Qualifications: The government sector is expecting large numbers of openings ranging from entry level to senior professional and management resulting from large numbers of  retiring employees. Qualifications vary widely.
Employers: Check USAJobs.com, your state’s homepage on the Web (e.g. www.maryland.gov), or call or visit your local county office or town hall.
Expected hourly earnings: Earnings can vary widely, based on organization, profession, and scope of responsibilities.