Older workers have had more years to gain experience and education and thus more often qualify for better-paying jobs. As a result, although workers age 55 and over make up about 17.2 percent of the labor market, among the 250 best-paying jobs they are more heavily represented. Therefore we included occupations in this list if the percent of workers 55 and over was 20 percent or higher. A total of 69 jobs met this criterion and form the basis of this group of lists.
One use for these lists is to help you identify careers that might be interesting as you decide to change careers or approach retirement. Some occupations on the lists may be attractive to older workers wanting part-time work to supplement their retirement income. For example, we think that the job of Technical Writers is appealing because the job pays well, can be done less than full time and on a flexible schedule, and lends itself to self-employment. Other occupations on the lists (such as Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates) take many years of training and experience. After a person is established in that career, the person often works in that occupation until retirement. This low job turnover rate may be reflected in the small number of job openings expected for several of the occupations near the top of the list. Another factor that many of the jobs have in common is low physical demands.
| Best-Paying Jobs for Workers Age 55 and Over | ||||
| Job | Percent Workers 55 and Over | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Anesthesiologists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 2. Internists, General | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 3. Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 4. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 30.5% | more than $145,600 | 16.2% | fewer than 500 |
| 5. Orthodontists | 30.5% | more than $145,600 | 12.8% | 1,000 |
| 6. Prosthodontists | 30.5% | more than $145,600 | 13.6% | fewer than 500 |
| 7. Psychiatrists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 8. Surgeons | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 9. Chief Executives | 27.3% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 10. Government Service Executives | 27.3% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 11. Private Sector Executives | 27.3% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 12. Family and General Practitioners | 20.0% | $140,400 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 13. Pediatricians, General | 20.0% | $136,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 14. Dentists, General | 30.5% | $125,300 | 13.5% | 7,000 |
| 15. Astronomers | 30.4% | $104,670 | 10.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 16. Engineering Managers | 22.6% | $100,760 | 13.0% | 15,000 |
| 17. Podiatrists | 25.0% | $100,550 | 16.2% | 1,000 |
| 18. Lawyers | 23.3% | $98,930 | 15.0% | 40,000 |
| 19. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 34.4% | $97,570 | 6.9% | 1,000 |
| 20. Natural Sciences Managers | 25.0% | $93,090 | 13.6% | 5,000 |
| 21. Pharmacists | 24.5% | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 22. Physicists | 30.4% | $89,810 | 7.0% | 1,000 |
| 23. Nuclear Engineers | 23.1% | $88,290 | 7.3% | 1,000 |
| 24. Optometrists | 21.9% | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 25. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 31.9% | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 26. Political Scientists | 23.3% | $84,100 | 7.3% | fewer than 500 |
| 27. Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School | 23.4% | $75,400 | 10.4% | 27,000 |
| 28. Economists | 24.0% | $73,690 | 5.6% | 1,000 |
| 29. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 34.4% | $70,680 | 10.1% | 1,000 |
| 30. Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 23.4% | $70,350 | 21.3% | 18,000 |
| 31. Veterinarians | 25.9% | $68,910 | 17.4% | 8,000 |
| 32. Management Analysts | 27.6% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 33. Administrative Services Managers | 23.0% | $64,020 | 16.9% | 25,000 |
| 34. Art Directors | 23.9% | $63,950 | 11.5% | 10,000 |
| 35. Geographers | 23.3% | $63,550 | 6.8% | fewer than 500 |
| 36. Financial Examiners | 23.1% | $63,090 | 9.5% | 3,000 |
| 37. Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | 21.3% | $62,850 | 17.3% | 7,000 |
| 38. Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | 23.3% | $60,840 | 21.1% | 4,000 |
| 39. Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | 23.3% | $60,840 | 21.1% | 4,000 |
| 40. Gaming Managers | 20.0% | $59,940 | 22.6% | 1,000 |
| 41. Budget Analysts | 20.4% | $58,910 | 13.5% | 6,000 |
| 42. Real Estate Brokers | 33.4% | $57,190 | 7.8% | 12,000 |
| 43. Clinical Psychologists | 31.9% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 44. Counseling Psychologists | 31.9% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 45. School Psychologists | 31.9% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 46. Locomotive Engineers | 21.3% | $55,520 | -2.5% | 2,000 |
| 47. Technical Writers | 26.5% | $55,160 | 23.2% | 5,000 |
| 48. Teachers, Postsecondary | 25.4% | $55,100 | 32.2% | 329,000 |
| 49. Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | 34.4% | $54,360 | 15.5% | fewer than 500 |
| 50. Landscape Architects | 21.3% | $54,220 | 19.4% | 1,000 |
| 51. Postmasters and Mail Superintendents | 28.9% | $52,710 | 0.0% | 2,000 |
| 52. Cost Estimators | 20.4% | $52,020 | 18.2% | 15,000 |
| 53. Agricultural Crop Farm Managers | 27.6% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 54. Fish Hatchery Managers | 27.6% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 55. Nursery and Greenhouse Managers | 27.6% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 56. Instructional Coordinators | 26.9% | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
| 57. Multi-Media Artists and Animators | 23.9% | $50,290 | 14.1% | 14,000 |
| 58. Railroad Yard Workers | 27.3% | $49,700 | -38.5% | 1,000 |
| 59. Train Crew Members | 27.3% | $49,700 | -38.5% | 1,000 |
| 60. Social and Community Service Managers | 25.0% | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 61. Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products | 20.0% | $49,030 | 8.1% | 19,000 |
| 62. Transit and Railroad Police | 20.0% | $48,850 | 9.2% | fewer than 500 |
| 63. Funeral Directors | 32.6% | $47,630 | 6.7% | 3,000 |
| 64. Subway and Streetcar Operators | 27.3% | $47,500 | 13.7% | 1,000 |
| 65. Librarians | 29.5% | $47,400 | 4.9% | 8,000 |
| 66. Caption Writers | 25.3% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 67. Copy Writers | 25.3% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 68. Creative Writers | 25.3% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 69. Poets and Lyricists | 25.3% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
Jobs 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, and 13 share 41,000 job openings. Jobs 9, 10, and 11 share 38,000 job openings. Jobs 38 and 39 share 4,000 job openings. Jobs 43, 44, and 45 share 10,000 job openings. Job 46 shares 2,000 job openings with two other jobs not included in this list. Jobs 53, 54, and 55 share 20,000 job openings. Jobs 58 and 59 share 1,000 job openings. Jobs 66, 67, 68, and 69 share 14,000 job openings.
| Best-Paying Jobs with the Fastest Growth for Workers Age 55 and Over | ||||
| Job | Percent Workers 55 and Over | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Teachers, Postsecondary | 25.4% | $55,100 | 32.2% | 329,000 |
| 2. Instructional Coordinators | 26.9% | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
| 3. Social and Community Service Managers | 25.0% | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 4. Pharmacists | 24.5% | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 5. Anesthesiologists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 6. Family and General Practitioners | 20.0% | $140,400 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 7. Internists, General | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 8. Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 9. Pediatricians, General | 20.0% | $136,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 10. Psychiatrists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 11. Surgeons | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 12. Technical Writers | 26.5% | $55,160 | 23.2% | 5,000 |
| 13. Gaming Managers | 20.0% | $59,940 | 22.6% | 1,000 |
| 14. Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 23.4% | $70,350 | 21.3% | 18,000 |
| 15. Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | 23.3% | $60,840 | 21.1% | 4,000 |
| 16. Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | 23.3% | $60,840 | 21.1% | 4,000 |
| 17. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 31.9% | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 18. Management Analysts | 27.6% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 19. Optometrists | 21.9% | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 20. Landscape Architects | 21.3% | $54,220 | 19.4% | 1,000 |
| 21. Clinical Psychologists | 31.9% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 22. Counseling Psychologists | 31.9% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 23. School Psychologists | 31.9% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 24. Cost Estimators | 20.4% | $52,020 | 18.2% | 15,000 |
| 25. Caption Writers | 25.3% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
Jobs 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 share 41,000 job openings. Jobs 15 and 16 share 4,000 job openings. Jobs 21, 22, and 23 share 10,000 job openings. Job 25 shares 14,000 jobs with three other jobs not included in this list.
| Best-Paying Jobs with the Most Openings for Workers Age 55 and Over | ||||
| Job | Percent Workers 55 and Over | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Teachers, Postsecondary | 25.4% | $55,100 | 32.2% | 329,000 |
| 2. Management Analysts | 27.6% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 3. Anesthesiologists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 4. Family and General Practitioners | 20.0% | $140,400 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 5. Internists, General | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 6. Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 7. Pediatricians, General | 20.0% | $136,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 8. Psychiatrists | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 9. Surgeons | 20.0% | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 10. Lawyers | 23.3% | $98,930 | 15.0% | 40,000 |
| 11. Chief Executives | 27.3% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 12. Government Service Executives | 27.3% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 13. Private Sector Executives | 27.3% | $142,440 | 14.9% | 38,000 |
| 14. Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School | 23.4% | $75,400 | 10.4% | 27,000 |
| 15. Administrative Services Managers | 23.0% | $64,020 | 16.9% | 25,000 |
| 16. Agricultural Crop Farm Managers | 27.6% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 17. Fish Hatchery Managers | 27.6% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 18. Nursery and Greenhouse Managers | 27.6% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 19. Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products | 20.0% | $49,030 | 8.1% | 19,000 |
| 20. Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 23.4% | $70,350 | 21.3% | 18,000 |
| 21. Social and Community Service Managers | 25.0% | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 22. Pharmacists | 24.5% | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 23. Cost Estimators | 20.4% | $52,020 | 18.2% | 15,000 |
| 24. Engineering Managers | 22.6% | $100,760 | 13.0% | 15,000 |
| 25. Instructional Coordinators | 26.9% | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
Jobs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 share 41,000 job openings. Jobs 11, 12, and 13 share 38,000 job openings. Jobs 16, 17, and 18 share 20,000 job openings.