Jobs for Seniors and Retirees: Part-Time Work, Second Careers & Retraining

By Chris Gaglardi
| Last Updated September 2, 2026

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Working later in life can mean very different things. You might want ten hours of paid work each week after retirement. You might be 55 and planning another decade-long career. Or you might have lost a job and need a practical way to get back into the workforce without spending years in school.

Those situations call for different answers. The best jobs for seniors and older adults are not the ones somebody has decided are "appropriate" for a particular age. They are the ones that fit your income goals, schedule, physical capacity, existing skills, training budget, and how long you expect to keep working.

And plenty of older Americans do keep working. In 2025, 19.1 percent of people age 65 and older were in the labor force. Among employed people 65 and older, 38.3 percent worked part time in 2024.

This guide compares realistic options for supplemental income, part-time employment, experience-based work, short-training careers, and longer vocational paths.

Start With What You Want From Work

Before scrolling through job titles, decide what problem you are trying to solve.

• I want supplemental retirement income. Look first at jobs with low training barriers, part-time or seasonal schedules, and little upfront expense.
• I want flexible work. Pay attention to how flexibility actually works. Event schedules, split school-bus shifts, seasonal tax work, and self-employment are all "flexible" in completely different ways.
• I want to use the experience I already have. Consulting, bookkeeping, tutoring, tax preparation, and inspection work can make more sense than starting over in an unrelated field.
• I need another full-time career. Training time, entry-level pay, job outlook, benefits, advancement potential, and your expected years in the workforce matter more than whether a job appears on a "senior-friendly" list.
• I need relatively short retraining. Some healthcare and administrative occupations have entry routes that are much shorter than a bachelor's degree, but even a short program deserves a cost-versus-payback check.
• I want to learn a skilled trade. Adults over 50 can pursue Registered Apprenticeships and vocational training, but physical demands, starting pay, training length, and licensing paths vary enormously by trade.

Jobs for Seniors and Retirees at a Glance

The pay figures below are national Bureau of Labor Statistics medians for workers in each occupation. They are not guaranteed starting wages and can be especially misleading if you plan to work only part time, seasonally, or as an independent contractor.

Sources: current BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and 2025-35 Employment Projections. National medians describe the occupation as a whole, not expected starting or part-time earnings.

Part-Time and Supplemental-Income Jobs

1. Tutor

Tutoring is one of the clearest options for people who want to convert existing knowledge into part-time work. BLS says most tutors work part time, often during evenings and weekends, and requirements vary by employer. The national median wage was $43,350 in May 2025. Employment is projected to show little or no change through 2035, but BLS still expects about 34,200 openings per year as workers change occupations or leave the workforce. See the BLS tutor profile.

The strongest fit is usually someone who already knows a marketable subject rather than someone planning to train from scratch to become a tutor. Private tutoring may offer more control over hours, but it also means finding clients, handling cancellations, preparing lessons, and managing the tax side of self-employment.

2. School bus driver

School bus driving can fit people who want paid work tied to the school calendar rather than a traditional nine-to-five schedule. The national median wage for school bus drivers was $47,920 in May 2025. BLS projects employment of school bus drivers to grow about 1 percent from 2025 to 2035. Drivers need a commercial driver's license, a good driving record, and must meet applicable physical, hearing, and vision requirements. Background checks also may be required. See the BLS bus driver profile.

The schedule is the catch. Morning and afternoon routes can split the workday into two pieces, which some people love and others find obnoxious.

3. Usher, lobby attendant, or ticket taker

Theater, arena, convention, and event work can provide a relatively low-barrier way to earn supplemental income. BLS lists no formal education requirement for ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers and classifies short-term on-the-job training as typical. The May 2025 median wage was $32,910. Employment is projected to increase about 1 percent through 2035. See BLS data for occupations not covered in detail.

The work is usually tied to the event calendar, which can make evenings and weekends more available than conventional office hours. On the other hand, many positions involve long periods of standing, walking through venues, stairs, crowds, or noisy environments. Check the actual job posting rather than assuming all usher jobs are physically light.

4. Security guard

Security is a large occupation with jobs in offices, hospitals, schools, retail properties, industrial facilities, residential buildings, and other settings. Security guards had a national median wage of $38,020 in May 2025. Employment is projected to rise about 1 percent from 2025 to 2035. Most states require security guards to be licensed, particularly for armed positions. Shift work and overnight schedules are common. See the BLS security guard profile.

This occupation is a good example of why job title alone tells you very little about physical demands. Monitoring an access desk is a different job from walking a large industrial property overnight. Evaluate the actual assignment.

5. Short-term substitute teacher

Substitute teaching can work well for people who value being able to accept work on selected school days. BLS reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $41,670 for short-term substitute teachers and projects employment to grow about 2 percent through 2035. Its national education category lists a bachelor's degree as typical, but actual substitute-teaching requirements are set by states and school systems and vary considerably. See BLS occupation data.

Former educators may have the easiest transition, but teaching experience is not universally required. Background checks, permits, fingerprinting, or local credentials may apply. If teaching was your previous career, see our guide to jobs for former teachers for more specialized options.

6. Tax preparer

Tax preparation is particularly interesting for retirees who want concentrated seasonal work. The BLS median for tax preparers was $54,920 in May 2025, with employment projected to grow roughly 5 percent through 2035. BLS lists a high school diploma and moderate-term on-the-job training as typical. See BLS occupation data.

Anyone who prepares or substantially assists with federal tax returns for compensation must have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS. Do not interpret the national annual median as what you will make during a few months of seasonal work. Hours, employer, experience, client volume, and whether you are employed or self-employed make a huge difference.

Second Careers After 50 That Can Use Experience You Already Have

Starting over is expensive. If you have twenty or thirty years of useful experience, the smarter second career may be one that repackages that experience rather than discarding it.

7. Management analyst or consultant

Management analysts help organizations improve efficiency, operations, costs, or business processes. BLS reports a national median wage of $101,860 and projects employment growth of 10 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 94,100 openings per year. A bachelor's degree and several years of related work experience are typical. See the BLS management analyst profile.

That makes this much more realistic for an experienced manager, operations specialist, finance professional, healthcare administrator, technical leader, or other subject-matter expert than for somebody entering business consulting cold. One important caveat: the BLS figure describes the occupation as a whole. It is not a promised consulting rate. Self-employed analysts must also account for time spent finding work, preparing proposals, billing, and running the business.

8. Construction or building inspector

For an experienced tradesperson, inspection can provide a way to use years of construction knowledge without doing exactly the same production work. Construction and building inspectors had a national median wage of $74,690 in May 2025. Employment is projected to show little or no change through 2035, although BLS expects about 14,800 openings each year from replacement needs. A high school diploma plus construction-trade experience is typical, and many states or local jurisdictions require licensing or certification. See the BLS inspector profile.

This is not a desk retirement job. Inspectors may climb ladders, enter tight spaces, and navigate active jobsites. For someone with substantial construction experience, though, carrying existing technical knowledge into inspection can make the retraining equation much better than starting an unrelated career from zero.

9. Bookkeeping, accounting, or auditing clerk

Bookkeeping can still make sense for somebody who already has accounting, office, payroll, accounts-payable, or small-business experience. The median wage was $50,670 in May 2025. But there is a major caveat: BLS projects employment to decline 6 percent through 2035 as software automates more routine bookkeeping tasks. About 144,100 openings per year are still expected, primarily because existing workers will leave the occupation or workforce. See the BLS bookkeeping profile.

Modern software skills matter. BLS specifically notes the use of accounting software, spreadsheets, and databases. In other words, this can be a practical experience-leverage option. It is a weaker choice for somebody considering a large retraining investment solely because an old career article called bookkeeping "senior friendly."

Short-Training Healthcare Options

Healthcare offers several entry paths that do not require four years of college, but "healthcare support" does not automatically mean easy, sedentary, or flexible. The jobs below differ enormously in physical demands.

10. Medical records specialist

Medical records specialists maintain, process, classify, and code healthcare information. The national median wage was $51,140 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 8 percent through 2035, with roughly 14,000 openings per year. A postsecondary certificate is the typical entry route, although some workers qualify with a high school diploma and others need an associate or bachelor's degree. Certification may be required or preferred. See the BLS medical records profile.

This is one of the more desk-oriented healthcare options: BLS says medical records specialists spend many hours at a computer and most work full time. It is also a field affected by technology. BLS specifically notes that increased use of AI-assisted medical coding may affect demand, so training should emphasize current coding systems, healthcare data practices, and the skills employers are actually requesting. Explore medical billing and coding training if this path fits your goals.

11. Medical assistant

Medical assistants combine administrative and clinical duties such as recording patient information, measuring vital signs, preparing examination rooms, assisting providers, and handling records. The median wage was $45,690 in May 2025. BLS projects strong 13 percent employment growth through 2035 and about 109,700 openings per year. Postsecondary training such as a certificate is typical, although some people enter with a high school diploma and learn on the job. See the BLS medical assistant profile.

Medical assisting should not be sold as a low-physical-demand job. It involves moving around clinical environments and interacting directly with patients. Credential rules also vary. Some states have specific requirements, and individual employers may prefer or require certification. See medical assistant training options.

12. Pharmacy technician

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists prepare and dispense medications, process information, manage inventory, and serve patients. The May 2025 national median wage was $45,750. Employment is projected to grow 6 percent through 2035, with about 44,700 annual openings. Part-time work is common, although nights and weekends may be required because many pharmacies operate extended hours. See the BLS pharmacy technician profile.

BLS says pharmacy technicians typically need a high school diploma and on-the-job training or may complete a postsecondary pharmacy-technology program. Most states regulate the occupation, and the exact registration, training, examination, or certification requirements vary. Explore pharmacy technician training.

13. Home health or personal care aide

Home health and personal care aides help people with daily living activities in homes, group residences, and similar settings. This occupation has very strong demand. BLS projects 18 percent growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 760,500 openings per year. The May 2025 median wage was $35,800. Part-time work is common. See the BLS home health and personal care aide profile.

But strong demand does not automatically make it the right job. Aides may help clients stand, walk, bathe, dress, and move. BLS describes the work as physically and emotionally demanding and notes a risk of injuries related to tasks such as moving clients. The low entry barrier is an advantage. The physical workload and relatively modest pay are the tradeoffs.

Can You Learn a Trade or Start an Apprenticeship After 50?

Yes. Age alone does not create a general federal upper-age cutoff for Registered Apprenticeship. Federal age-discrimination law protects applicants and workers age 40 and older, and the EEOC says age limits in apprenticeship programs are generally unlawful except in limited circumstances permitted by law.

But the practical question is not simply, "Am I allowed?" It is whether a particular apprenticeship makes sense for the work you want, the physical demands you can handle, the starting wage you can accept, and the number of years you expect to remain in the occupation.

Registered Apprenticeships are paid employment pathways. Apprentices receive structured on-the-job learning, mentorship, progressive wage increases, related technical instruction, and a nationally recognized credential.

Program structures vary more than many career guides suggest. Federal rules allow time-based, competency-based, and hybrid approaches. Related instruction is required, but the commonly cited 144 hours per year is a federal recommendation rather than a universal minimum under the current rule.

Likewise, do not assume every apprenticeship lasts four or five years, starts at exactly half the journey-level wage, is tuition-free, or has identical physical requirements. An electrician apprenticeship and an apprenticeship in a less physically intensive occupation can be completely different propositions.

If you are considering vocational retraining, compare Registered Apprenticeship with trade school and other certificate programs before committing money. The key distinction is simple: an apprenticeship is employment combined with structured training; a trade-school program is education that may prepare you to enter an occupation or apprenticeship later. Our guide to learning a trade can help you explore the broader pathway.

Before Paying for Retraining: Do a Working Runway Check

Age does not tell you whether retraining is worth it. Your working runway does.

A useful starting point is:

Planned working runway = the age you expect to leave the workforce minus the age you will be when training is complete.

That number is not a rule. It is a prompt to look at the economics.

1. How long will training actually take? Include prerequisites, waitlists, clinical placements, apprenticeships, and licensing steps.
2. What will it cost all-in? Tuition is only one piece. Include books, equipment, examinations, licensing fees, transportation, childcare if relevant, and interest if you are borrowing.
3. Will you give up earnings while training? Six months without a paycheck can matter more than six months of tuition.
4. What do new entrants earn locally? A national median is the midpoint for everyone already working in the occupation. It is not a starting salary.
5. How many years do you expect to use the credential? A relatively expensive program can make financial sense over a long second career and make very little sense for somebody planning to work only another year or two.
6. Can you reuse what you already know? Moving from construction into inspection or management into consulting may require less retraining than starting an unrelated occupation.
7. Does the actual work fit you? Consider standing, lifting, driving, stairs, outdoor work, shift schedules, customer conflict, screen time, and other real requirements.

The objective is not to prove that you are "too old" or "young enough." It is to avoid spending $20,000 solving a $5,000 career problem.

If a genuine vocational pivot is what you want, compare programs based on entry requirements, total training cost, local licensing, and realistic starting pay rather than age alone.

Help With Retraining or Returning to Work

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)

The federal Senior Community Service Employment Program, or SCSEP, specifically serves some older job seekers. To qualify, a person generally must be age 55 or older, unemployed, and living in a family with income no higher than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.

Participants receive part-time community-service assignments and training, generally around 20 hours per week, at applicable minimum-wage rates. The goal is to build skills and move participants toward unsubsidized employment. SCSEP is therefore not a general job board for retirees. It is an employment-and-training program with specific eligibility rules.

American Job Centers and WIOA

American Job Centers provide employment and training services through the public workforce system. Depending on your situation and local eligibility rules, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs may provide career services or help fund approved training.

If you have been laid off or need retraining, contact your local American Job Center before automatically paying for a program yourself.

Apprenticeship.gov

For people interested in paid training, Apprenticeship.gov explains Registered Apprenticeship and provides tools for finding opportunities.

Working While Receiving Social Security

You can work while receiving Social Security retirement benefits. But if you are below full retirement age, earnings may temporarily reduce the benefits you receive.

For 2026:

• If you are below full retirement age for the entire year, the earnings limit is $24,480. Social Security withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 earned over the limit.
• In the year you reach full retirement age, the higher limit is $65,160 for earnings before the month you reach full retirement age. Social Security withholds $1 for every $3 over that amount.
• Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, the retirement earnings test no longer reduces benefits based on earnings.

Benefits withheld under the earnings test are not simply forfeited; SSA adjusts benefits at full retirement age to account for months in which benefits were withheld. These figures change over time, so always check the current SSA retirement earnings test rules rather than relying on an old career article.

Working After 65 and Medicare

Employment also can affect how job-based health insurance coordinates with Medicare. As a general rule, if you are 65 or older and covered through current employment, a group health plan from an employer with 20 or more employees normally pays before Medicare. When the employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare normally pays first. Specific situations can differ.

Job-based coverage may also affect when you can delay Part B without a late-enrollment penalty, and a Special Enrollment Period may be available after current-employment coverage ends. If you have an HSA, Medicare enrollment deserves particular attention because retroactive Part A coverage can create contribution problems.

See Medicare's current coordination-of-benefits guidance and talk with your benefits administrator before changing coverage. This article is not benefits counseling; the important point is that going back to work or continuing to work after 65 can interact with insurance and retirement rules.

Self-Employment and Gig Work: Flexibility Has Costs

Consulting, tutoring, bookkeeping, pet services, rideshare work, delivery, and other independent work can offer schedule control. But the amount a client or platform pays is not the same as take-home income.

Independent contractors may have business expenses, insurance costs, vehicle costs, unpaid administrative time, and estimated tax obligations. The federal self-employment tax rate is 15.3 percent of net self-employment earnings within the applicable rules and limits. The IRS also makes clear that income from gig work is taxable, including part-time and temporary work.

Before committing to platform driving, also check your auto coverage. Personal policies may exclude or limit commercial activity, and rideshare coverage varies by insurer, state, and stage of a trip. Compare self-employment opportunities on expected net income and total time, not an advertised gross hourly rate.

See the IRS guidance on taxes for gig work and the NAIC overview of rideshare insurance considerations.

Age Discrimination and Finding Work After 50

Federal law does provide protection against age discrimination. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects job applicants and employees age 40 and older. For private employers, federal ADEA coverage generally begins at 20 employees, although state and local laws may provide additional protection. Employers covered by the law cannot refuse to hire someone because of age or make hiring decisions based on age stereotypes.

Legal protection does not guarantee an effortless job search. The practical response is to make your current value obvious:

• Emphasize recent and relevant accomplishments.
• Show current software, technology, and industry skills.
• Update credentials where they genuinely matter.
• Focus your resume on the target job rather than documenting every year you have ever worked.
• Use professional relationships and networking alongside online applications.

There is no need to pretend your past experience did not happen. The objective is to make the experience that matters easiest for an employer to see.

So, What Is the Best Job for You?

If you want a little income without a major retraining commitment, start with part-time and seasonal options such as tutoring, substitute teaching, event work, school transportation, security, or tax preparation.

If you want another substantial career, look harder at the skills you already possess. Consulting, inspection, bookkeeping, and similar transitions can preserve more of the value you have built over decades.

If you are willing to retrain, healthcare support occupations and Registered Apprenticeships can offer real opportunities, but compare the full entry path rather than just median pay.

Most importantly, do not choose a job because someone decided that people your age are naturally patient, wise, good at spotting liars, bad with computers, unable to do physical work, or destined to spend retirement standing beside a store entrance.

Choose it because the actual work fits what you want your next chapter of working life to look like.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some good part-time jobs for retirees?

Tutoring, substitute teaching, school bus driving, event ushering, security work, seasonal tax preparation, pharmacy technician work, and some home-care positions may offer part-time or nontraditional schedules. Availability varies by employer and location, so verify the actual schedule instead of assuming a job title guarantees flexibility.

What are realistic second careers after 50?

Good second-career candidates often either leverage existing expertise or have a reasonably short, clear entry pathway. Examples include management analysis or consulting for experienced professionals, construction inspection for experienced tradespeople, medical records work, medical assisting, pharmacy technology, and selected skilled-trade apprenticeships.

Am I too old to start an apprenticeship at 50 or 60?

There is no general federal maximum age for Registered Apprenticeship, and federal age-discrimination protections generally cover applicants age 40 and older. Specific programs still have legitimate entry, skill, safety, and physical requirements.

Is trade school worth it after 50?

It can be. The useful question is whether the program's cost, training time, entry-level earnings, credential value, physical requirements, and your expected years in the occupation make the investment worthwhile. Compare that option with apprenticeships, employer training, community-college certificates, and public workforce funding before borrowing money.

Can I work while receiving Social Security retirement benefits?

Yes. If you are younger than full retirement age, earnings over the annual limit may temporarily reduce benefits. For 2026, the lower annual limit is $24,480. A different limit of $65,160 applies to earnings before full retirement age in the year you reach it. There is no retirement earnings-test reduction beginning with the month you reach full retirement age.

What is SCSEP?

The Senior Community Service Employment Program is a federal employment-and-training program for qualifying unemployed people age 55 and older with family income no higher than 125 percent of the federal poverty level. Participants receive subsidized community-service work and training intended to help them transition into unsubsidized employment.