Working in retirement might seem like a contradiction, but today’s retirees and near-retirees are redefining what it means to transition into the next phase of life. In fact, the majority of American workers (57 percent) plan to continue working in retirement, with 36 percent going part time and 21 percent full time, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. Research cited by AARP’s Public Policy Institute shows that workers 65 and older are twice as likely to work part time as workers ages 25 to 64.
Their reasons for working in retirement vary: Many (48 percent) of those polled by Transamerica who expect to work in retirement say it’s because they want the additional income. Others (29 percent) report needing to work beyond traditional retirement ages because they couldn’t afford retirement. Many also point to health advantages, wanting to stay active (52 percent) and keep their brains sharp (48 percent). And some actually enjoy working and see their jobs as giving them a sense of purpose (36 percent) and a way of maintaining social connections (27 percent).
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Whatever your reason, we can help you find the right part-time job for your retirement. To get started, we identified the 25 most common part-time jobs held by workers over age 55, based on data collected by compensation research firm Payscale in 2020 from nearly 190,000 workers. Then, we ranked those part-time jobs from 1 to 25 based on our analysis of five factors: percentage of part-time workers over 55; typical hourly pay; percentage of workers who say they are either “extremely” or “fairly” satisfied with the job; whether workers say the job gives them a sense of meaning; and the physical demands of the job. Here are the results.
Take a look at our list of the top 25 part-time jobs for retirees.
1. Full charge bookkeeper
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 73 percent (All part-time jobs: 19.1 percent)
Median hourly pay: $20.56 (All part-time jobs: $14.68)
Satisfaction rating: 77 percent (All part-time jobs: 63 percent)
High-meaning rating: 51 percent (All part-time jobs: 57 percent)
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 10 percent (All jobs: 70 percent)
Have a knack for numbers? These workers have sole responsibility for a company’s accounting matters, including creating and tracking invoices, paychecks and other financial records. They may also supervise lower-level bookkeepers and accounting clerks.You’re most likely to find this opportunity at a small firm with relatively simple finances.
2. Bookkeeper
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 47 percent
Median hourly pay: $17.72
Satisfaction rating: 76 percent
High-meaning rating: 45 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 10 percent
Remove “full charge” from the job title, and free yourself from extra responsibility. Bookkeepers focus on creating and maintaining financial records, including issuing payments to suppliers and invoices to customers. They do not supervise others. Just note that withless responsibility comes less pay: Bookkeepers pull in a median hourly pay of $2.84 less than the full-charge cohort, but still $3.04 an hour more than the median for all part-time jobs.
3. Dental hygienist
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 17 percent
Median hourly pay: $35.42
Satisfaction rating: 75 percent
High-meaning rating: 76 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 25 percent
To become a dental hygienist, you typically need an associate degree in this field, as well as a license to practice, for which you have to pass written and clinical exams. You also have to complete continuing education requirements and pay fees ranging from $37 (in Utah) to $325 (in New Mexico) to maintain your license. (Specific licensure requirements varyby state.) Be sure to factor in those demands when deciding whether working this jobpart time for extra years is worthwhile. Also note that this is the highest-paying job on this list.
4. School bus driver
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 73 percent
Median hourly pay: $16.96
Satisfaction rating: 64 percent
High-meaning rating: 71 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 14.3 percent
Surrounding yourself with school-age children in your retirement can help you feel young again — or age you exponentially, depending on your tolerance for extreme kid behavior. Be sure you’re ready to not just chauffeur students to and from school safely,but also maintain order and enforce school rules on a bus packed with antsy adolescents. More straightforward job requirements: a commercial driver’s license and a clean driving record and background check.
5. Office manager
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 30 percent
Median hourly pay: $17.26
Satisfaction rating: 75 percent
High-meaning rating: 67 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 25 percent
Experienced workers should know well what it takes to make an office run. Specific duties can vary greatly from business to business, but in general, you can expect to plan, direct and coordinate all administrative services required for the organization to operate efficiently. You can find opportunities in this field across a wide range of industries, but you’lllikely also find stiff competition. If you’ve already been working in a similar position full time, your best bet may be to talk to your boss about cutting hours and going part time for a slow transition into retirement.
6. Registered nurse
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 24 percent
Median hourly pay: $31.84
Satisfaction rating: 68 percent
High-meaning rating: 76 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 75 percent
Health care professionals in general are in high demand, and registered nurses are no exception. The number of positions for RNs in the U.S. is expected to grow 12 percent by 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, far faster than the projected job growth rate of 5 percent for all jobs. But while opportunities may abound, standards for filling them are high: On top of the rigorous education and training necessary to become an RN,you must also have and maintain a nursing license in the state where you plan to work. (Licensure requirements vary by state.) Still, both the high pay and high sense of meaning can make it all worthwhile.
7. Administrative assistant
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 22 percent
Median hourly pay: $14.77
Satisfaction rating: 72 percent
High-meaning rating: 59 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 12.5 percent
These workers take care of all the nitty-gritty needed to make an office run efficiently.That may include providing administrative support to high-level executives. Unfortunately, demand for executive secretaries and administrative assistants is expected to fall 20 percent by 2028, according to the BLS.
8. Secretary
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 33 percent
Median hourly pay: $12.94
Satisfaction rating: 71 percent
High-meaning rating: 55 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 12.5 percent
This broad category of workers (which excludes specialized secretarial positions such as legal, medical and executive secretaries) can be found across all sectors, including schools and government offices. They perform a variety of functions, includingcommunicating with clients, vendors and the public, as well as managing office emails and schedules. Note, however, that the number of positions for secretaries is expected to decline 9 percent by 2028, according to the BLS.
9. Licensed practical nurse
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 27 percent
Median hourly pay: $21.89
Satisfaction rating: 63 percent
High-meaning rating: 71 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 75 percent
To become a licensed practical nurse, you must successfully complete an approved educational program, which you can typically find in technical schools and community colleges (where older adults may be able to take tuition-free classes) and take about a year to complete. You must then pass the National Council Licensure Examination forPractical Nursing to get a license that you’ll need to maintain by completing continuing education requirements periodically (details vary by state). But the high sense of meaning, not to mention the high pay, may be worth the extra effort.
10. Paralegal
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 20 percent
Median hourly pay: $17.48
Satisfaction rating: 73 percent
High-meaning rating: 52 percent
Portion of time spent standing/walking: 20 percent
Along with legal assistants, these workers provide support to lawyers by performing myriad tasks, including conducting legal research, organizing and maintaining documents and files, and writing reports. And demand for their services is expected to rise much faster than most other jobs, with the number of positions for them projected to grow at a rate of 12 percent by 2028, according to the BLS, compared with just 5 percent for all jobs in the U.S.
