Academics and the Transition to Retirement

The purposes of this study were (a) to provide descriptive information on the transition of academics to retirement and (b) to compare factors related to satisfaction of academics before and after retirement. One hundred four professors who were retiring from a major state university were interviewed several months before retirement and 1 year after retirement. Correlational analysis showed that health, rated importance of teaching, research and consulting roles, and rated importance of leisure activities were positively related to satisfaction both before and in retirement. Perceived financial adequacy, number of hours per week spent in consulting, and participation in unpaid, voluntary activities were positively related to satisfaction in retirement only. Multiple regression results showed that self‐perceived health was the most consistent predictor of satisfaction before retirement, whereas rated importance of research or other creative work was the most consistent predictor of satisfaction in retirement.