CAREER & HIRING ADVICE

There are many benefits and reasons people embark on a different career path. These reasons include those that are beyond just the prospect of getting a better job or higher pay.

When someone changes careers, it gives them an opportunity to explore other avenues and be more creative. This can lead to improved self-esteem as well as an increased sense of purpose in their new role.

It’s important to keep in mind though, that while it can take some time to figure out what to do next, most people that are career changers end up being happy with the new profession they pick.

Over 39% of people who are considering career changes are motivated by higher salaries.  A scant 14 % of Americans believe they have a great job and would not change it. Around 70% of all working-age people are actively looking for a job change.

With that in mind, we will explore career change statistics and see what they tell us the best way forward is.

What Percentage of People Make a Career Change?

You often hear about people changing careers 7 times during their lifetime the problem is there is no actual data to back it up.

Statistics from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics do not include tracking changes to careers during a person’s lifetime.

So while exact data on the exact number of career change stats are scarce, there are many statistics that can provide clues.

A recent poll found that approximately half (52%) of American employees are considering making a career change this year. 44% are already planning to make the switch.

The problem with this is that not everyone has the opportunity or resources to do so. If you don’t have the money or time, it’s hard to explore your options without taking risks that might not pan out well.

Based on an Economic News Release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees with wages and salaries have worked for their current employer for an average of 4.6 years. According to boterview, employees switch jobs every 3.9 years.

Nevertheless, this longevity is affected by one’s age and occupation:

• Managers, professionals, and similar occupations reported the longest median tenures (5.5 years).
• The median tenure of workers in service occupations was the shortest (3.2 years).
• Workers age 65 or older have an average job tenure of (10.3 years)
• For workers age 25 to 34, the median tenure is (3.2 years)

How long is the average career?

The length of a persons’ career will depend on the field they work in. However, over the course of a person’s lifetime, they will work on average 90,000 hours.

Looking at this further work accounts for roughly 13 years and two months of most people’s lives now. Overtime can add two extra months to your work year if you often put in extra hours. 

Over the course of a typical 50-year employment stint, almost a quarter of a person’s time is spent at work.  

What is the average age people change careers?

The average age a person changes careers is 39 years old. Workers may feel stagnated once they reach mid-career, as it could indicate that their careers are stagnating. This results in them making a career switch for new a new job opportunity.

As be people get older they change jobs less and less. Between the ages of 18 and 24, people change jobs an average of 5.7 times, but at what age do job changes start slowing down?

The average number of job changes between 25 and 34 years old is 2.4. From 35 to 44 years of age, the average decreases to 2.9 jobs, and then to 1.9 jobs from 45 to 52 years of age.

How many jobs will the average person have in their lifetime?

It is estimated that most people will have 12 jobs during their lives. In the last year, 32% of those 25 to 44 have considered a career change. Since starting their first job after college, 29% of people have completely changed fields.

One of the main factors for these changes is the desire for a salary increase (39%)or the interest in a different field (21%) and those looking for upward mobility came in at (20%).

This same survey found that many Americans who went to school for a specific major do not utilize that major at work. In fact 21% use all of their education, 53% use half or less of the education, and 15% use none of their education in their current job

39% of college students are over the age of 25

Based on the Lumina Foundation data, 38% of undergraduate students are over 25 years old. 58% of them work while in school, and 26% are raising families. The number of students living on campus today is only 13%.

This makes sense as people deciding on new career choices are doing so at an older age. They need need additional skills and qualifications to support this change.

Why do people change careers?

A Salary Increase

Among those who considered changing careers or had already done so, 39% did so for a raise in pay. A career change may be the best option to increase one’s salary prospects since the typical pay increase is between 3% and 5%.

In order to get a job in your new field, a worker will have to re-educate themselves and learn new skills. They will have to go through the whole process of applying for interviews and waiting for replies. It is not easy but it can be done!

Philosophy and goals are changing 

Many employees desire to work in a field that benefits the world, such as dealing with environmental concerns or assisting underprivileged communities. As a result of a life change or new philosophy, career changes are common.

Leadership at the current company is unsatisfactory

People who feel compelled to move on usually cite the incompetence of the leadership at their current organization as another reason to leave. The performance of employees can be seriously affected by leadership problems at all levels in a company.

Among the main causes of poor leadership are poor recognition, low compensation, and minimal benefits.

Having greater flexibility in work

Career decisions are also influenced by factors such as work flexibility. Employees who are juggling a career and the demands of their personal lives often want and need a flexible role.

It is one of the many reasons people change careers in search of better work-life balance.

Unsatisfied with current career

There is a common misconception that people who want to change their career field are lazy, unmotivated, or just unappreciative. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

In reality, people who make a career change are doing it so because they don’t have job satisfaction. They may feel a need to do something different with their life.

Skills-Based Hiring: What the Data Says

The way employers evaluate candidates is shifting in a fundamental way. Degrees and job titles are losing ground to demonstrated skills, and the numbers make clear this is not a passing trend.

Skills-based hiring increased to 81% in 2024, up from 56% in 2022, according to MSH workforce data. That two-year jump is one of the steepest adoption curves seen in any HR practice in recent memory. Employers are no longer asking where you went to school. They are asking what you can actually do.

The reasons behind the shift are practical. A TestGorilla study found that 92% of companies using skills-based hiring report a reduction in mis-hires, and 89% saw improvement in employee retention. When you hire for fit and capability rather than credentials, you get better results on both ends of the employment lifecycle.

On the candidate side, the response has been significant. According to LinkedIn workforce data, job seekers who add verified skills to their profiles are 30% more likely to be contacted by a recruiter. Skills-based roles also attract a 24% larger applicant pool on average, giving employers more options while simultaneously widening access for non-traditional candidates.

The degree requirement is quietly disappearing. According to Burning Glass Institute research, between 2017 and 2024 the share of job postings requiring a four-year degree dropped by more than 30% across middle-skill roles. Companies including Google, Apple, IBM, and Accenture have publicly removed degree requirements from the majority of their open positions.

For career changers specifically, this trend is a significant opportunity. Someone leaving retail for a technology role no longer needs a computer science degree to get their foot in the door. A targeted certification, a portfolio, or a strong skills assessment score can now accomplish what a diploma used to. According to CompTIA data, nearly one in three tech workers entered the industry from an unrelated field, with many bypassing traditional degree programs entirely.

It is worth noting that skills-based hiring also broadens access for groups that have historically faced credential barriers. A Harvard Business School report found that adopting skills-based practices can expand the eligible talent pool for a given role by as much as 10 times. For workers over 40, those without four-year degrees, and those returning to the workforce after a gap, the shift represents a real leveling of the playing field.

The bottom line is straightforward. In 2026, your skills are your resume. Building and documenting them, whether through certifications, project work, or using AI resume tailoring to match job requirements, is one of the highest-return investments any career changer can make.

For guidance on navigating a career change and identifying opportunities that match your skills, check out Riseguide.

Career Change Success Rates & Outcomes

One of the most important questions anyone considering a career switch wants answered is simple: does it actually work out? The data suggests that for most people, it does.

According to recent survey data, 80% of career changers report being happier in their new field than they were in their previous role. Furthermore, those who made intentional, planned transitions rather than reactive ones reported the highest satisfaction levels.

Income outcomes are largely positive over time. While many career changers experience a short term pay dip during their transition period, approximately 77% report earning the same or more within two years of making the switch, according to BLS research. Those who moved into high growth sectors like technology and healthcare saw the fastest income recovery.

When it comes to timeline, most career changers land a new role within 6 to 12 months, though this varies significantly by industry and level of retraining required. Those who pursued targeted certifications or online courses transitioned up to 40% faster than those who relied solely on networking or job applications, per LinkedIn workforce data.

Regret among career changers is relatively low. Only about 17% of people who made a career change say they wish they had stayed in their original field. The most commonly cited regret is not making the change sooner, not the change itself, according to this career study.

Perhaps most telling, a Harvard Business Review study found that employees who successfully changed careers reported higher long term engagement and productivity compared to those who stayed in roles they had outgrown. This suggests career changes are not just good for the individual but can benefit employers as well.

The takeaway is clear: while a career change requires planning, patience, and often some retraining, the odds of a positive outcome are strongly in the career changer’s favor.

Career Change Statistics by Industry

Understanding which industries attract the most career changers and which ones people are leaving can help you make a more informed decision about your next move. The data reveals some clear patterns across sectors.

Technology remains one of the most popular destinations for career changers. According to CompTIA workforce data, nearly one in three tech workers came from a completely different industry, with many transitioning through bootcamps, online certifications, or self directed learning. The appeal is clear given the high median salaries and remote work flexibility the sector offers.

Healthcare is another top destination, driven largely by job security and strong growth projections. BLS industry data shows that healthcare sees a significant influx of career changers annually, particularly into roles like medical coding, health services management, and patient care. Many of these roles require less retraining time than people expect, with certifications achievable in under a year.

Education tells a different story on the outbound side. According to National Education data, teacher attrition has accelerated in recent years, with a growing number of educators leaving for roles in corporate training, instructional design, and e-learning development. Their skills transfer more broadly than most realize.

Finance and accounting attracts a steady stream of career changers drawn by stability and earning potential. SHRM workforce research indicates that approximately 40% of financial analysts and advisors previously worked in an unrelated field before transitioning into finance.

Retail and hospitality continue to see the highest outbound career change rates of any sector. Workers in these industries cite burnout, low wages, and limited advancement as the primary reasons for leaving, and many pivot into sales, logistics, or customer success roles where their people skills translate directly.

Skilled trades are emerging as a surprising growth destination for career changers. According to workforce trend research, interest in trades like electrician work, plumbing, and HVAC has surged among workers in their 30s and 40s who are looking for hands on work, job stability, and strong earning potential without the burden of a four year degree.

The broader pattern across all industries is that career changers tend to move toward sectors offering higher pay, better flexibility, or stronger long term growth. Understanding where your transferable skills align with those industries is the first and most important step in planning a successful transition.

Top careers projected to have the most job growth by 2026 and beyond, based on BLS data and current forecasts:

Bottom line: Total U.S. employment is projected to grow by 5.2 million from 2024 to 2034, driven mainly by the healthcare and social assistance sector. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Within that, home health aides top the list in sheer volume with 4.3 million already employed and 730,000+ more jobs projected (AARP) while technology roles tied to AI and cybersecurity, clean energy, and construction round out the strongest sectors for 2026 and beyond. (U.S. Veterans Magazine)

Conclusion

The career change statistics show us that charting a new path is not always easy and it can be difficult to know what you want to do next. There are many factors that go into making this decision. Until you find something that suits you, it can feel like an endless search.

This is where retraining can come into play. It gives you opportunity and resources without the risk involved in exploring different fields on your own. With today’s online learning systems and technology, it is easier to change one’s career path quicker than ever before.

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