Everyone keeps talking about how amazing it is to be a teenager, but only a few people remember the struggles of living in a world where jobs for teens aren’t a given.
Yes, you have plenty of time and energy to do anything you want - but your range of activities is very much limited by your lack of steady income.
Your parents probably aren’t very keen on financing your every other spending either; instead, they tell you to just get one out of the countless jobs for teenagers out there.
Well, countless might be an exaggeration, but we guarantee you there are jobs for teens out there.
Don’t know where or how to look?
You’ve come to the right place!
- How to Find Jobs as a Teenager
- 10 Best Jobs for Teenagers
- 9 Best Online Jobs for Teenagers
- 5 Best Highest-Paying Jobs for Teenagers
- 8 Best Summer Jobs for Teenagers
- Other Job-Search Resources for Teens
So, let’s get started!
How to Find Jobs as a Teenager
We know that finding jobs for teenagers comes with its limitations.
First, there’s school and homework to consider. This means that when it comes to jobs for teens, the only options are part-time work and summer jobs.
Second, you lack the qualifications required for most ‘adult’ jobs, and that doesn’t leave you with many options (especially in terms of pay). Sure, you get paid in tons of experience, but you can’t buy that new smartphone with experience, can you?
So, despite these 2 limitations, what can you do to find a job as a teenager?
Here are the most effective - and fastest - ways to find the best jobs for teens on the internet.
Use Job Sites
Job sites are your best chance at finding the kind of job you’re looking for. Particularly, they can help you find:
- Jobs for teens online
- Summer jobs for teens
- Jobs for teens near you
- Highest-paying jobs for teens
What are these magic sites we’re referring to? Indeed, Snag, Glassdoor, Monster, and LinkedIn, among others.
Not all are equally great at yielding results, though, so we’re going to show you how to use Indeed, as it has the most job listings out of the five.
Here’s how you can use the job board to find jobs for teens:
Go on Indeed and type “teen” in the search box (that’s the box that says “what”). Input your location into the “where” box and press “find jobs,” or hit enter.
You just got your first round of jobs for teens - all near you. There are also several options to filter through. So, if you want to check out the highest-paying jobs for teens, press the “salary estimate” drop-down menu and you can see how many jobs are available for each pay rate.
You can do the same to find summer jobs and online jobs.
So, to find summer jobs, type “teen summer” and input your location, while to find online jobs, type “teen” and then “remote” in the “where” search box.
Be the first to see jobs for teens right as they’re posted by activating new job alerts!
Piece of cake, right?
Use Google
Yeap, you read that right. You can find jobs for teens just by searching Google.
So if the job sites we listed didn’t come up with jobs for teens that interest you, there’s hardly any reason to get demotivated. Here’s how to get more results through Google:
- Type “teen” “jobs” or any of its variations in the Google search bar. Yes, use quotation marks for each word. Doing so tells Google to find the exact match for the words you’re looking for.
- Hurray, jobs! Rejoice at all the additional results you just got.
- Filter your options by specifying your location
And you’re good to go!
Now, if you’re not sure what kind of job you want to do, check out our lists below!
We’ll cover the best jobs for teens, best online jobs for teens, best summer jobs for teens, and the highest-paying jobs for teens.
If you’re 14 or 15-years-old, you can only work up to three hours a day in the US. If that’s your case, finding a traditional job can be a bit tough.
So instead, you can try asking your relatives to mow their lawns, babysit their kids, or do something more entrepreneurial like setting up a lemonade stand.
10 Best Jobs for Teenagers
Obviously, what a “best job for teens” is depends on what you value.
Do you want a job that pays well? Or a flexible schedule?
Maybe you just want a job that aligns with your hobbies and interests?
Point is, your definition of best probably varies based on what you’re looking for. And since the majority of teenagers don’t really know what they want to be when they’re older, there’s no harm in using this period of your life to try many different options.
So, our list of best jobs for teens consists of various types of decent-paying jobs for teens that won’t take too much of your free time (or energy).
#1. Dog walker
National hourly pay: $15.23
We thought to start with a job that might just fit everyone’s definition of “best job for teens.” Dog walking requires that you walk and care for dogs while their owners are away.
This includes feeding them, walking them, and ensuring they get enough exercise.
Downside? You will need to walk them no matter the weather.
Upside? Dogs!
#2. Babysitter
National hourly pay: $16.13
Dogs not really your thing? You can look after children/babies when their parents are away instead. Basic duties include feeding, bathing, and/or transporting children.
You will most likely also need to participate in courses to get certified in first-aid practices. Yes, tending after babies takes a tad more responsibility. On the upside, you also get paid more.
#3. Library assistant
National hourly pay: $13.28
Not big on dogs nor babies? How about books, then?
As a library assistant, you will help visitors find and check out books. Additional duties might include helping librarians do inventory, shelving books, or digitizing old documents.
#4. Tutor
National hourly pay: $21.31
Brains pay. As a tutor, you’ll get paid to help struggling students improve on certain subjects. An essential part of the job is explaining complex concepts in simpler terms and teaching more effective methods of learning.
#5. Landscape Laborer
National hourly pay: $12.65
Landscape laborers take care of the outdoor properties of their employers. This involves mowing lawns, spreading fertilizer, watering plants, and trimming trees to make lawns pretty to look at.
You might be given additional tasks by your employers, but all are outdoor activities - which is pretty cool if you ask us.
#6. Concession Stand Worker
National hourly pay: $11.35
In this job, you will serve people food and drinks at the concession stands of different events. This involves taking their orders, processing the payment, and giving back change. You will also be responsible for keeping the concession stand clean.
#7. Daycare assistant
National hourly pay: $11.19
Daycare assistants look after children in daycare facilities. Some of the tasks involve changing diapers, potty training, feeding, and reading children’s stories.
You can come up with different activities to keep them engaged, but we’re afraid you won’t be able to escape at least some diaper changing.
#8. Kennel assistant
National hourly pay: $10.54
As a kennel assistant, you’ll work in animal shelters and veterinary clinics to tend after dogs and cats.
You’ll feed them, bathe them, give them medications, groom them, and clean their cages. You may also be tasked with checking in guests dropping off their pets, but that’s about it with human interaction.
#9. Grocery store cashier
National hourly pay: $10.55
Cashiers scan customers’ items, pack them, take and process payments and return change. They may also stock shelves, do inventory, and help customers find items.
#10. House-cleaner
National hourly pay: $13.20
House cleaners are in charge of keeping houses, or specific rooms, clean. This involves the typical chores your mom probably makes you do at your own house: sweeping and vacuuming, washing clothes and dishes, or dusting and wiping surfaces.
If you’re new at this, look at it as your chance to practice for the adult life ahead of you.
In addition to the cash, all these jobs will help you acquire several soft skills that will come in handy for your future profession - whenever you decide what that is. You’ll thank us later!
9 Best Online Jobs for Teenagers
So you’ve decided you’re not the office type early on? The internet’s got your back - again.
Below you can find the best online jobs for teens:
- Completing surveys: Survey sites like Survey Junkie or LifePoints will pay you to complete surveys online. It’s an easy job you can easily do from anywhere, as long as you have the time.
- Watching ads: Yeap, you heard it. Sites like InboxDollars will pay you to do tasks like watching ads. Since you already do it, why not make money out of it?
- Doing data entry: Data entry jobs online will pay teenagers who are 18 or 19-years-old fairly well to input data.
- Tutoring English: If you’re good at English, you can get one of the best-paying online jobs for teens. Sites like tutorme.com are a great place to start.
- Reviewing music: Different sites, like Slice The Pie, will pay you money to review music, clothes, and more. The amount depends on the quality of your review.
- Customer service: Average pay starts at $10/hr for customer service representatives. All you need is a headset, a good internet connection, and to be 16-years old or more.
- Blogging: Blogging might not be the best way to make money now, but it can be a great first step to generate a steady income in your foreseeable future. Start by choosing a topic that you love and know a lot about to share your insights on. Over time, if you get traffic on your blog, you can use ads or affiliate links to monetize the blog.
- Reviewing calls: If you’re 17 or older, you can review calls for quality purposes. Sites like Humanatic.com hire people to listen to recorded calls and then review their quality.
- Selling stuff/art online: Marketplaces like Decluttr, eBay, or Amazon are the modern yard sale spaces. Got stuff you no longer use lying around? Go for it! Make stuff you think people will like? Why not try selling them online?
5 Highest-Paying Jobs for Teenagers
If you want to start making good money before you even hit 20, we don’t blame you. That new smartphone ain’t gonna buy itself!
We listed out the highest-paying jobs for teenagers so that you don’t waste more time:
- Restaurant team member: There are many things teens can do in restaurants, from hosting to serving, doing dishes, and cooking. The average pay is $11.63, but it can be considerably higher if you can accept tips.
- Package delivery driver: Package delivery drivers pick up packages and take them to specific locations. They need to do so in a timely manner and without damaging the packages - for $16.81 per hour.
- Retail sales associate: Retail is a good option for teens despite the fact that jobs in the field are expected to drop in the near future. Teens are expected to stock shelves or help customers for $13.13 an hour.
- Barista: Baristas work in coffee shops, where they prepare and serve beverages (non-alcoholic), greet customers, take inventory and keep the shop clean - for $12.59 per hour.
- Package sorter: Depending on the warehouse, package sorters may be required to also sort inventory or prepare items for shipping. The median hourly wage for package sorters is $14.66.
Want to apply for these jobs, but your lack of experience is holding you back? We got you! Head over to our guide on how to write a resume with no experience and learn how to do it the right way!
8 Best Summer Jobs for Teenagers
Some extra cash can make your summer considerably better. Plus, a lot of places can use an extra hand as temperatures rise and outdoor activities become essential.
This is your time to shine. You’re young, energetic, and (probably) on vacation. And with our list to guide you, nothing can stop you.
Here are the best ideas for summer jobs for teens:
- Camp counselor: Camp counselors make sure campers are safe and have enjoyable experiences. They also organize activities and ensure rules are followed. The average national pay is $12.65 per hour.
- Lifeguard: Lifeguards work at pools, beaches, or waterparks to keep guests safe. They are certified in CPR and first aid. The average pay is $11.81 per hour.
- Fun park attendant: Amusement parks become more popular in the summer and they’ll gladly hire teens to operate rides, sell tickets, or handle food stands. You can make $11.70 working as a fun park attendant.
- Golf caddy: In this job, you can earn $18.35 per hour to carry players’ clubs between holes. Plus, there’s the option for tips, too.
- Car wash attendant: Car wash attendants wash and shine cars. You can earn $10.17 per hour in this type of job.
- Resort desk clerk: Work peaks during the summer in resorts and they will usually hire teens to help with the extra work. You can earn around $12.47 per hour for your help.
- Movie theater employee: Movie theater employees make around $9.00 per hour for ticket duty, concession stand work, or cleaning up after guests leave. Discounted or free movie tickets come with the job description too.
- Beach rental clerk: If you live near the beach, this is one of the best summer jobs for teens. It involves taking reservations and processing payments, among other things. You could earn $12.23 per hour doing this.
Other Job-Search Resources for Teens
Finding a teen job (s) that you like is just the first step. Now you've got to actually get the job.
And if your job searching experience begins and ends with this article, you might have a few questions on how to go about that.
No need to panic. There are several resources that can make the whole process WAY easier.
Check out some of our top resources on resumes, careers, and job search below!
Key Takeaways
And we’re done! We hope this article will make the process of finding a job for teens that you like easier.
Here are the main points we covered:
- The best ways to find jobs for teens are through Google or job sites like Indeed and Snag.
- Navigate job sites by using keywords like “teen’ and “teen summer,” in combination with your location, or “teen” and “remote” if you want to explore jobs for teens online.
- If you’re 14 or 15-years-old, you can only work up to three hours a day in the US.
- Don’t get demotivated if your first job as a teen isn’t what you expected - the experience and soft skills that you’re gaining are definitely worth it!