Are YOU on This List of Cushiest Retirement Jobs?

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There are so many factors that go into evaluating whether your career is really right for you. But one, undeniably, is the age at which you can stop doing the career that's right for you.

So take a look at this list of jobs and industries with early retirement or other great retirement benefits, and consider how yours stack up. There may still be time to become an air traffic controller yet.

Air Traffic Controllers

Want to retire at 50? Then work your way up into a flight tower, where you're cleared to take off work at any age after 25 years of service, or at 50 with 20 years of service.

Pilots

...And the guys on the other end of the airplane radio don't have it bad either: the average flyboy in United Airlines' retirement plans makes $23,476 annually.

Aircraft Manufacturers

Not to be left out, the people making those radios also have it pretty good too, receiving an average retirement contribution from their employers of $2.87 per hour worked.

Police Officers

No one deserves it more than the men and women wearing badges, who can generally retire after just 20 years of service with a pension equal to half their salary.

Utilities Workers

Thanks to strong unions, employees working in electricity, water, sewage, or nuclear power sectors receive as much as $6.56 per hour worked toward their retirement.

Information Technology Employees

While a major step down from $6.56, US News & World Report found that information technology workers came in a distant second to utilities workers, with the sector averaging an employer contribution of $2.76 per hour worked. Microsoft is particularly generous, matching 50% up to 6% of an employee's salary.

Consultants

While retirement plans can vary widely throughout the consulting sector, industry giant Deloitte topped a recent Wall Street Journal ranking of private companies' annual retirement contributions with an average of $30,806.

Surgeons and Oral Surgeons

Of course, there's no retirement plan that can match the freedom granted by making boatloads of money in your working years, meaning these two top-paying positions (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) may be able to retire earlier and more comfortably than almost everyone else.

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Guest's picture
J R

As an air traffic controller I take exception to the picture of a ramp worker included with your article. The rampers (the guy holding the orange wands) do a great job on a daily basis but are not considered air traffic controllers. My colleagues and I work tirelessly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year separating moving airplanes from each other and getting each passenger to their destination as safely and quickly as possible. We use a variety of tools including radars, windows, long and short range radios, and math to keep airplanes a prescribe distance apart. Due to these unique demands and qualifications, studies show that the abilities to be effective at this job deteriorates with age. When we are hired we sign an agreement stating that we can only work until a maximum age of 56, the age at which those abilities rapidly diminish. Because of this and the stressors with the job, accelerated retirement benefits are offered.

Guest's picture
Chris

In today's contracting workforce, many people are questioning if retirement is a dead concept ... thanks for showing that this dream is still achievable!