Changing Careers at 50

Are you thinking about making a career change at 50? It’s not too late to pursue a career that can help you better prepare for retirement or to work in a field that you’re passionate about.

Whatever your reasons are for considering a career change at 50, you may still have questions. You may not be sure whether your situation justifies the switch. If you decide to pursue a better career, what’s the best career change at 50 plus for your needs? What about making a career change at 50 with no degree currently — how can you navigate getting the right education?

The following sections examine how to decide if a career change at 50 is right for you, some good career choices over 50, and how to actually create a plan for making the change. Note that all employment data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Exploring Your Career and Personal Needs

When you think about a career change at 50, the first thing you need to do is to take a closer look at your situation. Do you really need to make the change? And if so, then you’ll need to consider what you value in a new career.

It can help to look at some common reasons why people make the career change at 50. One of the following situations might relate to you.

: Some careers don’t have much to offer in terms of opportunity, and sometimes it’s so bad that you’re worried about getting laid off. Those concerns can be amplified if you didn’t need a college degree to get into your current career, but now it’s expected. A lot of people consider changing careers at 50 because things look bleak. If you can’t move up, and you’re not even sure you can remain where you are until retirement, then you might want to be proactive and leave on your own terms.
: Financial reasons can cause people at any age to look for a better career, and that’s also true for people wanting to make the career change at 50. If you’re not making enough money now, that might not change as you get closer and closer to retirement age. The smart play here may be to keep working while you get the education needed to be in a more lucrative career field. Then, with a bump in salary, you can start saving much more money, and you’ll be in a better spot to retire.
: Your reason for changing careers at 50 doesn’t have to be about finances, growth opportunities, or job security. If you don’t like what you’re doing, then why not consider some career choices over 50 that will enhance your happiness? This isn’t the time of your life to feel stuck with what you’re doing each day. After all, this part of life should be marked by retirement planning, spending time with your family and friends, maybe some vacation plans, and other things. You shouldn’t have to deal with dissatisfaction in your career.

Some of those examples can help you examine why you want to make a career change at 50. After some thought, you’ll be able to decide if you actually want to move forward. If so, you can start to think about what’s important in your next career.

Remember that it’s OK to have some anxiety about these types of decisions. Making a career change at 50 may seem drastic or unnatural, but it’s not that uncommon. Plus, don’t ignore what happens if you do nothing. Remaining in a career that undermines your happiness or your retirement plans can have serious consequences for you and your family.

If you’d like to change your career, the next sections can help. We’ve listed a few good career choices over 50, and then you can look at some advice on how to make a realistic, actionable plan for completing your transition.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) LocationVirginia Beach, VA Accreditation(s)SACSCOC Religious AffiliationMethodist Cost Per Credit$499: The online Master of Business Administration program from Virginia Wesleyan University prepares you for a career in the global marketplace. Learn the principles of business, finance, marketing, and more, and become prepared for management-level jobs in your chosen field. The program focuses on hands-on practice and lively discussion of business principles and emphasizes flexibility so that you can fit your education into your already busy life.
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Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationAurora, IL Accreditation(s)HLC Religious AffiliationPrivate Cost Per Credit$600: Develop a foundation in generalist clinical social work and specialized study with the online Master of Social Work from Aurora University. Through 1,050 hours of required field instruction, you’ll have the opportunity to apply theories to real-world situations. Customize your learning experience with optional specializations in faith-based social work, forensics, healthcare, leadership administration, and a professional educator licensure.
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Career Change at 50 Ideas

Have you decided on making the career change at 50? Your next step is to choose what career you’d like to pursue. Consider the type of work you’d like to do along with salary and job growth figures. Place the appropriate weight on what you’d like in your future career, such as how much salary impacts your decision.

Here are just a few options for a career change at 50 ideas.

Business

Business offers something for everyone. If you like interacting with people a lot, you could consider changing careers to business fields like management and human resources. If you’re more of a numbers person, something like accounting or finance could be a good fit. Marketing fits well across the spectrum. Lucrative careers are a notable strength for business. For instance, accountants and auditors, financial analysts, and human resources specialists all exceed a median annual wage of $70,000. Management occupations form the highest wage of all major occupational groups ($104,240), and advertising sales agents earn about $52,000.

Nursing

Nursing isn’t so much about the money, although that’s a strength of this career field. Registered nurses earn a median annual wage of about $72,000, and as a bonus, they enjoy high growth numbers, with employment projected to increase 15% by 2026. Figures go up for advanced clinical and management roles in nursing. At any rate, the main reason changing careers to nursing is to be able to help patients. Having that kind of impact is a powerful way to find meaning in your career.

Social Work

Social work is another field that focuses on helping people. After changing careers to social work, you’ll be able to help individuals in at-risk populations and be involved with prevention and early intervention efforts at higher levels of change. Although earnings aren’t as strong as other fields, social work is well above the median annual wage for all occupations ($37,690). Social workers earn $49,470, and there is good salary growth in certain environments. For instance, social workers who are employed in hospitals earn more than $60,000, and those working in local government earn $54,430. Social workers are in strong demand, with a projected employment increase of 16% by 2026.

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Making the Career Change at 50

Once you’ve selected the career you’d like to pursue, the next step is to create a plan for pursuing that goal. In most cases, that plan starts with earning a degree. You may not feel confident with how you’ll do that, though. The thought of advancing your education at this age can be a little worrying, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from reaching your goal.

How to Get the Education You Need

A key to making the career change at 50 is taking advantage of online education. That method of learning makes it easy to fit a degree into your schedule.

Just think about the alternative to online learning. If you had to commute to a local college or university to advance your education, you’d spend a lot of time just driving back and forth and have to attend lectures at certain times. All of that on top of making time at home to read and perform coursework. Could you do all of that at this stage of your life?

Online education removes commuting and having to be in the classroom at certain times. Instead of driving to and from school at least a few times a week, you simply log into a virtual classroom. Instead of attending lectures at a certain time, you study whenever it works best for your schedule.

You may be a little weary of online education. The good news is that learning online doesn’t require you to be tech savvy. If you can read email and surf the internet, you can learn online. Additionally, online schools have dedicated professionals who are there to answer any questions you have. If you need help accessing your online classroom or run into even the smallest of technical issues, you can simply pick up the phone and talk to someone who can help you.

Online degree options can also accommodate face-to-face learning in hybrid programs. Hybrid programs take place mostly online but have on-campus requirements, as well. Whether you want some face-to-face time or want to do it all online, you can have whatever version works best for you.

Once you locate your online program, you’ll be on your way to pursuing your dream career.

How to Start Your New Career

Once you graduate, you’ll be that much closer to achieving your goals. All that you’ll have left to do is to search for a position in your new career field.

Look into what your school offers for career services. Online degree programs have a lot of great ways to help you search for jobs. Take advantage of assistance with career placement services, resume and cover letter writing, and more. You might be surprised what you’ll encounter, and you’ll receive some great tips on finding and appealing to employers.

Another tip is to network. The connections you make in your degree program, from your peers to your professors, can help you in terms of references. Some might even know of a specific job opportunity, too. Remember that it’s never too early to network, so make sure you do that while you’re advancing your education.

Before you apply to positions, update your resume to include any relevant experience or skills. Remember to work on writing strong cover letters. In your cover letters, highlight the passion you have for your new career and discuss what you bring to the table. You might want to have people in your personal and professional circles read your resume and cover letters to help improve those documents.

Making a career change at 50 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Reaching your goal is possible by taking things one step at a time. Do that and you can be on your way to a better career that meets your needs.

Advanced Standing Master of Social Work LocationDavenport, IL Accreditation(s)HLC, HLC Religious AffiliationCatholic Cost Per Credit$742: With the mission to prepare competent and ethical social work professionals who advocate a just society, the Advanced Standing MSW online program at St. Ambrose University offers courses based on the empowerment method of social work. Empowerment social work emphasizes client system strengths and skill development to remove barriers toward growth. Explore this method and develop skills to strengthen your career through MSW online courses that prepare you for practice in healthcare, substance abuse, child welfare, and mental health practice. As you complete your online Advanced Standing MSW degree and study ethical standards for professional social work, you’ll utilize the empowerment method in your practice and help individuals focus on competence rather than deficits. You’ll also develop the skills to engage diversity and difference within your career as you evaluate, assess and intervene with client systems.
Master of Science in Fraud and Forensics LocationPittsburgh, PA Accreditation(s)MSCHE, CCNE, CSWE, IACBE, ACEN, IACBE Religious AffiliationCatholic Cost Per Credit$800 per credit: Carlow University launched the nation’s first Master’s in Fraud and Forensics and continues to lead the field, preparing graduates who prevent, detect, investigate and remediate financial or White Collar crime. In as little as 12 months, students can complete fully online courses on case-based learning. Complete 10 courses, one course at a time in a cohort model, for a total of 30 credits. Through a unique partnership with the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), students have access to ACFE resources and can prepare to take the CFE exam after completion of the program and rank as Carlow’s highest-earning graduates.
Master of Social Work LocationMissoula, MT Accreditation(s)NWCCU, CEPH, CSWE, AACSB, CAPTE , CSWE Religious AffiliationPublic Cost Per Credit$600: Choose between foundational and concentrated study to earn your Master of Social Work degree in the University of Montana‘s CSWE-accredited online program. Training students in research, policy, and advocacy, curriculum is designed for creating change at interpersonal, community, and policy levels amidst populations with high rates of diversity, poverty, addiction, and suicide. With a flexible schedule and 100% online coursework, the program is geared toward integrated practice, teaching students how to establish innovative programs even when lacking standard resources. Prepare for practice and graduate as an expert researcher, active practitioner, and community leader well versed in and committed to the rights of all people.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationPensacola, FL Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE Religious Affiliation– Cost Per Credit$450: UWF’s clinically focused online MSW program provides the knowledge and skills to enter the workplace prepared for advanced social work practice. You will complete a specialized study of medical and behavioral healthcare in this program, which blends clinical internships with hands-on learning. Students who hold a bachelor’s degree in social work can fast-track their studies and complete our online MSW clinical curriculum, while those without previous social work experience* can gain the experience they need through foundational coursework that prepares them for the rigors of social work practice.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationUtica, NY Accreditation(s)MSCHE, ACBSP Religious AffiliationN/A Cost Per Credit$775: With Social Work jobs estimated to increase 13% through 2029, Utica’s MSW graduates are positioned for success in an array of industries comprising higher education, nonprofit sectors, social services, criminal justice, academia, and public health. For careers which promote mental heath and recovery and building a more humane society, graduates of the online MSW are prepared for licensure exams in their homestate and prepared for immediate impact.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationPittsburgh, PA Accreditation(s)MSCHE, CCNE, CSWE, IACBE, ACEN, CSWE Religious AffiliationCatholic Cost Per Credit$650: Take advantage of Carlow’s “flexible hybrid format” earning an MSW that leaves graduates prepared for licensure exams. The format is designed for students to continue in their valuable roles, while earning a degree that opens up opportunities for more influential positions.. Graduate in as few as 18 months or pursue the MSW-MBA dual degree program for those pursuing additional specialization.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationFairfield, CT Accreditation(s)NECHE, CSWE, CCNE, CSWE Religious AffiliationRoman Catholic Cost Per Credit$825: Sacred Heart’s online Master of Social Work is a CSWE-accredited graduate program built on a unique Field Experience Model that pairs students with personal liaisons for hands-on opportunities in real-life work environments. Impact vulnerable populations, advance your understanding of social work theory, and develop a career position built on the perspective of truth and justice. Students with a bachelor’s degree in social work could be eligible for Advanced Standing status, with an accelerated version of the program to graduate in 20 months. Offering two specializations in Direct Clinical Practice and Direct Community Practice, the SHU MSW delivers a degree in an industry projecting 11% job growth by 2028.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationBristol, TN Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE Pre-Candidacy Religious AffiliationPresbyterian Cost Per Credit$610: King University offers an MSW designed to fit the lifestyle of a working professional, with no campus visits required and program participation fully online. With foundational and advanced standing options that can be completed in 22 or 12 months respectively, the distinction of King degree programs is the intentional integration of spiritual and faith-based components within a Christian academic community. The King MSW prepares graduates for careers advancing human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice as a working expert in child welfare and human service agencies, hospitals, governmental organizations, and school systems.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationTeaneck, NJ Accreditation(s)MSCHE, CSWE Religious AffiliationPrivate Cost Per Credit825: Fairleigh Dickinson University’s online Master of Social Work trains students to promote physical, psychological and social well-being for clients in their communities. It is delivered in a flexible online format and can be completed in two years. The Master of Social Work online program provides a comprehensive learning experience that combines social work theory with practical application. The online MSW degree features two program options, advanced standing and traditional.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationLas Vegas , NM Accreditation(s)HLC, CCNE, CSWE, ACBSP, CSWE Religious Affiliation– Cost Per Credit$525: Earn an MSW online from NMHU’s Facundo Valdez School of Social Work. Fully CSWE-accredited and the only clinical MSW in New Mexico, the program specializes in working with the diverse multicultural populations of the Southwest with a primary commitment to Native American and Hispanic populations. Curriculum includes evidence-based services and treatments, cultural competency, trauma-informed services, interdisciplinary collaboration, healthcare, and school careers. Become qualified for your licensure exam with a program that grounds students in social justice, heightens awareness of how poverty affects well-being, and fosters respect for cultural differences.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationCampbellsville, KY Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE Religious AffiliationChristian Cost Per Credit$559: The online MSW program from Campbellsville University prepares you for career advancement so that you can move out of entry-level positions in the field. With a curriculum rooted in ethical and Christian ideals, the program helps you develop an advanced understanding of the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for becoming a leader in social work. Accredited by the CSWE, this program offers the opportunity to pursue a career in a wide range of areas, including therapy and counseling, community mental health, child protection, the criminal justice system, public advocacy and home health. You could also enter a career in the VA or while on active duty in the military as an addiction or substance abuse counselor.
Master of Social Work (MSW) LocationAurora, IL Accreditation(s)HLC Religious AffiliationPrivate Cost Per Credit$600: Develop a foundation in generalist clinical social work and specialized study with the online Master of Social Work from Aurora University. Through 1,050 hours of required field instruction, you’ll have the opportunity to apply theories to real-world situations. Customize your learning experience with optional specializations in faith-based social work, forensics, healthcare, leadership administration, and a professional educator licensure.
Online MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling LocationWest Haven, CT Accreditation(s)NECHE Religious AffiliationPrivate Cost Per Credit$700: Launch your Licensed Professional Counselor career with the University of New Haven’s online, low-residency M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Specialize your degree with one of two optional concentrations in forensics or community development and field experience through 700 hours of supervised clinical training. Curriculum establishes competence in all 8 core domains of counseling, a career field set to grow 25% over the next decade, and aligns with state of Connecticut and CACREP standards for licensed counseling professionals.
Online Master of Public Health LocationWest Haven, CT Accreditation(s)NECHE, Seeking CEPH Religious AffiliationPrivate Cost Per Credit$700: The University of New Haven offers one of the only STEM-designated programs with its Master of Public Health degree. Coursework focuses on global health, education, and health informatics and culminates with a faculty-mentored capstone. Gain the tech-based expertise sought after by employers and industry leaders in a field expected to grow faster than the national average in this decade.
Online Master of Social Work LocationChester , PA Accreditation(s)CSWE, CSWE Religious Affiliation– Cost Per Credit$898: Widener University’s Online MSW program is a uniquely designed program created to address themes of trauma, both as a curricular theme and studying its cause and effect in the field of Social Work. With a firmer understanding of the area of study and its application, graduates are better equipped to serve clients, families, and communities, focused not only in career advancement but greatest impact. The CSWE-accredited degree offers both regular admission or Advanced Standing admission for students who have earned a Bachelor in Social Work.