Best Overall Jobs for Baby Boomers
Aug 26, 2009
by Mark Gleason
photo by Rudy Anderson
Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin have researched and written more than 20 books on career topics, including 225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers, a compendium of dozens of lists of desirable and growing fields for baby boomers. The list below ranks careers that employ a high percentage of baby boomers on a combination of three criteria: earnings, projected growth and number of openings.
| Job | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| Management Analysts | $64,560 | 30.4% | 78,000 |
| Teachers, Postsecondary | $54,406 | 38.1% | 216,000 |
| Logisticians | $59,460 | 27.5% | 162,000 |
| General and Operations Managers | $79,300 | 18.4% | 260,000 |
| Registered Nurses | $53,640 | 27.3% | 215,000 |
| Anesthesiologists | $145,600 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Internists, General | $145,600 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $145,600 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Psychiatrists | $145,600 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Surgeons | $145,600 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Family and General Practitioners | $136,170 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Pediatricians, General | $135,450 | 19.5% | 38,000 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $68,320 | 29.3% | 33,000 |
| Financial Managers, Branch or Department | $83,780 | 18.3% | 71,000 |
| Treasurers, Controllers and Chief Financial Officers | $83,780 | 18.3% | 71,000 |
| Chief Executives | $141,820 | 16.7% | 63,000 |
| Government Service Executives | $141,820 | 16.7% | 63,000 |
| Private Sector Executives | $141,820 | 16.7% | 63,000 |
| Pharmacists | $87,160 | 30.1% | 23,000 |
| Lawyers | $97,420 | 17.0% | 53,000 |
| Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School | $74,610 | 20.7% | 31,000 |
| Administration Services Managers | $62,300 | 19.8% | 40,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Agricultural | $59,390 | 19.3% | 44,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Chemical and Pharmaceutical | $59,390 | 19.3% | 44,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Electrical/Electronic | $59,390 | 19.3% | 44,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Instruments | $59,390 | 19.3% | 44,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Mechanical Equipment and Supplies | $59,390 | 19.3% | 44,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Medical | $59,390 | 19.3% | 44,000 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | $62,450 | 34.6% | 18,000 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $46,300 | 30.0% | 59,000 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | $45,000 | 30.0% | 59,000 |
| Training and Development Managers | $70,430 | 19.4% | 21,000 |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School | $44,330 | 30.0% | 59,000 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $67,040 | 19.4% | 21,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $46,090 | 19.1% | 160,000 |
| Construction Managers | $70,770 | 12.0% | 47,000 |
| Public Relations Managers | $73,960 | 23.4% | 10,000 |
| Clinical Psychologists | $56,360 | 24.4% | 17,000 |
| Counseling Psychologists | $56,360 | 24.4% | 17,000 |
| School Psychologists | $56,360 | 24.4% | 17,000 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education | $46,120 | 18.2% | 118,000 |
| Training and Development Specialists | $45,370 | 27.9% | 35,000 |
| Storage and Distribution Managers | $67,300 | 19.7% | 13,000 |
| Transportation Managers | $67,300 | 19.7% | 13,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors and Manager/Supervisors—Construction Trades Workers | $50,980 | 14.1% | 67,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors and Manager/Supervisors—Extractive Workers | $50,980 | 14.1% | 67,000 |
| Instructional Coordinators | $50,060 | 25.4% | 18,000 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $48,330 | 27.7% | 19,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Mechanics, Installers and Repairers | $51,000 | 15.4% | 42,000 |
| Cost Estimators | $50,920 | 18.6% | 25,000 |
Republished with permission from 225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers, by Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., 2006, © JIST Publishing.
