How Many Jobs Will You Have? BLS Data on Job-Hopping Over a Career
- People born in 1957–64 held an average of 12.9 jobs from ages 18 to 58.
- They held 5.6 jobs at ages 18 to 24, but only 2.2 at ages 45 to 54 and 1.3 at ages 55 to 58.
- Inflation-adjusted hourly earnings grew fastest in their late teens and early twenties.
Job changes are a big part of how people raise their pay, especially early in a career. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 has followed the same group of 9,964 people since they were ages 14 to 22, most recently interviewed in 2022–23 at ages 57 to 66 (BLS Number of Jobs, Labor Market Experience… (NLSY79)).
Jobs held by age
| Age range | Average jobs held |
|---|---|
| 18–24 | 5.6 |
| 25–34 | 4.5 |
| 35–44 | 2.9 |
| 45–54 | 2.2 |
| 55–58 | 1.3 |
| Total, 18–58 | 12.9 |
Jobs that spanned more than one age group were counted in each, so the total is less than the sum. More than 40% of all jobs were held at ages 18 to 24.
Short jobs never fully go away
Among jobs started at ages 45 to 54, 21% ended in less than a year and 56% ended in fewer than five years.
Work time and earnings growth
On average, this group was employed during 77% of weeks from ages 18 to 58; 83% for men and 72% for women. Women spent 24% of weeks out of the labor force versus 12% for men. Growth in inflation-adjusted hourly earnings was highest in the late teens and early twenties, and generally higher for workers with a bachelor’s degree or more.
Training keeps paying
By age 58, 75% had received training outside regular schooling. That ranged from 42% of those without a high school diploma to 87% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Lessons for your own pay
- Early-career job changes are normal and are when pay grows fastest.
- Mid-career, fewer moves means each one matters more; negotiate hard.
- Keep training; it was common across every education level.
Published October 27, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original graphic by JobPayRaise.com.
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For today’s market: in August 2026, 3.1 million workers quit their jobs, a quit rate of 1.9%, while employers made 5.2 million hires. Source: BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover, August 2026.