Many people are quick to assume older adults are retired, but the fact is, millions of Americans age 55-plus work either full or part time. According to the National Council on Aging, over 40% of Americans in this age group will be employed by 2019, making up over a quarter of the U.S. labor force.

 

The reasons for remaining in the workforce – or going back to it – vary. For many, it’s a matter of necessity, especially in the aftermath of the Great Recession, when many people lost their jobs, homes and retirement savings. For others, it’s a matter of choice – to stay active, challenged and engaged in their communities. (You may also be interested in Why Most People Need to Work Past the Age of 65.)

 

Most people who work beyond retirement age – which is 65 years old, according to the U.S. Census Bureau – do so in “bridge” jobs that span the period between leaving a career and leaving the workforce altogether. Thinking about working after retirement age? Here are six popular jobs for people 65 and older.

 

• Accounting/Bookkeeping – Accounting and bookkeeping clerks use specialized computer accounting software, spreadsheets and databases to post financial transactions and produce financial reports, such as balance sheets and income statements. About 1 in 4 workers worked part time in 2016, and the median pay in 2017 was $18.87 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

 

• Adjunct Faculty – Part-time faculty (“adjuncts”) accounted for about half of the instructional faculty at nonprofit colleges and universities nationwide in 2016 – and you don’t always need a Ph.D. to snag one of these teaching jobs. While the pay is generally low – perhaps only a few thousand dollars per course – many retirees find the work fulfilling. Plus, once you’ve taught a course a couple of times, you won’t have to devote as many hours to class prep.

 

• Event Coordinator/Planner – Even if you’ve never worked as an event planner, you may have planned (or helped plan) dozens of events over the years – birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries and the like. You can put this experience to work to find a job or start your own business, tapping into your network of friends and family. Job growth between 2016 and 2026 is expected to be 11%, compared to an average of 7% growth across all occupations, and the median pay was $23.22 per hour in 2017, according to the BLS.

 

• Project-Based Consultant – Rather than filling a full-time position, many companies will find a consultant to help with a specific project. This can be an excellent way to put your decades of experience to work without committing to a full-time job. Depending on your skill set and experience, it’s possible to earn upward of $50 or even $100 an hour.

 

• Retail Sales – Retail sales workers held about 4.6 million jobs in the United States in 2016, according to BLS data – in clothing stores (21% of all retail sales workers), building/garden stores (10%), sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (8%), automobile dealers (6%), and electronics and appliance stores (5%). One in three workers was employed part time in 2016, and the median hourly wage was $11.16, as of May 2017. These jobs may have an added perk: employee discounts.

 

• Teacher Assistant – Teacher assistants (or aides) work under the supervision of a licensed teacher to give students extra attention and instruction. They may work with an entire class, in small groups or one-on-one – in elementary, middle and high schools, preschools and childcare centers. The BLS estimates job growth of 8% between 2016 and 2026, and the 2017 median pay was $26,260 per year. About 1 in 3 teacher assistants worked on a part-time basis in 2016, and in most school systems, you’ll get your summers off.

 

More people are working past retirement age – for extra cash, to stay active and challenged, or some combination of reasons. Some switch to new jobs within the career fields where they worked for years. For others, however, a retirement job means trying something entirely new.

While the jobs listed here are popular among the 65-plus crowd, there are, of course, many other options for older adults – including working as a member of an event staff team (think: music and sport venues), a tour guide/docent, a patient advocate, or an online or in-person tutor.