WASHINGTON — A new AARP survey of people age 50 and older released today reveals that 24% of older workers are planning to make a job change this year, a 10% increase from last year, when just 14% indicated they were looking for new employment. These findings are consistent with recent research showing more Americans are looking to switch jobs than at any point in the past decade.

Of workers 50 and older who are planning to make a change, 40% said they are planning to get a new job, but 16% said they plan to start their own business, an increase over the 9% who said the same last year. Making more money is the main reason people said they want a job change, followed by wanting to make a difference and wanting flexible work options.

“Today, roughly 38 million older adults are working; that’s more than two and a half times the number of older adults working 40 years ago,” said Carly Roszkowski, Vice President of Financial Resilience Programming at AARP. “With high prices and inflation continuing to impact everything from housing costs to groceries, it’s no surprise older adults are looking to increase their income.”

Age discrimination is a concern among older Americans considering a job change. Seventy-four percent of older adults believe their age will be a barrier to getting hired. And AARP research consistently shows that 64% of workers age 50-plus have reported seeing or experiencing age discrimination in the workplace. The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) is also a concern, with around one third (34%) worried that AI could impact their job security. 

“Many older workers face age discrimination and are often overlooked for jobs they are qualified for, even though they bring expertise, maturity and perspective to the job,” said Roszkowski. “This should not be the case. Employers need talent, and it makes great business sense to hire experienced workers.”

Eighty-four percent of prospective job seekers say they will need assistance in making a job change, a sharp increase from the 69% who said the same in 2024. Learning to apply their current skills to a new role or job tops the list of issues people feel they need help with, alongside how to update a resume and followed by how to prepare for a job interview and how to negotiate a job offer.

View the survey here, and find information on labor force trends, job searching tips, and on-demand webinars and other resources at aarp.org/work.

Methodology
All interviews were conducted from October 17-November 5, 2024 among 3,580 U.S. adults age 50 or older, including 574 African American/Black, 578 Hispanic/Latino, and 538 Asian American and Pacific employed adults age 50 or older. The sample was sourced from the AmeriSpeak panel and Prodege’s non-probability panel. Funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, the AmeriSpeak panel is a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. household population. Interviews were conducted online and via telephone.  All data are weighted to the latest Current Population Survey (CPS) benchmarks developed by the U.S. Census Bureau and are balanced by gender, age, education, race/ethnicity, and region. 

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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest-circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.