Jobs that hire at 16 and pay good

It’s not easy to find a job as a teenager. Many jobs have age or experience requirements that you might not meet.

On top of that, you need to juggle schoolwork, extracurriculars, and your social life. Finding a position that fits into your schedule and pays decently is challenging.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of opportunities for teens to make some extra money and gain valuable experience, both in-person and online.

In this article you’ll find:

  • The 20 best jobs for teens
  • 10 part-time online jobs for teenagers
  • The best summer jobs for teens
  • 6 high paying jobs for teens
  • Tips on how to get a job as a teenager

20 of the best jobs for teens

Here are 20 good first jobs for teenagers to start gaining working experience:

1. Babysitter

Babysitting is one of the easiest jobs to get as a teenager because there’s no age requirement, you can set your own rate, and it fits well into a busy schedule. Additionally, if you have younger siblings you probably have most of the skills needed for the job already.

If you feel comfortable looking after young children, there’s a good chance family friends or people in your neighborhood need a reliable babysitter.

Average pay: The average pay for a babysitter is about $18.36 per hour. However, your pay rate will differ depending on where you live and how much experience you have.

2. Restaurant busser

Bussers are restaurant workers responsible for making sure tables are cleaned and set properly for new customers.

Bussing tables is one of the most entry-level positions in a restaurant, and very rarely requires past work experience – which makes it an ideal job for teenagers.

Average pay: Typically bussers make a minimum hourly wage. However, some restaurants tip out their bussing staff along with their servers, so it’s possible to make more depending on the establishment you work at.

3. Fast food attendant

While working at McDonald’s or Subway isn’t glamorous, a position as a fast-food worker comes with a reliable paycheck and flexible shifts. Additionally, fast food restaurants frequently hire teenagers who are still in school, so you don’t need previous experience to apply.

Fast food restaurants are also notoriously fast-paced environments, which is sure to give you some good time management skills for your future career.

Average pay: The average pay for an entry-level fast food worker is between $8 and $13 per hour, and will vary depending on your state’s minimum wage.

4. Supermarket cashier or bagger

Live near a supermarket? There’s a good chance they’re hiring cashiers or baggers if you’re looking for work.

Both these positions require no experience and are commonly staffed by teenagers. If you’re younger (like 14 to 16) or aren’t confident in your math skills, then a bagging position is a great starting job.

But if you think you’re cut out to operate the cash register, then cashier positions typically pay slightly better. Just be sure to emphasize your math and customer service skills on your resume for the grocery store cashier position.

Average pay: The average wage for a supermarket cashier is about $10.75 per hour, while baggers make minimum wage.

5. Dog walker

Love dogs? Confident that you could handle more than one at a time? Then a position as a dog walker is the perfect fit for you.

Dog walking requires no work experience and has flexible hours, making it a good job for teens. You can commonly find dog walking jobs through apps like Wag! or Rover, or through a dedicated service.

Average pay: The average salary for a dog walker is $15.03, making it one of the better paying jobs for teens.

6. Tutor

Straight-A student? Then a job as a tutor might be the best option for you.

Helping younger students with their homework is a great way to put what you’ve studied to good use and make some extra money. Additionally, tutoring is usually done after school, helping it fit nicely into any teenager’s schedule.

Average pay: Tutors make an average amount of $18.16 per hour. However, this will vary depending on your experience and the minimum wage in your state.

7. Landscaper

If you don’t mind physical labor, landscaping is a great job for teens because it requires no former work experience and pays relatively well.

Work as a landscaper can include anything from mowing your neighbor’s lawn to working with a professional landscaping company. However, the more professional landscaping jobs typically require prior experience or some kind of connection with the hiring manager.

Average pay: The average hourly rate for a landscaper is $13.81.

8. Golf caddy

Live near a country club and interested in golf? Then a position as a caddy might be a good starting job for you.

While caddies are less common now at public golf courses, country clubs still frequently hire teens as caddies. This job involves helping club members carry their bag, cleaning their clubs, and calculating their yardage to the pin.

Although caddy jobs are hard to come by, they can pay very well, and are a good first job for a teenager passionate about golf.

Average pay: The majority of a caddy’s pay comes from tips, which adds up to an average rate of $30 per hour. This makes a position as a caddy one of the highest paying jobs for teens.

9. Housecleaner

Do your parents have you help clean the house? Then you’re already partially qualified to do housecleaning professionally.

The best way to make money housecleaning as a teen is by working as an assistant to a professional house cleaner and helping them with their tasks. Additionally, look out for hotels hiring entry-level cleaning staff because these jobs pay decently and come with consistent hours.

Average pay: The average salary of a house cleaner is $17.43 per hour. However, as an entry-level employee you’re likely to make closer to minimum wage.

10. Call center representative

If you don’t mind talking on the phone, then a job as a call center worker is a good choice for you.

Call centers frequently hire people with no work experience and pay a reliable hourly wage, making them a great first job for teenagers. Working as a call center representative can even teach you some valuable customer service skills that will help your career later on.

Average pay: The average pay for a call center worker is $16.70 per hour.

11. House sitter

One of the easiest jobs you can get as a teenager is house sitting.

House sitters watch over someone’s house while they’re on vacation, water their plants, take care of their pets, and do any other necessary maintenance work.

Being a house sitter requires no experience and no formal hiring process, making it a great job for teenagers. However, most people find house sitting jobs through word-of-mouth, which makes house sitting an unreliable source of income.

Average pay: If you’re only required to check in on the client’s house once a day, then typical pay for house sitting is $25 to $30 per day. However, the rate varies depending on the client and how much you’re expected to do.

12. Daycare assistant

Love small children? Then a position at a daycare is perfect for you.

Daycare centers often hire assistants to help feed children, change diapers, and lead activities. These positions are usually entry-level, and are open to teenagers as long as you have child care skills.

However, depending on state regulations you might need to be licensed to work with children or at least have first aid training.

Average pay: The average pay for daycare assistants is $13.80 per hour.

13. Restaurant server

Waiting tables is one of the most common jobs in America. No matter where you live, there’s likely a restaurant near you that’s hiring.

Better yet, a position as a restaurant server requires minimal or no experience and pays relatively well, making it a great job for teens.

The only requirement to work as a server is that you have strong interpersonal skills and can keep calm during a hectic shift. If this sounds like you, be sure to highlight these skills on your server resume.

Average pay: Servers make an average wage of $12 per hour. However, most of your income comes from tips. If you work at a more popular restaurant you can make significantly more.

14. Restaurant host or hostess

Don’t like the fast pace of waiting tables but still want to work in a restaurant? Being a host or hostess might be the job for you.

Hosts are responsible for greeting customers at the door, taking them to their table, and taking reservations.

While you don’t need experience to be a restaurant host, you should have strong organizational skills and be highly personable.

Average pay: Hosts and hostesses make an average of salary of $13.19 per hour.

15. Barista

If you’re a coffee lover than a job as a barista might be a great first job for you.

Aside from some on-the-job training, working as a barista at most coffee shops requires no prior experience, making it a good job for teenagers.

Average pay: The average pay for baristas is about $14.30 per hour.

16. Lifeguard

Lifeguards need to be strong swimmers. If you spend a lot of time at the beach, this could be a good job for you.

However, to become a lifeguard you need to be at least fifteen years old and first aid-certified. Check out the Red Cross website to find a course in your area.

Additionally, lifeguarding positions are mostly only available during the summer. So working as a lifeguard isn’t ideal if you need a year-round part time job.

Average pay: Lifeguards make an average of $10 to $15 dollars per hour.

17. Retail sales associate

Next time you’re at the mall, visit your favorite store and ask if they’re looking for sales associates.

Retail businesses are often happy to hire hard-working teenagers in need of some extra cash.

Additionally, retail experience is a great addition to your resume because working as a sales associate helps you develop great customer service skills.

Average pay: Retail sales associates make about $14.69 per hour on average — relatively high pay for a teenage job.

18. Library assistant

Check with your local library to see if they have any open positions for library assistants. If you love to read, it’s a great opportunity to discover new authors while practicing your customer service skills.

Depending on the specific needs of the library, you’ll get to help with everything from checking in and out materials to giving your best book recommendations.

Average pay: The average pay for a library assistant in the US is $13.17 per hour.

19. Delivery driver

If you’re 16+ years old and have a driver’s license, you could try working as a delivery driver.

Delivery driving is a job that’s particularly suited to entry-level applicants. Even if you lack work experience, you still have a good chance to get work.

Additionally, driving is a great way to gain valuable experience and show future employers that you’re responsible and work well under pressure.

Average pay: An entry-level delivery driver makes $10-$13 per hour, but as you gain experience your pay can increase to over $20.

20. Personal shopper

Shopping for other people requires no prior experience and typically is done on a freelance schedule. This makes personal shopping an ideal side-hustle for teenagers.

As a personal shopper, you’ll be assisting clients by giving product recommendations, offering advice, and making purchases.

There are many different types of personal shoppers. While the more professional personal shoppers help clients buy clothing, you can also help people buy groceries, furniture, or other types of items through apps like Instacart.

Average pay: Personal shoppers make about $20 per hour. However, if you’re working through an app you’ll make closer to $7 to $10 for each order you complete.

10 part-time online jobs for teenagers

Can’t fit a part time job into your schedule or just want to avoid having to interact with other people? There are plenty of jobs online that teenagers can do.

Here are 10 good online jobs for teens:

1. Filling out surveys

Yes, you read that right. Companies will pay you to fill out surveys, which you can do from the comfort of your home.

Companies like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie will pay you with points on their website, which you can then exchange for money. Others, like InboxDollars or Pawns.app will reward you with actual cash or PayPal money from the start that you can deposit into your bank account.

You can find information about how much each company will pay you on their website. For example, the majority of surveys available on InboxDollars will pay you anywhere from 50 cents to $5 per survey.

2. Teaching English as a second language

English is the world’s business language. If you’re a native English speaker, there are many websites that will pay you to teach English online.

While most services require a TEFL certification or a degree, there are some tutoring websites that only require teachers to be native English speakers. The majority of English teachers will make between $14 and $20 per hour.

3. Streaming

Streaming provides multiple opportunities for teenagers to make revenue, although it’s a highly competitive space. Popular content creators and streamers, such as MrBeast and theRadBrad, started in their teenage years.

To actually make money from streaming, you’ll need to devote time building awareness and popularity for your channel.

The amount of money you make on streaming services, such as YouTube and Twitch, is directly impacted by ad revenue, so you need to be seen first to make money.

4. Watching ads

Similar to filling out surveys, watching ads is a great way to make extra money as a teenager. Websites, such as Swagbucks and InboxDollars, will pay you to watch ads on their platform.

Also similar to surveys, you’ll be paid a certain amount for each ad you watch. For example, the average amount a user can make on InboxDollars from watching ads is between $0.30 to $0.60 per ad.

With such a small amount, you probably shouldn’t quit your part-time job to watch ads. But, if you listen while at work or school, you could likely make an extra $12 a month (not counting weekends).

5. Freelance data entry

Many companies need freelancers to do simple data entry tasks for them. These tasks could be anything from organizing spreadsheets to transcribing documents.

As long as you understand the software needed for the job, there’s no experience or degree requirements, making freelance data entry a good position for teenagers.

You can often find freelance data entry jobs on freelancer sites like Upwork. Just search for “data entry” and you’ll get a list of available jobs:

Jobs that hire at 16 and pay good

Typically, you can expect to earn $10 to $15 per hour as freelance data entry specialist.

6. Art commissions

If you’re a talented artist, there are plenty of opportunities to make money from your work. Many people online are willing to pay good money for you to create commissioned pieces for them or help them with creative tasks.

Additionally, websites like Behance feature many job opportunities for freelance graphic designers, illustrators, and photographers.

However, the biggest challenge to making money from your art is gaining an audience first. It’s important to build a following online if you want people to come to you for commissions.

7. Telemarketing

While it’s not a glamorous job, many companies hire telemarketers or customer support specialists online, and these roles don’t require a degree.

As long as you’re legally able to work in the state you live in, you can be hired by a call center and work after school or on the weekends.

You can also find part-time remote telemarketing positions on various freelance work platforms online such as Fiverr and Flexjobs. In general, pay for a remote telemarketer ranges from minimum wage to $15 per hour depending on your experience.

8. Web design

With some time and dedication, it’s possible to teach yourself web design skills through sites like codecademy or w3schools.

If you have a knack for web design, you can find freelance gigs online that require no prior work experience. All you need to apply is a portfolio of your work.

Alternatively, you can ask employers in your neighborhood if they need help developing a website for their small business. In some cases, business owners aren’t tech-saavy enough to build an online presence for themselves, and are willing to pay someone else to do it.

9. Video editing

Have a passion for editing videos? You can turn that into a potentially well-paying side hustle.

Video editing is one of the best work from home jobs you can get as a teenager. Similar to web design, there are many businesses looking for freelance video editors online. Try searching through Upwork or another similar freelance work platform for companies seeking video editing help.

Typically, employers pay on a per-project basis or a fixed hourly rate that you negotiate before being hired.

10. Freelance writing

While being a freelance writer isn’t easy, it requires very little experience to start and doesn’t require a degree. This makes it a good job for teens if you have a passion for writing.

Sites like WriterAccess and Compose.ly will let you create an account and post your writing projects online for customers (usually companies in need of writers) to see. If they’re interested in your work, they’ll sign a contract with you for a certain number of projects, typically a single or two, to start.

As you build a rapport with the company, you’ll get more work and a develop a better overall reputation on the site. This reputation will bring more customers to you.

Best summer jobs for teens

It’s summer vacation – you have free time, and lots of seasonal businesses are starting back up. What better time to make extra money and get some work experience?

If there are any summertime attractions near you (such as ice cream shops, water parks, or beaches), make sure you check if they need new employees.

Here are some of the best summer jobs for teens available:

Best summer jobs for teens

JobAverage Pay
Camp counselor $8 - $14 per hour
Amusement park worker
$8 - $15 per hour
Sports coach
$8 - $25 per hour
Resort assistant
$8 - $20 per hour
Ice cream scooper $8 - $15 per hour

6 high paying jobs for teens

Most jobs for teens pay around minimum wage, which can be disappointing if you were hoping to start saving money.

However, there are some jobs teenagers can do that pay very well. The only catch is that such jobs generally require a specific skillset, talent, or are difficult to break into.

Here are six of the best high-paying jobs for teenagers:

Highest paying jobs for teens

JobAverage Pay Range
Social media assistant
$12 - $26 per hour
Web designer
$23 - $43 per hour
Vlogger $0 - $106 per hour
Actor $0 - $30 per hour
Graphic designer
$15 - $25 per hour
Automotive technician $17 - $23 per hour

How to get a job as a teenager

The biggest obstacle to getting work as a teen is finding a position you’re qualified for and convincing the hiring manager that you’re the right person for job (even though your resume has no experience).

Fortunately, these obstacles are easily overcome with a little effort. Here are three tips for job hunting as a teenager:

Start by looking for jobs near you

If you don’t have your drivers license yet or don’t have time to travel too far, you need to find a job close to home.

To find employers in your area looking for entry level employees, use a job site like Indeed, Monster, or Glassdoor. On Indeed, simply type “teen” into the search bar, select your city, and click the “Find jobs” button:

Jobs that hire at 16 and pay good

This search will pull up a list of any job that hires teenagers, from fast food positions to dishwashers:

Jobs that hire at 16 and pay good

You can also adjust the distance on Indeed to find something even closer to where you live. Or you’re able to cast a wider net if you’re struggling to find anything within your area.

Put together a good resume

Most jobs require a resume to apply, even if they’re hiring for an entry level position.

If you’re like most teenagers, you probably don’t have any professional experience yet, so writing a resume can seem impossible.

Fortunately, writing a good teen resume isn’t that hard, even without any work experience.

Instead of focusing on work experience, fill out your resume with your relevant coursework, extracurricular activities you’re a part of, and any volunteer work you do.

Here’s an example of a resume for a high school student that’s good enough to get them a job:

Jobs that hire at 16 and pay good

Download This Free Template

Email your resume or hand it directly to the employer

Once your resume looks professional, it’s time to start applying for jobs.

If you’re applying for a job you found on an online platform, you usually have the option to upload your resume and apply through the site directly, which makes the process very convenient. For instance, it’s easy to upload your resume to LinkedIn and begin submitting applications.

Otherwise, you should email your resume as a PDF to the hiring manager listed in the job advertisement. In your email, politely greet them and write a short email cover letter explaining which position you’re interested in.

If you’re applying for a job in person, simply hand the employer your resume, or fill out any relevant application forms they give you.

What jobs pay best for a 16 year old?

Here are 15 high-paying jobs for teenagers to consider if you're looking for work opportunities:.
Landscape laborer. ... .
Dog walker. ... .
Youth sports referee. ... .
Babysitter. ... .
Delivery service driver. ... .
Pet sitter. ... .
Automotive technician. National average salary: $23.01 per hour. ... .
Tutor. National average salary: $24.79 per hour..

What is the best job to start at 16?

11 of the best first jobs for 16-year-olds.
Lifeguard..
Barista..
Camp counselor..
Retail sales associate..
Blogger..
Dog walker..
Babysitter..
Tutor..

Where do most 16

Typical jobs for 16-year-olds include positions in retail, fast-food service and grocery stores, but these are not the only types of employers that hire high schoolers. Many 16-year-olds get their first jobs in movie theaters, amusement parks, tutoring centers and big-box stores.