Postal service workers register a median age of 52 – as high as any other industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The only other group of employees that old work in jobs, literally, near death: funeral homes, cemeteries and crematories.
While workers across all sectors are closing in on retirement age, it’s in the public sector that occupations with some of the oldest workers can be found, which means that a new crop of public servants will soon need to step up and take the helm of government.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics compiled median ages for 227 industries for its 2012 Current Population Survey. A review of the data shows seven of the top 20 industry classifications with the oldest workers consist primarily of public employees, such as those working in public administration executive offices, libraries and public finance. As a whole, government employees tend to be older than other segments of the labor force.
When these workers will decide to retire – and how well prepared governments are to fill the void left by their absence – differs greatly from agency to agency.
The looming retirement of the vast segment of baby boomers has long occupied much attention. For years, economists and academics warned of an impending “silver tsunami.”
By and large, though, a sudden wave of retirements hasn’t yet happened.
Instead, many baby boomers remain attached to their jobs. The prevailing wisdom suggests boomers put retirement plans on hold when the economy tanked, and the hit their investment portfolios took likely provided further incentive to stay employed.
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Rex Facer, an associate professor at Brigham Young University who studies workforce issues, said that as the economy improves, public employees could begin to head for the exits, particularly if they’re subject to pay freezes or feeling the effects of federal sequestration.
“Most organizations can’t close their eyes and pretend it’s not there,” he said.
About 38 percent of International Public Management Association for Human Resources members reported their eligible employees were postponing retirements in a survey earlier this year, down from 46 percent in 2012.
Of course, the private sector faces many of the same long-term challenges in losing workers to retirement, but the issue is even more pressing for some public agencies.
The Labor Department’s age data does not distinguish between all public and private employees, instead grouping them into industry classifications. Over half (52 percent) of workers in the “public administration” category – encompassing much of the sector besides education – were 45 years or older in the 2012 survey. By comparison, 44 percent of workers in all industries fell into this age bracket.
The median age of a public administration worker was 45.3 years, three years older than the workforce as a whole. Professional and business services, another one of the largest industries, recorded a median age of 42.6 years.
Facer expects the federal government to take a bigger hit from retirees than states and localities. The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association launched a new website drawing attention to the experience lost from retiring federal workers.
At the local and state level, Facer said top administrative officials will likely be among the first to retire, along with senior managers two and three levels down.
The typical age of a government worker – and when they retire – varies from agency to agency. For the most part, those working in public safety usually retire at a younger age than their counterparts in other agencies; those in senior administrative positions hang on longer.
California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) provided Governing the following data showing average retirement ages for select groups of participating employees for fiscal year 2012-2013:
- All CalPERS: 60
- State Corrections Workers: 63
- School Workers (non-teaching positions): 62
- Miscellaneous Public Agency (mostly office workers): 60
- Local Police and Fire: 54
- California Highway Patrol: 53
Another recent survey conducted by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) found 63.3 percent of city and county managers and other chief appointed local officials were older than 50. About a quarter of those surveyed were more than 60 years old.
Those in leadership positions throughout most governments are well aware of the fact that the public workforce is aging. However, industry observers warn that the sector, as a whole, is ill prepared for the departure of a large swath of employees.
“If everyone who could retire decided to retire tomorrow, it would be bad,” said Rob Carty, ICMA’s director of career services and Next Generation Initiatives. “We don’t have the number of people needed ready.”
Along with retiree pension obligations, of most concern for Carty and others is the huge loss of institutional knowledge set to take place when these workers leave.
To make matters worse, Carty notes that deputy managers serving department heads often fall in the same age bracket as their bosses. So, in some cases, a management staff may consist entirely of baby boomers around the same age.
In response, some governments established initiatives aimed at filling their pipeline with new leaders.
In California, local governments in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties participate in a talent exchange program, swapping employees for a few months to broaden their work experience and build leadership skills.
Carty said mentoring programs and internal sabbaticals further enable organizations to transfer knowledge from one generation to the next.
“There is a skill set, a temperament and desire to do that specific work,” said Carty, referring to city and county managers. “It’s not something you just jump into.”
Age of Workforce by Industry
The following data represents 2012 annual estimates of ages for employed persons. The most detailed-level industry is shown for those grouped together.
Industry | Median Age Rank | Median age | % Workers Age 45+ |
---|---|---|---|
Postal Service | 1 | 52.0 | 72.0 |
Funeral homes, and cemeteries and crematories | 1 | 52.0 | 66.1 |
Personal and household goods repair and maintenance | 3 | 51.9 | 64.9 |
Other general government and support | 4 | 51.4 | 70.7 |
Religious organizations | 5 | 51.3 | 63.9 |
Bus service and urban transit | 6 | 51.2 | 66.1 |
Electric and gas, and other combinations | 6 | 51.2 | 62.7 |
Labor unions | 8 | 50.6 | 64.0 |
Offices of other health practitioners | 9 | 49.6 | 61.5 |
Fuel dealers | 10 | 49.4 | 60.5 |
Libraries and archives | 10 | 49.4 | 60.5 |
Textile product mills, except carpet and rug | 12 | 49.3 | 61.3 |
Animal production | 12 | 49.3 | 57.7 |
Sewage treatment facilities | 14 | 49.2 | 63.6 |
Sewing, needlework, and piece goods stores | 14 | 49.2 | 63.2 |
Gift, novelty, and souvenir shops | 16 | 49.1 | 55.9 |
Public finance activities | 17 | 48.9 | 61.1 |
Metalworking machinery manufacturing | 17 | 48.9 | 59.4 |
Administration of economic programs and space research (Public administration) | 19 | 48.7 | 61.9 |
Executive offices and legislative bodies (Public administration) | 19 | 48.7 | 59.2 |
Real estate | 21 | 48.5 | 58.6 |
Aircraft and parts manufacturing | 22 | 48.3 | 60.5 |
Miscellaneous paper and pulp products | 23 | 48.2 | 58.8 |
Newspaper publishers | 23 | 48.2 | 55.5 |
Industrial and miscellaneous chemicals | 25 | 48.1 | 56.6 |
Retail florists | 25 | 48.1 | 55.7 |
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills | 27 | 48.0 | 59.3 |
Taxi and limousine service | 27 | 48.0 | 58.2 |
Aluminum production and processing | 27 | 48.0 | 55.2 |
Carpet and rug mills | 30 | 47.9 | 62.0 |
Foundries | 31 | 47.5 | 55.2 |
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing | 32 | 47.3 | 55.8 |
Administration of environmental quality and housing programs | 33 | 47.2 | 55.4 |
Administration of human resource programs | 33 | 47.2 | 55.2 |
Sugar and confectionery products | 35 | 47.1 | 58.3 |
Commercial and service industry machinery manufacturing | 36 | 47.0 | 57.0 |
Water, steam, air-conditioning, and irrigation systems | 37 | 46.9 | 60.3 |
Wholesale electronic markets, agents and brokers | 37 | 46.9 | 60.0 |
Paper and paper products, merchant wholesalers | 37 | 46.9 | 53.8 |
Truck transportation | 40 | 46.8 | 56.1 |
Furniture and home furnishing, merchant wholesalers | 40 | 46.8 | 49.2 |
Farm product raw materials, merchant wholesalers | 42 | 46.7 | 56.3 |
Cement, concrete, lime, and gypsum product manufacturing | 42 | 46.7 | 55.9 |
Crop production | 42 | 46.7 | 53.2 |
Paint, coating, and adhesive manufacturing | 45 | 46.6 | 57.1 |
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying | 46 | 46.3 | 55.7 |
Logging | 46 | 46.3 | 53.7 |
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 46 | 46.3 | 52.2 |
Electronic component and product manufacturing, n.e.c. | 49 | 46.2 | 54.2 |
Pipeline transportation | 49 | 46.2 | 50.8 |
Printing and related support activities | 51 | 46.1 | 53.2 |
Machine shops; turned product; screw, nut, and bolt manufacturing | 51 | 46.1 | 52.7 |
Petroleum and petroleum products, merchant wholesalers | 51 | 46.1 | 51.7 |
Rail transportation | 54 | 46.0 | 49.6 |
Electrical and electronic goods, merchant wholesalers | 55 | 45.9 | 53.1 |
Hardware, plumbing and heating equipment, and supplies, merchant wholesalers | 55 | 45.9 | 51.9 |
Air transportation | 57 | 45.8 | 54.7 |
Legal services | 57 | 45.8 | 52.0 |
Animal food, grain, and oilseed milling | 57 | 45.8 | 51.7 |
Used merchandise stores | 60 | 45.7 | 53.3 |
Home health care services | 60 | 45.7 | 51.5 |
Farm supplies, merchant wholesalers | 60 | 45.7 | 46.0 |
Machinery manufacturing, n.e.c. | 63 | 45.6 | 52.2 |
Elementary and secondary schools | 63 | 45.6 | 52.0 |
Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services | 63 | 45.6 | 51.4 |
Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution | 66 | 45.5 | 51.9 |
Business, professional, political, and similar organizations | 66 | 45.5 | 48.4 |
Architectural, engineering, and related services | 68 | 45.4 | 51.0 |
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 68 | 45.4 | 50.2 |
Electrical lighting and electrical equipment manufacturing, and other electrical component manufacturing, n.e.c. | 70 | 45.3 | 53.0 |
Iron and steel mills and steel product manufacturing | 70 | 45.3 | 47.9 |
Management of companies and enterprises | 72 | 45.2 | 50.8 |
National security and international affairs | 73 | 45.1 | 51.9 |
Machinery, equipment, and supplies, merchant wholesalers | 73 | 45.1 | 51.5 |
Coal mining | 73 | 45.1 | 48.5 |
Other motor vehicle dealers | 73 | 45.1 | 47.6 |
Natural gas distribution | 73 | 45.1 | 45.0 |
Water transportation | 78 | 45.0 | 51.8 |
Insurance carriers and related activities | 78 | 45.0 | 50.1 |
Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores | 80 | 44.9 | 51.3 |
Offices of optometrists | 80 | 44.9 | 50.0 |
Other administrative and other support services | 80 | 44.9 | 49.8 |
Miscellaneous manufacturing, n.e.c. | 80 | 44.9 | 49.0 |
Mail order houses | 84 | 44.8 | 50.0 |
Offices of physicians | 84 | 44.8 | 49.5 |
Fabric mills, except knitting mills | 84 | 44.8 | 48.5 |
Oil and gas extraction | 87 | 44.7 | 51.1 |
Soap, cleaning compound, and cosmetics manufacturing | 88 | 44.6 | 50.7 |
Construction, and mining and oil and gas field machinery manufacturing | 89 | 44.5 | 50.9 |
Paperboard containers and boxes | 89 | 44.5 | 48.9 |
Plastics product manufacturing | 89 | 44.5 | 48.0 |
Resin, synthetic rubber and fibers, and filaments manufacturing | 89 | 44.5 | 47.1 |
Drycleaning and laundry services | 93 | 44.4 | 51.6 |
Communications, and audio and video equipment manufacturing | 93 | 44.4 | 51.2 |
Sawmills and wood preservation | 93 | 44.4 | 50.8 |
Business, technical, and trade schools and training | 93 | 44.4 | 50.4 |
Motor vehicles, parts and supplies, merchant wholesalers | 93 | 44.4 | 49.2 |
Ship and boat building | 93 | 44.4 | 48.7 |
Individual and family services | 93 | 44.4 | 48.3 |
Miscellaneous durable goods, merchant wholesalers | 93 | 44.4 | 46.5 |
Travel arrangements and reservation services | 101 | 44.3 | 47.8 |
Miscellaneous fabricated metal products manufacturing | 102 | 44.2 | 49.8 |
Dairy product manufacturing | 102 | 44.2 | 48.7 |
Household appliance manufacturing | 104 | 44.1 | 51.4 |
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing | 104 | 44.1 | 48.9 |
Nonferrous metal (except aluminum) production and processing | 106 | 44.0 | 51.5 |
Periodical, book, and directory publishers | 106 | 44.0 | 48.4 |
Glass and glass product manufacturing | 106 | 44.0 | 47.3 |
Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing | 106 | 44.0 | 45.8 |
Seafood and other miscellaneous foods, n.e.c. | 110 | 43.9 | 49.5 |
Services incidental to transportation | 110 | 43.9 | 48.2 |
Motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment manufacturing | 110 | 43.9 | 47.5 |
Specialized design services | 110 | 43.9 | 47.4 |
Hospitals | 110 | 43.9 | 47.3 |
Agricultural implement manufacturing | 115 | 43.8 | 49.6 |
Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores | 115 | 43.8 | 48.6 |
Household appliance stores | 115 | 43.8 | 48.5 |
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 115 | 43.8 | 46.8 |
Apparel, fabrics, and notions, merchant wholesalers | 115 | 43.8 | 44.2 |
Furniture and related product manufacturing | 120 | 43.7 | 49.3 |
Not specified manufacturing industries | 120 | 43.7 | 47.3 |
Engines, turbines, and power transmission equipment manufacturing | 122 | 43.6 | 47.9 |
Civic, social, advocacy organizations, and grantmaking and giving services | 122 | 43.6 | 47.2 |
Offices of chiropractors | 124 | 43.5 | 47.0 |
Structural metals, and boiler, tank, and shipping container manufacturing | 124 | 43.5 | 46.7 |
Vocational rehabilitation services | 124 | 43.5 | 46.2 |
Waste management and remediation services | 127 | 43.4 | 47.7 |
Professional and commercial equipment and supplies, merchant wholesalers | 127 | 43.4 | 45.6 |
Not specified food industries | 129 | 43.3 | 50.0 |
Petroleum refining | 129 | 43.3 | 45.0 |
Drugs, sundries, and chemical and allied products, merchant wholesalers | 131 | 43.2 | 49.1 |
Support activities for agriculture and forestry | 131 | 43.2 | 46.9 |
Tire manufacturing | 131 | 43.2 | 43.0 |
Securities, commodities, funds, trusts, and other financial investments | 134 | 43.1 | 45.3 |
Rubber product, except tire, manufacturing | 134 | 43.1 | 45.0 |
Community food and housing, and emergency services | 136 | 43.0 | 49.2 |
Coating, engraving, heat treating and allied activities | 136 | 43.0 | 47.1 |
Services to buildings and dwellings | 136 | 43.0 | 45.9 |
Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing | 136 | 43.0 | 45.5 |
Scientific research and development services | 140 | 42.8 | 42.7 |
Beverage manufacturing | 141 | 42.7 | 44.0 |
Wired telecommunications carriers | 141 | 42.7 | 43.6 |
Furniture and home furnishings stores | 143 | 42.6 | 47.3 |
Other health care services | 143 | 42.6 | 44.5 |
Construction | 143 | 42.6 | 44.1 |
Cut and sew apparel manufacturing | 143 | 42.6 | 42.6 |
Miscellaneous nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing | 147 | 42.5 | 43.9 |
Justice, public order, and safety activities | 147 | 42.5 | 42.8 |
Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance | 147 | 42.5 | 41.3 |
Lumber and other construction materials, merchant wholesalers | 150 | 42.4 | 45.2 |
Outpatient care centers | 150 | 42.4 | 43.3 |
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance | 150 | 42.4 | 41.9 |
Other direct selling establishments | 153 | 42.3 | 45.8 |
Groceries and related products, merchant wholesalers | 153 | 42.3 | 43.1 |
Recyclable material, merchant wholesalers | 155 | 42.1 | 46.0 |
Automobile dealers | 155 | 42.1 | 44.1 |
Offices of dentists | 155 | 42.1 | 42.9 |
Nursing care facilities | 158 | 42.0 | 45.0 |
Miscellaneous nondurable goods, merchant wholesalers | 158 | 42.0 | 43.1 |
Museums, art galleries, historical sites, and similar institutions | 160 | 41.9 | 46.8 |
Other professional, scientific, and technical services | 160 | 41.9 | 41.3 |
Miscellaneous wood products | 162 | 41.7 | 43.2 |
Data processing, hosting, and related services | 162 | 41.7 | 40.4 |
Colleges and universities, including junior colleges | 164 | 41.6 | 43.8 |
Commercial, industrial, and other intangible assets rental and leasing | 164 | 41.6 | 39.6 |
Software publishers | 164 | 41.6 | 31.3 |
Investigation and security services | 167 | 41.5 | 44.4 |
Other schools and instruction, and educational support services | 168 | 41.4 | 43.7 |
Building material and supplies dealers | 169 | 41.3 | 41.9 |
Automotive repair and maintenance | 169 | 41.3 | 41.6 |
Residential care facilities, without nursing | 171 | 41.2 | 42.7 |
Hardware stores | 172 | 41.1 | 43.3 |
Independent artists, performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries | 172 | 41.1 | 41.6 |
Private households | 174 | 40.9 | 43.9 |
Non-depository credit and related activities | 174 | 40.9 | 39.4 |
Alcoholic beverages, merchant wholesalers | 174 | 40.9 | 36.4 |
Bakeries, except retail | 177 | 40.8 | 40.4 |
Banking and related activities | 177 | 40.8 | 39.5 |
Computer systems design and related services | 177 | 40.8 | 37.0 |
Savings institutions, including credit unions | 180 | 40.7 | 41.4 |
Beauty salons | 181 | 40.6 | 40.0 |
Retail bakeries | 182 | 40.5 | 41.9 |
Advertising and related services | 183 | 40.4 | 37.7 |
Nail salons and other personal care services | 183 | 40.4 | 36.3 |
Beer, wine, and liquor stores | 185 | 40.3 | 42.3 |
Animal slaughtering and processing | 185 | 40.3 | 39.8 |
Other personal services | 187 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
Couriers and messengers | 188 | 40.1 | 38.5 |
Barber shops | 189 | 40.0 | 38.8 |
Employment services | 189 | 40.0 | 37.8 |
Other telecommunications services | 189 | 40.0 | 36.3 |
Radio and television broadcasting and cable subscription programming | 192 | 39.9 | 35.8 |
Sporting and athletic goods, and doll, toy, and game manufacturing | 192 | 39.9 | 35.2 |
Traveler accommodation | 194 | 39.8 | 38.7 |
Warehousing and storage | 194 | 39.8 | 38.4 |
Support activities for mining | 196 | 39.5 | 37.6 |
Landscaping services | 197 | 39.2 | 35.0 |
Business support services | 198 | 39.1 | 37.8 |
Child day care services | 198 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
Health and personal care, except drug, stores | 200 | 38.9 | 37.3 |
Miscellaneous retail stores | 201 | 38.8 | 39.7 |
Not specified retail trade | 201 | 38.8 | 39.2 |
Electronic shopping | 203 | 38.3 | 32.7 |
Music stores | 204 | 38.0 | 40.7 |
Automotive equipment rental and leasing | 204 | 38.0 | 37.8 |
Office supplies and stationery stores | 204 | 38.0 | 37.3 |
Auto parts, accessories, and tire stores | 204 | 38.0 | 37.1 |
Other consumer goods rental | 204 | 38.0 | 31.1 |
Specialty food stores | 209 | 37.8 | 36.5 |
Gasoline stations | 210 | 37.7 | 37.8 |
Department stores and discount stores | 211 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
Veterinary services | 212 | 36.5 | 32.2 |
Other amusement, gambling, and recreation industries | 213 | 36.3 | 34.0 |
Miscellaneous general merchandise stores | 214 | 35.8 | 32.4 |
Pharmacies and drug stores | 215 | 35.5 | 32.1 |
Grocery stores | 216 | 35.4 | 34.6 |
Internet publishing and broadcasting and web search portals | 217 | 35.1 | 25.0 |
Motion pictures and video industries | 218 | 34.8 | 28.6 |
Drinking places, alcoholic beverages | 219 | 34.1 | 29.9 |
Book stores and news dealers | 220 | 34.0 | 33.3 |
Radio, TV, and computer stores | 220 | 34.0 | 26.6 |
Recreational vehicle parks and camps, and rooming and boarding houses | 222 | 33.7 | 40.4 |
Sporting goods, camera, and hobby and toy stores | 223 | 31.7 | 29.5 |
Car washes | 224 | 31.6 | 19.3 |
Clothing stores | 225 | 28.7 | 24.8 |
Restaurants and other food services | 226 | 28.6 | 20.2 |
Shoe stores | 227 | 24.2 | 18.0 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey (CPS). Smaller industries (35 total) with unpublished median ages are not shown.