By the numbersLast updated: November 2026
Retirement coaching by the numbers
Published research shows the emotional side of retirement is significant: one meta-analysis found 28% of retirees experience depression. Below, Rarified Life collects the most useful published figures on retirement wellbeing, coaching costs and the coaching industry, each with its source.
Why does retirement coaching matter, according to the data?
Because leaving a career affects wellbeing, not just finances. Rarified Life compiled these figures to help readers see the transition clearly. None of them are Rarified Life’s own results; each is attributed to the page that published it, with its dates and conditions preserved.
Wellbeing
Retirement, health and wellbeing
- 28%of retirees experience depression, according to a meta-analysis, with a 40% spike in self-reported depression during the first years after retiring (PMC, 2020/2022). Source: Retirement Coaching: An Emerging Niche for 2026 (lifecoachingcertification.net)
- About halfof the workers followed in one study had fully retired at follow-up, either voluntarily or involuntarily, and 10% worked after retirement. Source: Does Retirement Change What Individuals Value in Life? (PMC)
- 36% vs 45%of caregivers vs non-caregivers said their health is excellent or very good. Caregivers were also more likely to be female. Source: Caregivers and Retirement: Findings From the 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey (EBRI)
- 76%of workers report burnout. Source: Retirement Coaching: An Emerging Niche for 2026 (lifecoachingcertification.net)
Costs
What retirement coaching costs
- $150 to $300per session is what retirement coaches typically charge, with group workshops and encore career programs also offered. Source: Retirement Coaching: An Emerging Niche for 2026 (lifecoachingcertification.net)
- $125 to $1,000per hour: an expert quoted by AARP says rates run from $125 to $150 an hour up to $800 to $1,000 per hour in major cities like Boston, Miami or San Francisco, depending on where you live. Source: Do You Need a Retirement Coach? (AARP)
- $3,600flat fee for six months, charged by one retirement coach described by AARP. Source: Do You Need a Retirement Coach? (AARP)
Industry
The coaching industry
- 30%uptick in retirement coaching demand as baby boomers retire, with coaches addressing identity, purpose and relationships, not just money. Source: Retirement Coaching: An Emerging Niche for 2026 (lifecoachingcertification.net)
- $5.34 billionin global coaching industry revenue, reported by the 2025 ICF Global Coaching Study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, described as nearly double the $2.85 billion in 2023. Source: Retirement Coaching: An Emerging Niche for 2026 (lifecoachingcertification.net)
- $9.5 billionis the projected size of the coaching industry by 2032, up from a value of over $5.3 billion. Source: 70+ Latest Coaching Statistics: ROI, Growth and AI, 2026 (luisazhou.com)
Which coaching statistics should you treat with caution?
Return-on-investment figures. According to Leaders ADAPT, the most cited executive coaching ROI figure, 788 percent, comes from a single Fortune 500 case study published in 2001, and the second most cited, a 7x median return, comes from a 2009 survey in which only 9 percent of respondents could supply the underlying figures. Other pages state that organizations typically see $5 to $7 in ROI per dollar spent on coaching. Those figures concern executive coaching in organizations, not retirement coaching, so Rarified Life does not use them to make claims about Preferment.
To see how these numbers inform our recommendations, read our approach, or return to retirement coaching.
Common questions
- Is retirement coaching worth it?
- It depends on what feels hardest. If money is settled but your days feel empty, or your identity was wrapped up in your job, coaching works on exactly that. lifecoachingcertification.net summarizes a meta-analysis finding 28% of retirees experience depression, a sign the emotional side deserves attention. Coaching is not therapy or medical care. More in the FAQ
- How much does retirement coaching cost?
- Prices vary widely. lifecoachingcertification.net reports retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session. AARP quotes an expert saying rates run from $125 to $150 an hour up to $800 to $1,000 an hour in major cities like Boston, Miami or San Francisco. Rarified Life’s 8-week Preferment course has its own published price. More in the FAQ
- What do retirement coaching clients actually struggle with?
- Common themes are identity, purpose and relationships, not just money. lifecoachingcertification.net reports a 30% uptick in retirement coaching demand as baby boomers retire, with coaches addressing exactly those areas. Rarified Life’s modules on Identity, Motivation and Alignment address these themes directly, in sequence. More in the FAQ
- Does retirement change what people value?
- Researchers have studied it directly. A study on PMC titled "Does Retirement Change What Individuals Value in Life" followed workers over time; around half had fully retired at follow-up, and 10% worked after retirement. Rarified Life’s Alignment module helps you take stock of your values as they are now, not as they were at work. More in the FAQ
- Is retirement coaching useful if I was pushed into retiring?
- Yes, coaching can help with any exit, planned or not, because the identity and structure questions are similar. A study published on PMC found that around half of the people it followed had fully retired at follow-up, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Rarified Life’s offers focus on designing what comes next. More in the FAQ
Start with the free presentation
Watch the free presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s, then decide whether the 8-week Preferment course is your next step. Questions first? Contact Rarified Life.