Teens have plenty of ways to earn money, but your age decides a lot. Federal law caps how many hours 14- and 15-year-olds can work, bars anyone under 18 from hazardous jobs and lets employers pay a lower youth wage for your first 90 days on the job. And federal child labor rules don’t cover some of the easiest ways to start, like casual babysitting and chores around a neighbor’s house.
In July 2026, 53.8% of 16- to 24-year-olds had a job, and the biggest share of them — 25% — worked in leisure and hospitality, followed by retail at 18%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ summer youth employment report.
Below are 18 legit ways to make money as a teen, grouped into jobs with an employer, being your own boss, earning online and making your money grow. If you’re under 14, our guide on how to make money as a kid has ideas built for younger ages.
| Way to make money | Federal minimum age | Startup cost | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant or fast-food job | 14 (with hour and task limits) | None | Local |
| Retail or grocery job | 14 (with hour and task limits) | None | Local |
| Office or front-desk job | 14 (with hour limits) | None | Local |
| Lifeguarding | 15 at pools and water parks; 16 at beaches and lakes | Certification course | Local |
| Seasonal or summer job | 14 or 16, depending on the tasks | None | Local |
| Work in a family business | Any age for nonhazardous work | None | Local |
| Babysitting | Not covered by federal rules if casual | Low | Local |
| Pet sitting and dog walking | Not covered by federal rules if you work for yourself | None | Local |
| Yard work and snow shoveling | Not covered by federal rules if you work for yourself | Low | Local |
| Odd jobs and car washing | Not covered by federal rules if you work for yourself | Low | Local |
| Tutoring | 14 if employed; not covered if you work for yourself | None | Local or online |
| Tech help for neighbors | Not covered by federal rules if you work for yourself | None | Local |
| Sell stuff you make or no longer use | Set by each marketplace | Low | Online or local |
| Freelance a creative skill | Set by each platform | Low | Online |
| Make YouTube videos | 18 to monetize, or through a parent’s AdSense account | Low | Online |
| Survey and game reward apps | 13 on some apps; 16 or 18 on others | None | Online |
| Earn interest in a savings account | Set by each bank | None | Online or bank |
| Invest with a custodial Roth IRA | No minimum, with earned income | None | Online |
Federal child labor rules come from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Department of Labor (DOL) breaks them down by age:
If you’re 14 or 15, the DOL caps your hours at three on a school day, 18 in a school week, eight on a non-school day and 40 in a non-school week. You can only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when the cutoff moves to 9 p.m.
On pay, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, and your state may require more. But employers can legally pay workers under 20 a youth minimum wage of $4.25 an hour for their first 90 consecutive calendar days on the job, according to the DOL — unless state or local law requires a higher wage with no exception for younger workers.
Federal law doesn’t require work permits, but many states do, and states can set their own hour limits for 16- and 17-year-olds too. When federal and state rules both apply, you follow the stricter one. Check with your school counselor or your state labor office before you start applying.
Leisure and hospitality employs more young workers than any other industry, according to the BLS. At 14 or 15, you can run a register and do limited food prep and cooking, but you can’t bake or cook over an open flame. You can only use deep fryers that raise and lower the baskets automatically.
Grocery stores, clothing shops and big-box stores hire teens to bag groceries, stock shelves and work the register — all jobs the DOL specifically lists as OK for 14- and 15-year-olds.
Gyms, rec centers, dentist offices and small businesses sometimes hire teens to answer phones, file paperwork and check people in. Federal rules let 14- and 15-year-olds work most office jobs, though they can’t run power-driven machinery other than office machines.
Lifeguarding is one of the few jobs where federal rules spell out an exact age. You can lifeguard at a traditional pool or water park at 15 if the American Red Cross or a similar organization certifies you, but you have to be 16 to guard at lakes, rivers or ocean beaches. Teaching swim lessons at 15 takes an additional certification.
Summer camps, amusement parks, movie theaters and ice cream shops all ramp up hiring when school lets out. The BLS reports the youth labor force grows sharply every year between April and July as students look for summer work, so applying early helps.
If your parents own a business, federal rules let kids of any age work for it, with a few exceptions. You can’t work in mining or manufacturing until you’re 16, and no one under 18 can do a job the DOL has declared hazardous.
Federal child labor rules don’t apply when there’s no FLSA employment relationship — like when you babysit casually or do chores around someone’s house. That makes these some of the easiest ways to start earning, especially if you’re under 16. Your state may still have its own rules.
Families always need help with kids, and you can start babysitting before you’re old enough for most jobs. A babysitting or first aid course can help you stand out to parents.
Plenty of pet owners need someone to walk their dog midday or feed their cat while they travel. Pet-sitting apps set their own age rules, so neighbors and family friends are an easy place to find your first clients.
Yard work follows the seasons, so you can earn year-round in a lot of places. If you’re doing it for neighbors on your own, federal child labor rules generally don’t apply. But if a landscaping company hires you at 14 or 15, the DOL bars you from operating power-driven machinery like mowers and leaf blowers.
Washing cars, cleaning out garages, running errands and helping neighbors move are all fair game. These jobs bundle well, someone who hires you to wash their car might hire you to rake their leaves too.
If you’re strong in math, reading or a language, younger kids’ parents may pay you to help with homework. The DOL lists teaching among the intellectual and creative jobs 14- and 15-year-olds can hold, and you can also tutor on your own.
Lots of adults would pay someone to set up a new phone, fix printer issues or show them how to video call the grandkids. If you’re already the tech support in your family, this one’s a natural fit.
Clean out your closet, sell clothes you’ve outgrown or turn a hobby like jewelry-making or drawing into a small shop. It’s one of the few ways to make money online that you can start with stuff you already own. Each online marketplace sets its own minimum age, and some only let minors sell through a parent’s account.
If you’re 14 or 15, there’s one more rule to know: federal law bars employers from hiring you for door-to-door sales.
If you can edit videos, design graphics, make thumbnails or write, small businesses and creators might pay you. Freelance marketplaces set their own age rules, so your first clients may come from family, school connections or local businesses instead. Like most freelance work, it’s something you can do from your bedroom.
Related: How to make money from home
Anyone with an account can upload videos, but getting paid for ads is a different story. Google requires you to be at least 18 to sign up for AdSense, which pays YouTube creators. If you’re younger, a parent or guardian can link your channel to their own approved AdSense account — and all payments go to that adult. Ads aren’t the only route, others include brand deals, affiliate links and more.
Related: How to make money on YouTube
Survey sites and game reward apps won’t replace a part-time job, but they’re a zero-cost way to earn a little in downtime. Not all of them accept teens, though. We checked each company’s own website, and these three do:
Other big names don’t accept teens at all. InboxDollars and Mistplay both require members to be at least 18, according to each company’s own site. Once you turn 18, more options open up, from user testing to sites like Freecash.
Related: Best money-making apps
Once you’re earning, a savings account pays you just for leaving money alone. Compare kids’ savings accounts to find one with no monthly fees, then use a compound interest calculator to see how your balance could grow.
Greenlight
Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry)
Chase First Banking℠
Here’s the move many teens don’t know about: if you have a job, you can contribute to a Roth IRA. The IRS doesn’t set a minimum age, but it caps your contributions at $7,500 for 2026 — or your taxable compensation for the year, if that’s less. So if you earn $2,000 from a summer job, you can contribute up to $2,000.
The money has to come from work — taxable compensation, in IRS terms — so an allowance or birthday money doesn’t count toward the limit. Because you’re a minor, a parent or guardian usually opens the account for you as a custodial account. Compare the best Roth IRA accounts to see which brokers offer one.
Sometimes. Having a job doesn’t automatically mean you owe tax, but there are a few numbers to know:
Even when you don’t have to file, it can make sense to. If your employer withheld federal income tax from your paychecks, filing a return is how you get it back.
Once paychecks start coming in, you’ll want somewhere safer than a drawer:
For tips on making your money last, see how to save money as a teenager.
Scammers know teens want flexible, high-paying gigs. Watch for these red flags:
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