Career change at 50
Changing careers at 50 is common. 23% of U.S. workers are 55 or older (BLS, 2025), and at 50 you may have 15 to 17 working years ahead. Below are 42 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 23% of their workers aged 55 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 55 or older
- 23%
- U.S. median pay
- $50,980
- Careers on this page
- 42
42 careers to start at 50
Each one usually takes two years or less to prepare for, pays more than the U.S. median and has at least 23% of its workers aged 55 or older. Highest pay first.
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 55+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial PilotsRead before you start | $123,220 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 29%Broader group | 46.1 |
| 2 | Dental Hygienists | $98,100 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 24% | 41.5 |
| 3 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $95,480 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25% | 44.1 |
| 4 | Respiratory Therapists | $82,280 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25% | 44.4 |
| 5 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $79,870 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 28% | 41.6 |
| 6 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $78,620 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 36% | 48.6 |
| 7 | Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $78,240 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 26%Broader group | 43.4 |
| 8 | Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $78,190 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25% | 43.0 |
| 9 | Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $76,870 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 32%Broader group | 44.4 |
| 10 | Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $76,590 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 35% | 47.6 |
| 11 | Construction and Building Inspectors | $74,690 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 40% | 46.1 |
| 12 | Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 24% | 44.0 |
| 13 | Sound Engineering Technicians | $73,130 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 29%Broader group | 44.5 |
| 14 | Mechanical Drafters | $71,550 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 32%Broader group | 44.4 |
| 15 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $68,120 | Up to a year | 25%Broader group | 41.2 |
| 16 | Watch and Clock Repairers | $67,230 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 36%Broader group | 47.9 |
| 17 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,520 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 28%Broader group | 45.5 |
| 18 | Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | $63,890 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25%Broader group | 41.6 |
| 19 | Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $63,820 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 36%Broader group | 49.2 |
| 20 | Flight Attendants | $63,580 | Up to a year | 30% | 44.7 |
| 21 | Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | $63,520 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25%Broader group | 41.6 |
| 22 | Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 27% | 42.8 |
| 23 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 31% | 49.0 |
| 24 | Postal Service Clerks | $62,130 | Up to a year | 29% | 48.5 |
| 25 | Medical Equipment Repairers | $61,660 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 36%Broader group | 47.9 |
Show the other 17 careers
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 55+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | $61,290 | Up to a year | 28%Broader group | 45.5 |
| 27 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | $60,850 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25% | 46.5 |
| 28 | Postal Service Mail Carriers | $60,550 | Up to a year | 24% | 45.5 |
| 29 | Broadcast Technicians | $59,570 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 29%Broader group | 44.5 |
| 30 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $59,050 | Up to a year | 48% | 53.0 |
| 31 | Machinists | $58,750 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 31% | 45.7 |
| 32 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | Up to a year | 33% | 46.8 |
| 33 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | Up to a year | 31%Broader group | 46.4 |
| 34 | Massage Therapists | $58,450 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 25% | 45.6 |
| 35 | Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks | $58,260 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 33% | 46.3 |
| 36 | Audio and Video Technicians | $58,100 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 29%Broader group | 44.5 |
| 37 | Tax Preparers | $54,920 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 35% | 47.7 |
| 38 | Real Estate Sales Agents | $52,830 | Up to a year | 38%Broader group | 49.8 |
| 39 | Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers | $52,720 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 36%Broader group | 47.9 |
| 40 | Paperhangers | $52,140 | Up to a year | 25%Broader group | 43.1 |
| 41 | Medical Records Specialists | $51,140 | 1–2 years (training or associate) | 36% | 49.8 |
| 42 | Home Appliance Repairers | $50,990 | Up to a year | 27% | 45.6 |
Workers 55+: 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 11 careers from the list above that usually need a year or less of preparation.
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Workers 55+ | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $68,120 | Up to a year | 25%Broader group | 41.2 |
| 2 | Flight Attendants | $63,580 | Up to a year | 30% | 44.7 |
| 3 | Postal Service Clerks | $62,130 | Up to a year | 29% | 48.5 |
| 4 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | $61,290 | Up to a year | 28%Broader group | 45.5 |
| 5 | Postal Service Mail Carriers | $60,550 | Up to a year | 24% | 45.5 |
| 6 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $59,050 | Up to a year | 48% | 53.0 |
| 7 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | Up to a year | 33% | 46.8 |
| 8 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | Up to a year | 31%Broader group | 46.4 |
| 9 | Real Estate Sales Agents | $52,830 | Up to a year | 38%Broader group | 49.8 |
| 10 | Paperhangers | $52,140 | Up to a year | 25%Broader group | 43.1 |
| 11 | Home Appliance Repairers | $50,990 | Up to a year | 27% | 45.6 |
Is 50 too old to change careers?
No. 23% of U.S. workers are 55 or older, and 43% are 45 or older (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025).
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%
Start from the job you have now
Free help near you
Questions about changing careers at 50
Is 50 too old to change careers?
No. 23% of U.S. workers are 55 or older, and 43% are 45 or older (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025).
What jobs are good for a career change at 50?
Careers that take two years or less to prepare for, pay above the U.S. median and already employ many people over 55. By BLS data the best-paid are Commercial Pilots, Dental Hygienists, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Can I retrain at 50 without a degree?
Yes. 11 careers on this page usually need a year or less of preparation, and none needs a bachelor's degree.
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.