Fun retirement jobs that pay a small fortune in the United States often come in the form of hobbies. There’s a plethora of ways to spend your time and make money in retirement without having to work a real job.
From woodworking as a hobby or as an art career, to working at zoos and wildlife refuges, there are so many different careers out there with one common thread. They’re not afraid to pay you well for doing something you love.
We’ve created this list of some ridiculously cool fun retirement jobs that will keep both you and your bank account happy throughout retirement.
Fun Retirement Jobs That Pay a Small Fortune
1. Cab Driver
Drive a cab for fun? This is a fun retirement job that’s getting more and more common. It’s not just a fun part-time job, it’s a viable retirement career. It befits the entrepreneurial spirit and pays well in the meantime.
There are so many people driving cabs in retirement today that it’s become one of the top ten most lucrative fun retirement jobs in the country. If you’re retired and need some extra cash, or want to supplement your income with something easy, this could be the perfect part-time gig for you.
The average salary for a cab driver in the United States of America is $ 43,587 per year.
2. Caretaker
If you want to work with a dying person, you might need a little more than just a nurse. If you can deal with the death, or even the grief of dealing with it, then you could consider working as a caretaker.
There’s nothing like being next to someone when they die, and there’s nothing better than knowing they died in your presence.
But some jobs come along with caring for the elderly where you’re required to take on a wide range of responsibilities. They may have to help them keep an eye on their investments and tax returns, work in accounting for their medical expenses, act as their estate manager, or even take care of their personal affairs.
The average salary for a caretaker in the United States of America is $51,633, with top earners getting as much as $75,004 per year.
3. Pet Sitter
It’s never easy to work with pets, but it’s a job that could be perfect for a retirement home. You can make an extra buck or two by helping people who aren’t able to care for their furry companions when they go on vacation and for personal journeys. If you’ve ever spent time with your pets while away, you know how much it means to be away from them.
The average salary for a pet sitter in the United States of America is $44,792, with the highest-paid earning $73,677 per year.
4. Bee Keeper
Another option for being close to animals while still working in retirement is working as a beekeeper. The only real problem is the harsh environment you’ll have to deal with, but if you can handle it this could be a great way to spend your time.
There are many options when it comes to working with animals and the elderly for your fun retirement job that may never end up being your primary source of income, but they could help supplement the rest of your other expenses. It’s a place where you can be yourself and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
The average salary for a beekeeper in the United States of America is $48,034. The highest-paid in this profession gets $92,000 per year.
5. Consultant
There are so many ways to be a consultant that you could never really be bored. If you love learning new things and meeting new people, then this could be the perfect way for you to spend your retirement. From working with students to sharing your life experience with new generations, this is one fun revenue stream that can last you for years.
The average salary for a consultant is $88,120, with most paid getting $149,997 per year. It is one of the fun retirement jobs that pay a small fortune in the United States of America.
6. Animal Trainer
If you’ve ever trained an animal before there’s a good chance it was for entertainment purposes. You might have worked in remote animal training or even helped dogs in search and rescue becomes more effective at saving lives, but either way, this is a fantastic career path full of animals and other likely pet owners.
The average salary for an animal trainer in the United States of America is $41,447 per year.
7. Pet Grooming
A lot of people dream of owning their pets but don’t have the time to take care of them. If you love working with animals, and especially if you love grooming them, this could be the perfect part-time gig to help supplement your income while still working in retirement.
The average salary for a pet groomer in the United States of America is $51,904, with the top-paid earning $92,272 per year.
8. Tutoring
Whether it’s elementary school students, college students, high school or university students, or even older people who want to get back into the learning game, tutoring is something that can be yours after retirement. There are so many options you could choose from ranging from one-on-one tutoring to helping entire schools get ready for tests.
The average salary for a tutor in the United States of America is $52,402 per year.
9. Gardener
It may not be your primary source of income if you decide to do it because it’s something you love doing while spending time in retirement, but it’s one of the best part-time jobs out there for a retirement home.
If you’re into horticulture, then this could be the perfect way to spend your free time. You can read books, get a hobby, or just play with whatever plants and flowers you have around the house. It’s something that’s completely up to you.
The average salary for a gardener in the United States of America is $57,027. The highest-paid professional in this career earns $86,315 per year.
10. Librarian
If you’re interested in self-sustainability and want to get back into business while still living your life, then becoming a librarian could be the perfect fun retirement job for you. If you’ve done it before it’s simple to get back into the groove of finding new books about anything and everything and keep up with current trends while working with others. You’ll also have plenty of network connections from previous coworkers.
It is also one of the best jobs for people with anxiety in the United States.
The average salary for a librarian is $57,612. Top earners in this career get as much as $91,081 per year.
11. Family Liaison
A great way to become involved in your kids’ lives while also teaching them a few things about life is becoming a family liaison. You can take on any topic that is important to you and give it your unique personal touch while still being able to relax with your family.
You can often find this as an after-hours gig, working with families who are looking for someone to help their children get ready for school or who need someone to clear up any conflict they might be having.
The average salary for a family liaison in the United States of America is $47,580 per year.
12. Pet Photographer
While the job sounds fun, what’s cool about becoming a pet photographer is you’ll have so many options for freebies. There’s no doubt that your photos will be available to anyone who wants to take a look at them online, but there are often offers of a free photo book with each order, as well as other free photos in the form of gifts.
This could be an extra income stream for your retirement home. The average salary for a pet photographer in the United States of America is $45,208 per year.
13. Yard Work
Working in your yard is one of the best ways to waste some time while you’re relaxing in retirement. It also helps make your property look nice and well-kept while also being a great way to spend some quality time together with the neighborhood.
The average salary for a yard worker in the United States of America is $49,812 per year.
14. Classroom Assistant
If you’ve got that teaching gene in you, then becoming a classroom assistant could be just the thing for you. You’ll get to work with kids, laugh at their jokes, and help them learn things they might not know about on their own.
Some classrooms are even considered volunteer positions allowing you to help kids with extra things like snacks and making sure they have more than enough time left to do their homework. This can be a great way to introduce your students to schoolwork outside of class time as well.
The average salary for a classroom assistant in the United States of America is $50,800 per year.
15. Personal Trainer
Personal trainers are always in demand because people are looking for people who know what they’re doing when it comes to fitness and bodybuilding. As long as you’re into that profession, it could be a great retirement gig for you.
The average salary for a personal trainer in the United States of America is $43,324 per year.
16. Florist
Are you a floral person? If so, then this might be the perfect retirement job for you. Working as a florist in retirement could be something that helps make your neighbors and friends feel special when they experience all the hard work it takes to create an arrangement. You’ll get to spend some quality time with people while creating something beautiful out of nothing.
The average salary for a florist in the United States of America is $36,501 per year. It is also one of the high-paying jobs for school dropouts.
17. Acupuncturist
A career in acupuncture is another one that’s difficult to do because nearly anyone can teach others how to do it, but it’s also one where passion comes through in whatever you’re doing. That passion could be a great addition to the types of retirement gigs you have available.
The average salary for an acupuncturist in the United States of America is $72,919. The top-paid professional in this occupation earns $144,522 per year, making it one of the fun remote jobs that pay a small fortune.
18. Photographer
Photography is one of the fun retirement jobs that pay a small fortune. The main factor to consider with this type of job is the quality of work you do, as well as how many people see it. If you’re looking for something where you’ll get to take photos all day, then this could be the best idea for you.
The average salary for a photographer on a payroll is $45,949, with the highest-earning getting paid more than $118,206 per year.
This occupation is also one of the fun remote jobs that pay well in the United States.
Conclusion
Fun retirement jobs that pay a small fortune are something many people desire to have, primarily if they’ve worked hard their whole lives for the money. It’s easy to doubt yourself and wonder whether or not you’re worth it, but if you find some ideas for fun retirement jobs that pay a small fortune then you can start to have confidence in yourself.
Just keep in mind that these ideas are only intended to be used as a guide.