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Retirees returning to work don’t necessarily need another full-time career. The best opportunities often combine reasonable pay with control over hours, limited physical demands, and the ability to put decades of experience to use.

Here are 10 options worth considering.

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1. Consultant

• Typical pay: $25–$100+ an hour, depending heavily on expertise
• Flexibility: Excellent

Retired accountants, engineers, managers, marketing professionals, IT specialists, and others may be able to turn their career knowledge into consulting work. 

Consultants can often choose how many clients and projects they accept, making this one of the most flexible options for retirees. Self-employed consultants, however, must handle their own taxes, insurance, and other business expenses.

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2. Tutor

• Typical pay: Around $21 an hour nationally
• Flexibility: Excellent

Tutoring can be a natural fit for retired teachers as well as people with expertise in mathematics, science, languages, music, or other subjects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says tutors earned a median of $20.84 an hour in 2025, and most work part-time.

Tutors can work for schools, tutoring companies, or independently, and some jobs can be performed online.

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3. Bookkeeper

• Typical pay: Around $24 an hour
• Flexibility: Good

Retirees comfortable with numbers and financial records may find bookkeeping attractive, particularly if they have previous accounting or business experience.

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks had a median pay of $24.36 an hour, or $50,670 annually, in 2025, according to the BLS. While many positions are full-time, small businesses may need part-time bookkeeping help.

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4. Customer service representative

• Typical pay: Around $18–$25 an hour
• Flexibility: Good

Customer service can be particularly attractive to retirees looking for work that isn’t physically demanding. Some positions can also be performed from home.

The median wage for customer service representatives was $21.53 an hour in 2025. While many employees work full time, the BLS says part-time positions are also available. 

One caution: Remote customer-service positions are frequently used as bait in employment scams. Verify the employer independently before providing sensitive personal or financial information.

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5. Retail sales associate

• Typical pay: Around $15–$20 an hour
• Flexibility: Good

Retail can work well for someone who wants a predictable part-time schedule and regular interaction with other people.

The median wage for retail salespeople was $17.03 an hour in 2025, although pay varies by type of store. 

Retirees might have an advantage applying to businesses related to their interests. Someone who enjoys gardening, for example, might prefer a garden center to a department store. Keep in mind that many retail jobs require employees to spend significant time standing.

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6. Tax preparer

• Typical pay: Roughly $18–$35 an hour, with experienced preparers potentially earning more
• Flexibility: Excellent, particularly for seasonal workers

Tax preparation offers something many retirees want: the ability to earn extra money for several months and then stop working.

Accounting firms and tax-preparation companies increase staffing before and during tax season. Retired accountants and financial professionals may be particularly well suited, although entry-level tax preparation training is also available.

The seasonal nature of the work means retirees can potentially generate a meaningful amount of income without committing to year-round employment.

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7. Substitute teacher

• Typical pay: Often about $100–$250 per day, depending on the school district
• Flexibility: Excellent

Substitute teaching provides an unusual degree of control over the work schedule. In many school systems, substitutes can decide which days they are available.

Requirements and pay vary significantly among states and school districts, so retirees should check with their local school system.

The work can be particularly attractive to former teachers, but many districts accept applicants with other professional backgrounds if they meet state and local requirements.

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8. Administrative or office assistant

• Typical pay: Around $18–$25 an hour
• Flexibility: Good

Doctors’ offices, law firms, nonprofits, schools, local governments, and small businesses frequently need people to answer phones, schedule appointments, maintain records, and perform other administrative duties.

These positions can be attractive to retirees with office experience because they generally don’t require extensive retraining. Some employers also offer part-time schedules.

For comparison, the BLS says information clerks had median annual pay of $45,430 in 2025, equivalent to roughly $22 an hour for a full-time worker.

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9. Tour guide, museum worker, or visitor-services employee

• Typical pay: Often around $15–$25 an hour
• Flexibility: Good to excellent

Museums, historic sites, parks, wineries, and tourist attractions can offer jobs that combine income with social interaction.

These positions may be especially appealing to retirees who know a lot about local history, art, nature, or another subject they enjoy.

Many tourism jobs are seasonal or part-time, which can allow retirees to work during busy months and take extended periods off.

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10. Freelance or project-based professional

• Typical pay: $20–$75+ an hour, depending on the skill
• Flexibility: Excellent

Writing, editing, graphic design, photography, translation, website management, and administrative support are among the services that can be provided on a freelance basis.

A retiree who spent years performing one of these tasks professionally may already have the skills — and perhaps the contacts — needed to find clients.

The biggest advantage is control. Freelancers can potentially work from home and decide how much work to accept. The downside is that income can be unpredictable, and self-employed workers are responsible for their own taxes.

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Don’t look only at the hourly wage

The highest-paying job isn’t necessarily the best retirement job.

A retiree should also consider commuting expenses, physical demands, scheduling requirements, and whether accepting the job would interfere with travel, family commitments, or other reasons for retiring in the first place.

Someone earning $22 an hour from home, for example, could ultimately come out ahead of someone earning $25 an hour but spending money and several hours each week commuting.

For retirees who need additional income rather than another career, flexibility may be nearly as valuable as the paycheck.

The BLS figures cited above use the latest 2025 national wage data, so local pay can be substantially higher or lower.