Baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, are nearing retirement age. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are 78.2 million boomers, and that every hour, 330 of them turn 60. That means an entire generation of workers might leave the work force in the coming years.
But they might not.
Many baby boomers are choosing to postpone retirement and stay at their current jobs or find new ones. Some can't afford to retire, but many want to explore new avenues. After decades of working in jobs that paid the bills but didn't fulfill them, they're moving to different industries.
For their book "225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers," authors Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin decided to comb through data to discover what the best jobs are for baby boomers. They looked at salaries, projected job growth and the number of openings to calculate which jobs have the most promise.
Farr and Shatkin break down their findings in more than 70 lists, ranging from the best-paying jobs to the best jobs for boomers age 45-54. Whatever your criteria are, Farr and Shatkin have the job for you.
Below you'll find the list for the 25 overall best jobs for all baby boomers:
1. Management analysts
What they make*: $67,005
Projected annual openings**: 78,000
2. Teachers, post-secondary
What they make: $68,456
Projected annual openings: 216,000
3. Logisticians
What they make: $44,563
Projected annual openings: 162,000
4. General and operations managers
What they make: $93,594
Projected annual openings: 260,000
5. Registered nurses
What they make: $66,427
Projected annual openings: 215,000
6. Anesthesiologists
What they make: $310,132
Projected annual openings: 38,000
7. General internists
What they make: $351,307
Projected annual openings: 38,000
8. Obstetricians and gynecologists
What they make: $285,254
Projected annual openings: 38,000
9. Family and general practitioners
What they make: $198,221
Projected annual openings: 38,000
10. Psychiatrists
What they make: $191,080
Project annual openings: 38,000
11. Surgeons
What they make: $322,281
Projected annual openings: 38,000
12. General pediatricians
What they make: $181,764
Projected annual openings: 38,000
13. Medical and health services managers
What they make: $94,269
Projected annual openings: 33,000
14. Financial managers, branch or department
What they make: $101,963
Projected annual openings: 71,000
15. Treasurers, controllers and chief financial officers
What they make: $172,946 - $240,588
Projected annual openings: 71,000
16. Chief executives
What they make: $382,705
Projected annual openings: 63,000
17. Government service executives
What they make: $167,766
Projected annual openings: 63,000
18. Private sector executives
What they make: $169,570
Projected annual openings: 63,000
19. Pharmacists
What they make: $108,499
Projected annual openings: 23,000
20. Lawyers
What they make: $116,810
Projected annual openings: 53,000
21. Education administrators, elementary and secondary school
What they make: $150,467
Projected annual openings: 31,000
22. Administrative services managers
What they make: $86,666
Projected annual openings: 40,000
23. Sales representatives, agricultural
What they make: $53,034
Projected annual openings: 44,000
24. Sales representatives, chemical and pharmaceutical
What they make: $88,049
Projected annual openings: 44,000
25. Sales representatives, electrical/electronics
What they make: $51,105
Projected annual openings: 44,000
For more information on careers for baby boomers, visit PrimeCB.
*Salary figures based on data from CBsalary.com, powered by SalaryExpert.com
**Projected annual openings figures based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.