These remote positions are popular among workers over 55. If you're considering working in retirement, you're not alone. The majority of Americans (57 percent) plan to work during their golden years, with 37 percent opting for part time and 20 percent full time, according to the Transamerica Center for Reti.rement Studies.
The good news is that working from home has quickly gained acceptance in recent years. To help you find a good part-time work-from-home role, we started by identifying the most common part-time jobs held by workers over age 55, based on data collected by compensation research firm PayScale in 2020. Then, we used the AARP Job Board to search for current job openings in each field. Clicking on the link in the job title will take you to the search results for that position. Some of the positions in these results are not remote.
Bonus: A few of these occupations score highly among workers in terms of satisfaction and meaningfulness.
Take a look at these eight popular part-time jobs that retirees can do from home.
1. Bookkeeper
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 46 percent (All part-time jobs: 24.5 percent)
Median hourly pay: $17.74 (All part-time jobs: $14.76)
Satisfaction rating: 77 percent (All part-time jobs: 63 percent)
High-meaning rating: 48 percent (All part-time jobs: 57 percent)
Bookkeepers create and maintain a company's financial records, which includes issuing payments to suppliers and invoices to customers. Step up to the title of full-charge bookkeeper and you'll take on sole responsibility for a company's accounting matters, including supervising lower-level bookkeepers and accounting clerks. More older workers go for the full-charge role and enjoy the higher pay that comes with greater responsibility; 74 percent of all full-charge bookkeepers are over 55, and their median pay is $21.10 an hour. Either way, you can find opportunities to keep your accounting expertise at home and provide your services virtually.
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 23 percent
Median hourly pay: $32.03
Satisfaction rating: 66 percent
High-meaning rating: 76 percent
Telehealth services were growing in popularity before the coronavirus hit the U.S. and got an extra boost from the pandemic. As a result, nurses and other medical professionals can continue providing care and expertise from the safety of their own homes.
But the standards for filling such jobs remotely are no more lax: You still need to have completed the rigorous education and training necessary to become a nurse. Plus, you have to maintain a nursing license in the state where you plan to work, which can be tricky if you're working remotely and are able to assist patients who live elsewhere. Licensure requirements vary by state. Still, both the relatively high pay and the sense of meaning can make the hurdles worthwhile.
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 22 percent
Median hourly pay: $14.84
Satisfaction rating: 70 percent
High-meaning rating: 59 percent
You don't always have to be physically at the office to ensure that it runs efficiently. Virtual assistants are able to provide administrative support from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Specific duties can vary greatly from gig to gig, but tasks are likely to include a range of services, from scheduling and email management to social media strategizing and event planning. In addition to checking out the opportunities available via the AARP Job Board, you can use freelance job boards such as FreeUp and Upwork to connect with potential clients.
4. Paralegal
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 20 percent
Median hourly pay: $17.46
Satisfaction rating: 70 percent
High-meaning rating: 53 percent
Paralegals, along with legal assistants, provide support to lawyers by tackling a range of tasks, including conducting legal research, organizing and maintaining documents and files, and writing reports—all of which can be done from anywhere. You may need experience in a particular field or geographic location to qualify.
5. Nanny
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 11 percent Median hourly pay: $15.15 Satisfaction rating: 76 percent High-meaning rating: 74 percent If you hadn't known it already, child care assistance is an essential service for parents. And while care providers cannot exactly replicate their work via screens and remote services, they may be able to apply some of their skills in a work-from-home opportunity as a tutor, teacher or camp counselor. Of course, you'd need expertise in a particular subject to teach it, but demand for knowledge goes beyond what you might think of as standard academic curriculum. For instance, Outschool, a marketplace for online classes, offers a platform for teachers to share their knowledge and talents in a wide range of activities, such as shoe tying, French braiding and creating a Dungeons and Dragons character. You can even host your own show-and-tell or storytime session.
6. Receptionist
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 20 percent Median hourly pay: $11.99 Satisfaction rating: 65 percent High-meaning rating: 56 percent You don't have to be on location to be the gatekeeper for an organization. Virtual receptionists can respond to calls, emails, web chats and other messages on behalf of one or more companies from any location. Traditionally, most receptionists have been employed in health care and social assistance, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but you can find opportunities in a variety of fields.
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 16 percent Median hourly pay: $11.82 Satisfaction rating: 50 percent High-meaning rating: 36 percent If you have a phone, computer and internet connectivity, you have a shot at making your home a one-person call center. Virtual customer service representatives assist people by phone for a variety of businesses in a range of industries, from retail to health care to technology. You may also provide your services online, helping customers via email, text messaging, online chat or social media. Although these jobs are remote, you may have to live in a certain state to do them. Be sure to check the fine print before applying.
Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 13 percent Median hourly pay: $10.72 Satisfaction rating: 53 percent High-meaning rating: 33 percent Companies across a range of industries, including retail, finance and health care, are seeking star salespeople with various experience levels (and a license to sell, if necessary) to push their products and services from a remote location. And despite the low hourly pay, you may be able to earn more through commissions — potentially much more if you're moving cars, electronics or other high-ticket items. Workers in some higher-level (and higher-earning) positions may even manage a sales team remotely.