5 Great Tech Jobs for the 50+

Annual pay range: $32,912 to $70,879, according to PayScale. The highest-paid workers, however, earned more than $81,260, according to the BLS.

Qualifications: You may need certifications from a technical school or community college in specialties such as Cisco Networking and Microsoft Access. Employers often will provide on-the-job training about their specific product or service.

Something to keep in mind: For in-house positions, there may be some real-world heavy lifting — desktop computers and monitors can weigh up to 25 pounds.

3. Web search evaluator

The nitty-gritty: Skip the algorithms prowling beneath the cyber surface. Web-based companies and services need the human touch, too. Your job is to play the role of a typical user and rate the quality of the results of a posted internet query, so as to help clients improve the relevance of their search engine results and performance. This is generally an independent contract, part-time venture — plan on around 20 hours a week.

Firms that hire evaluators include Lionbridge, Ap pen and Leapforce.

Annual pay range: The average salary is $27,500, according to Glassdoor. Hourly pay typically runs $13.50 to $15. However, you may be paid per task.

Qualifications: Before hiring, many companies will give you a basic course on their operations and then require you to pass a qualifying exam. You'll need a high-speed internet connection and a computer or mobile device such as an Android phone or iPhone.

4. Digital marketing specialist

The nitty-gritty: Do you have a mind for clickbait? Your job is to ramp up your employer's following on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat. You may also be tasked with tweaking the website's design and keeping it updated and accurate.

Annual pay range: $31,000 to $66,000, according to Glassdoor.com. Salaries vary widely by location. In Washington, D.C., for example, a digital marketing specialist can make $67,900, which is 58 percent higher than the national median.

Qualifications: Strong writing and communications skills are essential. You'll want to be comfortable creating HTML content and working with software packages such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop and Illustrator) and Microsoft Office.

5. Technical writer

The nitty gritty: Writers, get your typing fingers limbered up. If clearly explaining techie topics appeals to you, look no further. The rise of high-tech products in the home and the workplace, and the increasing complexity of medical and scientific information in daily living, are creating many openings for technical writers. These gigs come in a variety of flavors — part time, telecommuting and home-based projects — and run the gamut from writing how-to manuals to tutorials and "frequently asked questions" pages. You might also find yourself writing grant applications.

Annual pay ranges: The median technical writer salary is $54,027, with a range typically between $46,424 and $62,277, according to Salary.com.

Qualifications: Top-drawer writing skills and a yen for technology and scientific subjects. The Society for Technical Communication and other associations offer certification for technical writers. The American Medical Writers Association offers extensive continuing education programs and certificates in medical writing. And some employers provide short-term on-the-job training.

Kerry Hannon is a career transition expert and an award-winning author. Her latest book is Getting the Job You Want After 50 for Dummies. She has also written Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness and Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy—and Pays the Bills. Find more from Kerry at Kerryhannon.com.