Careers for Mid-Career Job Changers and Seniors

Welcome to the new career and education section of Workforce50.com. Many boomers and seniors reach a time when they consider a career or job change. The reasons people pursue a change at this time in life are numerous and often personal. Our 50+ readers who are thinking about job transition can use the career data and education links here to assist their searches.

Browse the occupation data by general field of interest or specific job title, average salary in the U.S., and the forecasted growth rate of the job. To explore a job and local training opportunities further, simply click on the title to view more detailed job data in a nearby major metropolitan area. Then peruse the lists of both campus-based and online schools that provide training for that job. Click on the title of the school to learn more and request information about a specific training program.

Careers listed here may be appropriate for those seeking a job change. Click a career name to view our job data for that occupation in major metropolitan areas across the U.S. Unless otherwise noted, data is as of 2006 and will be updated annually.

 

Allied Health

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Cardiovascular Techs $42,300 45,000 26% 25%
Dental Assistants $30,220 280,000 29% 9%
Dental Hygienists $62,800 167,000 30% 33%
Dental Laboratory Technicians $32,580 53,000 4% 12%
Dietetic Technicians $24,040 25,000 15% 16%
Dietitians And Nutritionists $46,980 57,000 9% 72%
Home Health Aides $19,420 787,000 49% 7%
Medical Assistants $26,290 417,000 35% 10%
Medical Lab Technicians $32,840 151,000 15% 51%
Medical Lab Technologists $49,700 167,000 12% 51%
Pharmacy Aides $19,440 50,000 -10% 10%
Pharmacy Technicians $25,630 285,000 32% 16%
Radiation Therapists $66,170 15,000 25% 42%
Radiologic Tech $48,170 196,000 15% 25%
Respiratory Therapists $47,420 102,000 23% 28%
Respiratory Therapy Technicians $39,120 19,000 1% 16%
Sonographers $57,160 46,000 19% 25%
Surgical Technologists $36,080 86,000 25% 16%
 

Arts And Entertainment

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Camera Operators $40,060 27,000 12% 58%
Film And Video Editors $46,670 21,000 13% 58%
Multimedia Artists $51,350 87,000 26% 58%
Photographers $26,170 122,000 10% 46%
 

Business

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Accountants And Auditors $54,630 1,274,000 18% 79%
Bookkeeping And Accounting Clerks $30,560 2,114,000 13% 16%
Budget Analysts $61,430 62,000 7% 78%
Credit Analysts $52,350 67,000 2% 60%
Health Services Managers $73,340 262,000 16% 57%
Human Resources Managers $88,510 58,000 11% 58%
 

Community And Social Services

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Clergy $39,680 404,000 19% 75%
Human Service Assistants $25,580 339,000 34% 58%
Mental Health Counselors $34,380 100,000 30% 73%
 

Culinary

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Bakers $22,030 149,000 10% 8%
Chefs $34,370 115,000 8% 14%
Restaurant Cooks $20,340 850,000 12% 5%
Short Order Cooks $17,880 195,000 5% 5%
 

Design

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Fashion Designers $62,610 20,000 5% 55%
Floral Designers $21,700 87,000 -8% 55%
Graphic Designers $39,900 261,000 10% 55%
Interior Designers $42,260 72,000 20% 55%
Merchandise Displayers $23,820 87,000 11% 55%
 

Education

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Elementary And Secondary School Administrators $77,740 226,000 8% 78%
Elementary School Teachers $45,570 1,540,000 14% 95%
Middle School Special Education Teachers $47,650 102,000 16% 87%
Middle School Teachers $46,300 658,000 11% 95%
Middle School Vocational Teachers $44,240 16,000 -4% 95%
Postsecondary Administrators $73,990 131,000 14% 78%
Preschool Teachers $22,680 437,000 26% 43%
Secondary School Special Education Teachers $48,330 138,000 9% 87%
Secondary School Teachers $47,740 1,038,000 6% 96%
Secondary School Vocational Teachers $48,690 96,000 -4% 96%
Teacher Assistants $20,740 1,312,000 10% 18%
 

Hospitality And Travel

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Lodging Managers $42,320 71,000 12% 45%
Travel Agents $29,210 101,000 1% 26%
 

Installation And Repair

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
HVAC Mechanics And Installers $37,660 292,000 9% 3%
Home Appliance Repairers $33,860 57,000 2% 7%
Industrial Electrical Repairers $45,180 80,000 7% 0%
Locksmiths And Safe Repairers $32,020 26,000 22% 0%
 

Legal

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Court Reporters $45,610 19,000 25% 38%
Legal Secretaries $38,190 275,000 12% 18%
Paralegals And Legal Assistants $43,040 238,000 22% 45%
 

Massage And Physical Therapy

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Massage Therapists $33,400 118,000 20% 32%
Physical Therapist Aides $22,060 46,000 24% 23%
Physical Therapist Assistants $41,360 60,000 32% 23%
Physical Therapists $66,200 173,000 27% 89%
 

Mechanic

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Aircraft Mechanics $47,740 122,000 11% 11%
Automotive Body Repairers $35,180 183,000 12% 3%
Automotive Mechanics $33,780 773,000 14% 4%
Bus And Truck Mechanics $37,660 275,000 12% 3%
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics $40,440 131,000 12% 3%
Motorboat Mechanics $33,210 24,000 19% 5%
Motorcycle Mechanics $30,050 21,000 13% 5%
Small Engine Mechanics $26,910 33,000 6% 5%
 

Medical Office

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Medical Records And Health Information Technicians $28,030 170,000 18% 12%
Medical Secretaries $28,090 408,000 17% 18%
Medical Transcriptionists $29,950 98,000 14% 10%
 

Nursing

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Licensed Practical And Licensed Vocational Nurses $36,550 749,000 14% 7%
Nursing Aides And Attendants $22,180 1,447,000 18% 7%
Registered Nurses $57,280 2,505,000 24% 56%
 

Office Support

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Executive Secretaries And Administrative Assistants $37,240 1,618,000 15% 18%
Insurance Claims And Processing Clerks $31,120 254,000 0% 22%
Office Clerks $23,710 3,200,000 13% 19%
Secretaries $27,450 1,940,000 1% 18%
 

Personal Care

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Barbers $23,150 60,000 1% 4%
Hairdressers And Cosmetologists $21,320 617,000 12% 6%
Manicurists And Pedicurists $19,190 78,000 28% 10%
 

Production

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Welders $31,400 409,000 5% 2%
Welding Machine Operators $30,980 53,000 3% 2%
 

Protective Service

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Correctional Officers And Jailers $35,760 442,000 17% 11%
Detectives And Criminal Investigators $58,260 106,000 17% 54%
 

Sales

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Insurance Sales Agents $43,870 436,000 13% 45%
Real Estate Brokers $60,790 131,000 11% 45%
Real Estate Sales Agents $39,760 432,000 11% 45%
 

Science

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Foresters $51,190 13,000 5% 86%
 

Technician

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Electrical And Electronics Drafters $46,830 35,000 4% 25%
Forest And Conservation Technicians $30,880 34,000 -1% 46%
Mechanical Drafters $43,700 78,000 5% 25%
Technical Writers $58,050 49,000 20% 74%
 

Transportation

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Delivery Truck Drivers $25,300 1,051,000 8% 4%
 

Veterinary

Career Typical Salary Num Jobs 2006 10-Year Growth Forecast Pct College Grads
Vet Techs $26,780 71,000 41% 16%
Veterinary Assistants And Laboratory Animal Caretakers $19,960 75,000 16% 10%

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