Key Findings:
1.6M managers aged 55+ make this the most common last job in America.
11.2M Americans aged 65+ are still working, mostly in management, logistics, and custodial roles.
Chief Executives have the highest 55+ share, 28.3% are aged 55–64.
U.S. labor force participation recently dipped to 62.1%, its lowest point since mid-2021. Despite this, retirement at 65 is no longer the norm.
In 2025, 26.4 million Americans aged 55–64 and 11.2 million aged 65+ will remain active in the workforce.
To understand where they’re working and what jobs they’re sticking with, DesignRush analyzed fresh labor data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPS 2024).
These are the roles older professionals are most likely to retire from, return to, or choose as their final career stop.
TOP 5 Careers To Start After 55
Not everyone retires from the C-suite.
Many Americans spend their final working years in supervisory, caregiving, or operations roles.
See where older workers are going and how it can help you optimize hiring strategies in 2025.
-content.jpg "10 Best Careers to Start at 55 in 2025")
Here's Access to the Full Dataset.
1. Managers (All Other)
- Employed (55–64): 1,142,000
- Employed (65+): 453,000
- Total: 1,595,000
This is the most common last job in the U.S., accounting for 15.7% of all top 10 late-career roles.
Nearly 1 in 6 older workers in this list retire from a general management position. This path appears to offer both stability and financial potential for those nearing retirement.
Business Insider profiled one retiree who credited middle-management roles for giving him the balance to build wealth and retire at 59.
2. Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers
- Employed (55–64): 763,000
- Employed (65+): 279,000
- Total: 1,042,000
Roughly 1 in 10 older workers in this list finish their careers in trucking or delivery.
More than 1 million drivers aged 55+ are still working, making up a sizable portion of the 3.54 million truck drivers currently employed in the U.S.
Employment in the sector is projected to grow 4% by 2032, as older workers help fill persistent labor shortages.
3. Registered Nurses
- Employed (55–64): 581,000
- Employed (65+): 197,000
- Total: 778,000
Healthcare depends heavily on experienced talent.
More than 778,000 nurses aged 55+ are still practicing, making nursing the third most common late-career job. That includes 581,000 aged 55–64 and 197,000 aged 65+.
According to BLS data, healthcare added 52,000 jobs in February 2025 alone.
4. Janitors and Building Cleaners
- Employed (55–64): 509,000
- Employed (65+): 250,000
- Total: 759,000
North America has the largest cleaning industry market globally, with 759,000 U.S. workers aged 55+ still employed in janitorial and building maintenance roles.
This makes up for 7.5% of the top 10 last jobs. 509,000 are aged 55–64, and 250,000 are 65+.
This means over 1 in 13 late-career workers finish their careers in this industry, reflecting its stability, routine-driven nature, and low barriers to entry.
5. First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Employed (55–64): 487,000
- Employed (65+): 233,000
- Total: 720,000
Retail supervision ranks 5th among the last jobs, with 720,000 workers aged 55+, or 7.1% of the top 10. 487,000 are 55–64, and 233,000 are 65+.
These roles suit older workers who bring decades of customer service experience and leadership under pressure.
According to DesignRush research, retail is one of the top first jobs for young Americans as well.
Use This Data to Hire Smarter in 2025
Gianluca Ferruggia, General Manager, DesignRush
“When I looked at the data, one thing stood out: over 1.25 million Boomers are still holding key jobs in management, logistics, retail, and care.
This tells me one thing. If you’re hiring in 2025, older workers aren’t winding down. They’re showing up where businesses need consistency and experience most.
I’m seeing more companies succeed by hiring late-career professionals who bring steady leadership and low turnover.
The data proves this talent pool is still active — and businesses that tap into it will build stronger teams.”
Methodology
This report is based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPS 2024 Annual Averages), specifically Table 11b: "Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation and Age."
DesignRush analyzed occupations held by workers aged 55 and over, ranking them by total employment and segmenting them by age group (55–64 and 65+).
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