Age Discrimination Holds Steady Among Older Workers in 2025

Age discrimination against older workers is a persistent problem. Its negative impact on getting and keeping jobs is detrimental to a worker’s financial security, retirement security, and ability to access benefits like health insurance.

Consistent with previous data (first Work and Jobs Data Trend Series), this second wave of research shows that about two-thirds (64%) of workers age 50-plus have reported seeing or experiencing age discrimination in the workplace, a proportion that has not changed since 2024. In fact, 22% (in both 2024 and 2025) feel like they are being pushed out of their job because of their age. These levels were also high in 2024 (when last measured) for African American/Black (AA/B) older workers (74%), Hispanic/Latino (H/L) older workers (62%), and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) older workers (67%).

Of those who have seen or experienced it, nearly all (91% in 2025; 90% in 2024) in the general population believe age discrimination toward older workers is common, including 36% who believe it is very common. Similarly, in 2024 93% of AA/B, 86% of H/L, and 87% of AAPI older workers said that it is common.

In addition to asking about age discrimination in general, we explored more subtle forms of age discrimination that can impact an older worker’s experience. Our study finds that subtle forms of age discrimination have been experienced by a consistent 60% of workers 50-plus (in both 2024 and 2025). These include assuming older employees are less tech savvy (33% in each wave), assuming older employees are resistant to change (24% in 2025; 25 % in 2024), not acknowledging older employees’ accomplishments or expertise (20% in 2025; 22% in 2024), making jokes about different generations (21% in 2025; 22% in 2024) and giving preference to younger employees for training (20% in each wave). And, of those who have experienced these subtler forms of age discrimination, 79% believe they are common (85% in 2024), including 29% who say they are very common (32% in 2024).

The most common forms of subtle age discrimination were the same in 2024 for AA/B, H/L, and AAPI older workers as for the general population, but at higher rates. Subtle forms of age discrimination had been experienced by 72% of AA/B, 66% of H/L, and 73% of AAPI older workers.

No workplace seems to be immune from subtle forms of age discrimination, as workers 50-plus have experienced them in job searches (37%; 30% in 2024), in work meetings (22%; 29% in 2024), at social events outside of work (19%; 24% in 2024) and with senior leadership on the job (16%; 18% in 2025).

Similarly, AA/B, H/L, and AAPI older workers most commonly experienced subtle forms of age discrimination in the job search process when surveyed in 2024 (39% AA/B, 43% H/L, 45% AAPI), followed by work meetings (25% AA/B, 26% H/L, 21% AAPI). They also experienced it in one-on-one situations (28% AA/B, 35% H/L, 26% AAPI) and with senior leadership (21% AA/B, 21% H/L, 14% AAPI).

Notably, 38% of AA/B, 41% of H/L and 35% of AAPI respondents reported that they feel like they are being pushed out of their job because of their age either all or some of the time.

Methodology

General population interviews were conducted in two waves: Wave 1: June 13–17, 2024 and July 18–24, 2024; Wave 2: June 12–16, 2025 and July 17–28, 2025 among 901 (2024) and 1,656 (2025) U.S. adults age 50-plus who were in the labor force (i.e., either working or looking for work) using the Foresight 50+ Omnibus.

Multicultural oversample interviews were conducted September 18–October 11, 2024, among 937 African American/Black, 508 Hispanic/Latino, and 502 Asian American and Pacific Islander U.S. adults 50-plus who were in the labor force, using NORC’s AmeriSpeak panel and nonprobability panel.

Both Foresight 50+ and AmeriSpeak panel are probability-based panels designed to be representative of the U.S. household population. Interviews were conducted online and via telephone. All data are weighted to the latest Current Population Survey (CPS) benchmarks developed by the U.S. Census Bureau and are balanced by gender, age, education, race/ethnicity and region.

For more information about this survey, please contact Rebecca Perron at rperron@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.