Career change at 40
No, 40 is not too late. The median U.S. worker is 42.1 years old and 43% of workers are 45 or older (BLS, 2025). Below are 53 careers that usually take two years or less to prepare for, pay more than the U.S. median of $50,980, and have at least 43% of their workers aged 45 or older, the same share as the whole U.S. workforce.
Updated October 2026 · Data: BLS CPS 2025, BLS OEWS May 2025 and O*NET 31.0 · How we match careers
- Median age of U.S. workers
- 42.1
- U.S. workers aged 45 or older
- 43%
- U.S. median pay
- $50,980
- Careers on this page
- 53
53 careers to start at 40
Each one usually takes two years or less to prepare for, pays more than the U.S. median and has at least 43% of its workers aged 45 or older. Highest pay first.
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 45+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial PilotsRead before you start | $123,220 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 53%Broader group | 46.1 |
| 2 | Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $99,130 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45% | 43.8 |
| 3 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $95,480 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 48% | 44.1 |
| 4 | Respiratory Therapists | $82,280 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45% | 44.4 |
| 5 | Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 43% | 41.5 |
| 6 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $79,870 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 44% | 41.6 |
| 7 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $78,620 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 58% | 48.6 |
| 8 | Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $78,240 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45%Broader group | 43.4 |
| 9 | Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $76,870 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 48%Broader group | 44.4 |
| 10 | Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $76,590 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 55% | 47.6 |
| 11 | Construction and Building Inspectors | $74,690 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 52% | 46.1 |
| 12 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $74,330 | Up to a year | 50% | 43.5 |
| 13 | Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 48% | 44.0 |
| 14 | Sound Engineering Technicians | $73,130 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45%Broader group | 44.5 |
| 15 | Mechanical Drafters | $71,550 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 48%Broader group | 44.4 |
| 16 | Crane and Tower Operators | $68,080 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 53% | 46.9 |
| 17 | Rail Car Repairers | $67,530 | Up to a year | 45%Broader group | 42.2 |
| 18 | Watch and Clock Repairers | $67,230 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 51%Broader group | 47.9 |
| 19 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $65,510 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45%Broader group | 42.2 |
| 20 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,520 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 50%Broader group | 45.5 |
| 21 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45% | 42.9 |
| 22 | Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $63,820 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 62%Broader group | 49.2 |
| 23 | Flight Attendants | $63,580 | Up to a year | 47% | 44.7 |
| 24 | Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45% | 42.8 |
| 25 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 62% | 49.0 |
Show the other 28 careers
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 45+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Postal Service Clerks | $62,130 | Up to a year | 56% | 48.5 |
| 27 | Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $62,120 | Up to a year | 46%Broader group | 42.5 |
| 28 | Computer User Support Specialists | $61,860 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 44%Broader group | 42.4 |
| 29 | Medical Equipment Repairers | $61,660 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 51%Broader group | 47.9 |
| 30 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | $61,290 | Up to a year | 50%Broader group | 45.5 |
| 31 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | $60,850 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 52% | 46.5 |
| 32 | Postal Service Mail Carriers | $60,550 | Up to a year | 50% | 45.5 |
| 33 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $60,020 | Up to a year | 44% | 41.6 |
| 34 | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | Up to a year | 44% | 41.9 |
| 35 | Broadcast Technicians | $59,570 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45%Broader group | 44.5 |
| 36 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $59,050 | Up to a year | 70% | 53.0 |
| 37 | Machinists | $58,750 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 51% | 45.7 |
| 38 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | Up to a year | 56% | 46.8 |
| 39 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | Up to a year | 53%Broader group | 46.4 |
| 40 | Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $58,470 | Up to a year | 46% | 43.0 |
| 41 | Massage Therapists | $58,450 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 51% | 45.6 |
| 42 | Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks | $58,260 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 54% | 46.3 |
| 43 | Audio and Video Technicians | $58,100 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45%Broader group | 44.5 |
| 44 | Stonemasons | $57,390 | Up to a year | 46%Broader group | 42.5 |
| 45 | Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | $56,550 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 45%Broader group | 42.2 |
| 46 | Tax Preparers | $54,920 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 56% | 47.7 |
| 47 | Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $54,210 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 47% | 42.7 |
| 48 | Real Estate Sales Agents | $52,830 | Up to a year | 60%Broader group | 49.8 |
| 49 | Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers | $52,720 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 51%Broader group | 47.9 |
| 50 | Paperhangers | $52,140 | Up to a year | 45%Broader group | 43.1 |
| 51 | Food Science Technicians | $52,130 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 46%Broader group | 43.1 |
| 52 | Medical Records Specialists | $51,140 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 62% | 49.8 |
| 53 | Home Appliance Repairers | $50,990 | Up to a year | 54% | 45.6 |
Workers 45+: share of employed people, BLS CPS 2025 (Table 11b). “Broader group”: BLS publishes ages only for a wider group of jobs. Supervisor and manager jobs are left out because they are usually filled by promotion. Methodology
Read before you start
Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots need an FAA commercial pilot certificate: at least 250 logged flight hours, an FAA medical exam, and a written and a practical flight test. Many employers ask for 1,000 to 2,000 hours or more, and flight training is costly. Airline pilots must retire at 65 under federal law.
Sources: FAA: commercial pilot certificate · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Airline and Commercial Pilots
Faster options: a year or less of preparation
The 17 careers from the list above that usually need a year or less of preparation.
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 45+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $74,330 | Up to a year | 50% | 43.5 |
| 2 | Rail Car Repairers | $67,530 | Up to a year | 45%Broader group | 42.2 |
| 3 | Flight Attendants | $63,580 | Up to a year | 47% | 44.7 |
| 4 | Postal Service Clerks | $62,130 | Up to a year | 56% | 48.5 |
| 5 | Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $62,120 | Up to a year | 46%Broader group | 42.5 |
| 6 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | $61,290 | Up to a year | 50%Broader group | 45.5 |
| 7 | Postal Service Mail Carriers | $60,550 | Up to a year | 50% | 45.5 |
| 8 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $60,020 | Up to a year | 44% | 41.6 |
| 9 | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | Up to a year | 44% | 41.9 |
| 10 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $59,050 | Up to a year | 70% | 53.0 |
| 11 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | Up to a year | 56% | 46.8 |
| 12 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | Up to a year | 53%Broader group | 46.4 |
| 13 | Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $58,470 | Up to a year | 46% | 43.0 |
| 14 | Stonemasons | $57,390 | Up to a year | 46%Broader group | 42.5 |
| 15 | Real Estate Sales Agents | $52,830 | Up to a year | 60%Broader group | 49.8 |
Show the other 2 careers
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 45+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Paperhangers | $52,140 | Up to a year | 45%Broader group | 43.1 |
| 17 | Home Appliance Repairers | $50,990 | Up to a year | 54% | 45.6 |
Is 40 too old to change careers?
No. The median age of employed Americans is 42.1, and 43% of workers are 45 or older (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025). At 40 you may have 25 or more working years ahead.
U.S. workers by age
- 16-19
- 3%
- 20-24
- 9%
- 25-34
- 22%
- 35-44
- 23%
- 45-54
- 20%
- 55-64
- 16%
- 65+
- 7%
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Questions about changing careers at 40
Is 40 too old to change careers?
No. The median age of employed Americans is 42.1, and 43% of workers are 45 or older (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025). At 40 you may have 25 or more working years ahead.
What is a good career to switch to at 40?
Careers that pay well, take two years or less to train for and already employ many people over 45. By BLS data, the best-paid of these are Commercial Pilots, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists. Our Career Change Tool ranks careers by how much of your experience carries over.
Can I change careers at 40 without going back to school for years?
Yes. 17 of the careers on this page usually need a year or less of preparation, such as a certificate, an apprenticeship start or on-the-job training.
Where do these numbers come from?
Ages: BLS Current Population Survey 2025 annual averages (Table 11b). Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Preparation: O*NET 31.0 Job Zones. Supervisor and manager jobs are left out because they are usually filled by promotion.