Best Coast FIRE Jobs: 15 Low-Stress Careers After Financial Independence (2026)
After Coast FIRE, you work to cover living expenses - not to build wealth. Here are the best careers for this phase of life.
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The Big Picture
After Coast FIRE, you only need to earn enough to cover current living expenses - no retirement savings needed. For most people, that is $30-60k/year. This opens up careers you would never consider when chasing a high salary: teaching, park ranger, librarian, part-time consulting, or running a small business you love.
What Makes a Good Coast FIRE Job
Your priorities flip after Coast FIRE. Instead of optimizing for income, you optimize for life. Here is what matters most:
Prioritize
- + Low/manageable stress
- + Schedule flexibility
- + Work you find meaningful
- + Health insurance (if needed)
- + Location independence
- + Positive work environment
De-prioritize
- - Maximum salary
- - Career advancement
- - Prestige or title
- - Stock options / bonuses
- - 401(k) match size
- - Long-term growth potential
15 Best Coast FIRE Jobs
These jobs balance income, flexibility, stress levels, and personal fulfillment. We grouped them by category.
Leverage Your Existing Skills
| Job | Typical Pay | Hours/Week | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Part-time Consultant | $50-150/hr | 10-20 | Use your expertise, set your schedule, highest $/hour |
| 2. Freelance Writer/Designer | $40-100/hr | 15-25 | Fully remote, project-based, creative freedom |
| 3. Adjunct Professor | $30-60k/yr | 15-25 | Share knowledge, flexible schedule, summers off |
| 4. Part-time Bookkeeper | $25-50/hr | 10-20 | Steady demand, remote-friendly, low stress |
| 5. Technical Trainer | $40-80/hr | 10-20 | Teach workshops, corporate training, flexible |
Lifestyle-First Careers
| Job | Typical Pay | Hours/Week | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. Park Ranger / Outdoor Guide | $30-45k/yr | 30-40 | Outdoors, meaningful, often includes housing |
| 7. Librarian / Library Assistant | $30-55k/yr | 20-35 | Quiet environment, community-oriented, benefits |
| 8. Yoga / Fitness Instructor | $30-60k/yr | 15-25 | Stay healthy, flexible hours, community |
| 9. Substitute Teacher | $25-40k/yr | 20-30 | Work when you want, summers free, no take-home work |
| 10. Pet Sitter / Dog Walker | $25-45k/yr | 20-30 | Low stress, outdoors, set your own clients |
Benefits-Eligible Positions
| Job | Typical Pay | Hours/Week | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. Government / Municipal Worker | $35-55k/yr | 35-40 | Excellent benefits, pension, job security, low stress |
| 12. School Staff (aide, admin) | $28-42k/yr | 30-35 | Benefits, summers off, matches kid schedules |
| 13. Costco / REI Associate | $35-50k/yr | 25-35 | Part-time benefits, good pay, employee discounts |
| 14. Nonprofit Program Manager | $40-60k/yr | 30-40 | Meaningful work, benefits, typically low-pressure |
| 15. UPS / USPS Carrier | $40-55k/yr | 30-40 | Union benefits, physical activity, pension, predictable |
How close are you to Coast FIRE?
Find out if you can start exploring these career options.
Check Your NumberThe Consulting Path: Highest Income, Most Flexibility
If you have 5+ years of professional experience, part-time consulting is often the best Coast FIRE career. You leverage skills you already have, charge premium rates, and work fewer hours than any other option.
Consulting Math
A former marketing manager charging $75/hour and working 15 hours/week earns $58,500/year. That covers most people's Coast FIRE expenses while working less than half time.
A former software engineer consulting at $125/hour for 10 hours/week earns $65,000/year. That is two days of work per week, with five days for everything else.
How to start:
- Tell your current employer you are leaving but available for contract work
- Update LinkedIn to show “Available for consulting” in your specialty
- Start with 2-3 clients from your professional network
- Set a minimum rate of 1.5x your previous hourly equivalent
- Say no to projects that recreate the stress you left behind
Solving the Health Insurance Problem
Health insurance is the #1 concern for people leaving traditional employment. Here are your options, roughly ordered by cost-effectiveness:
| Option | Cost (family) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse's employer plan | $0-500/mo | Best option if available |
| Part-time employer (Costco, Starbucks, UPS) | $100-400/mo | Often requires 20+ hrs/week |
| ACA Marketplace with subsidies | $0-800/mo | Big subsidies below ~$60k household income |
| Health sharing ministry | $200-500/mo | Not insurance; faith-based, limited coverage |
| COBRA (temporary) | $1,500-2,500/mo | Expensive but bridges gaps; 18 months max |
The ACA marketplace is the most common solution for Coast FIRE workers. At a household income of $50k, a family of four can often find plans for $200-400/month after subsidies. Keep your income below the subsidy cliff for maximum savings.
How Much Income Do You Actually Need?
The magic of Coast FIRE: your required income drops significantly because you stop saving for retirement. Here is what that looks like:
| Expense Category | Before Coast FIRE | After Coast FIRE |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Food & groceries | $800 | $800 |
| Transportation | $500 | $300 |
| Insurance | $400 | $400 |
| Retirement savings | $2,000 | $0 |
| Other | $800 | $800 |
| Total Monthly Need | $6,500 | $4,300 |
| Annual Income Needed | $78,000 | $51,600 |
Example for a single person in a medium-cost city. Your numbers will vary.
In this example, hitting Coast FIRE reduces your required income from $78k to $52k - a 34% drop. That is the difference between needing a full-time corporate job and being able to work 3 days a week as a consultant.
Making the Transition
Leaving a high-paying career is psychologically harder than the math suggests. Here is how to make the switch smoothly:
1. Build a transition buffer
Save 6-12 months of expenses in cash before switching careers. This covers income gaps, lower initial pay, and the adjustment period. It also reduces anxiety during the transition.
2. Test the new career first
Freelance on weekends. Volunteer at the library. Teach a community college course as an adjunct. Try the Coast FIRE job before quitting your current one. Many people romanticize career changes only to discover the reality differs.
3. Negotiate a gradual exit
Ask your employer about going part-time, job sharing, or becoming a contractor. Many companies prefer keeping institutional knowledge at reduced hours over losing you entirely.
4. Solve health insurance first
Before giving notice, have a concrete health insurance plan. Whether it is ACA marketplace, a spouse's plan, or a benefits-eligible part-time position - lock this down first. It is the biggest practical barrier.
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Coast FIRE CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
What kind of job should you get after Coast FIRE?
The ideal Coast FIRE job covers your living expenses, has low stress, offers flexibility, and ideally provides health insurance. Common choices include part-time consulting in your field, teaching, government work, nonprofit roles, or trades you enjoy. The key is choosing based on lifestyle, not salary maximization.
How much do you need to earn in a Coast FIRE job?
You need to cover current living expenses only - no retirement savings required. For a single person, this might be $30-45k/year. For a family, $50-80k. Since you are not saving for retirement, your required income drops significantly compared to your accumulation phase.
Can you get health insurance with a Coast FIRE job?
Yes, several ways: employer-sponsored insurance (even part-time at companies like Starbucks, Costco, UPS, or REI), ACA marketplace plans (subsidies available under ~$60k income for a couple), a spouse's plan, or COBRA temporarily. Health insurance is the #1 concern for Coast FIRE job seekers.
Should I stay in my current field after Coast FIRE?
Staying in your field as a part-time consultant or contractor often pays the most for the least hours. But if you dislike your field, Coast FIRE is your chance to switch. Many people find meaning in teaching, trades, creative work, or service roles they could not afford to pursue before.
Can freelancing work as a Coast FIRE career?
Freelancing is one of the best Coast FIRE careers because you control your hours and income. Many former corporate workers freelance 15-25 hours/week in their skill area (writing, design, development, marketing, finance) and earn enough to cover expenses with maximum flexibility.
What is the difference between a Coast FIRE job and a Barista FIRE job?
They are similar but Coast FIRE jobs only need to cover living expenses (retirement is handled by compound growth). Barista FIRE jobs need to cover expenses PLUS provide health insurance specifically, since Barista FIRE often involves part-time work at benefits-eligible companies. Coast FIRE jobs have more flexibility since the income threshold is the only requirement.