Teens today don’t need to sit at home and depend on their parents for small amounts of money. You can leverage part-time jobs and delve into various industries, offering attractive compensation. The highest-paying jobs for teens provide opportunities to give back to the community. They also nurture skills essential for a rewarding career. We’ve explained the best roles for teens that will help them discover themselves and foster a sense of financial independence.
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Highest Paying Jobs for Teens
1. Lifeguard
One of the best first jobs for teens that also pays well is a lifeguard. The role is also very exciting as you can work poolside while soaking in the fresh air. On average, a lifeguard earns a $13.11 hourly wage. The best city to be a lifeguard in is San Francisco. The place has a high cost of living, and qualified lifeguards are paid extremely well.
2. Grocery Stocker
The average hourly wage for a grocery stocker is $17.01. The role pays a decent amount to teens while also helping them develop important skills. These include organization, teamwork, and customer service. This job is especially suitable for teens as it provides a flexible work environment.
3. Social Media Influencer
Social media influencer is one of the most exciting and well-paying jobs if you can make it. The explosion of social media platforms has increased the accessibility of this role. Now, over half of US teens want to make a career as an influencer. An influencer earns mainly from brand endorsements and advertisements. Those who can make it big on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube earn millions every single year. Being an influencer thus can turn out to be one of the highest paying jobs for teens that gives complete financial freedom.
4. Receptionist
Are you in urgent need of work that allows you to earn a good amount of cash? The job of a receptionist can be ideal. You don’t need a specialized degree for it. At the same time, it will boost your resume. Receptionists earn a median pay of $14.50 as per the latest statistics. The demand will increase as more and more businesses are emerging. Receptionists are needed almost everywhere, whether it’s a hospital or a local community center. Everyone is in need of someone who can sit on the front desk for an extended period.
5. Babysitter
Babysitting is a tax-free, part-time job, perfect for many high-schoolers. As part of this role, you get to engage with children in various activities, such as sports and art and crafts. In some places, babysitters also help children with their homework. As of 2024, the average hourly pay for a teen babysitter is $10.30, which is not bad. You can consider it one of the highest-paying jobs for teens.
6. Online Tutoring
For teens between the ages of 13 to 19, online tutoring is a great way to earn decent money. Today, you have the potential to earn over $39 hourly by tutoring others. This role is especially suitable for those who excel at a specific discipline. Moreover, you can tutor right from the comfort of your home. All you require is a reliable internet connection, a quiet place, and a patient demeanor.
7. Voice Acting
Voice acting is a job you can do from your home. It’s not very difficult to break into this field, provided you have the basic setup. This consists of a microphone and a PC. A voiceover artist is a lucrative job where you can get hired for a variety of things. These include reading for e-books, educational videos, films, TV shows, and the like. Teen voice actor jobs pay $10 to $500 per hour. The best way to break into this field is to sign up on freelancer websites that connect you with people looking for voiceover artists.
8. Dog Walker
Looking for a summer job to make good money? Through dog walking, you will not only earn money but also accomplish many more things. These include skills in caring for animals and cultivating companionship. This job also lets you give back to the community meaningfully. The hourly pay for a dog walker in major US cities like Texas is $15.
9. Teen Gardener
Gardening is another one of the highest-paying jobs for teens. In this role, you plant gardens, take care of a small existing garden, and add small touches to a gardening area. To get started, learn some basics about gardening, and types of plants, and their needs. This job is best done early in the morning. You can set your own hours and rates. Usually, your pay will be in the range of $10 to $11.
10. Data Entry Operator
Data entry operator earns up to $18.2 hourly. To earn this much money, you need good typing speed and an understanding of spreadsheets. To get started, look for positions online in companies and submit your resume. Ensure to hone the skills associated with a data entry operator and mention them in your resume.
11. Sell Items Online
Are you tired of giving job interviews? Maybe you are not enjoying your new job role but still want to earn good money. Well, look around your house. Is there something that is in good condition but you no longer need it? Maybe you have old but well-maintained furniture, textbooks, or clothes. You can sell them online and make decent money.
12. Pet Sitter
Another one of the highest paying jobs for teens, pet sitting enables you to make money while playing around with dogs and cats. Teen pet sitters can easily make around $16 per hour. While there is a slight difference between sitting cats and dogs (with dog sitting being $2 more than cat), the discrepancy doesn’t amount to much. You can choose to get paid hourly, per visit, or overnight.
13. Web Designer
Are you good at problem-solving? Why not become a web designer? Today, breaking into this field has become a lot easier, thanks to the plethora of online web designing courses. Just take a few of them and master the art of simple website design. Then you can go on freelancing platforms like Upwork to find clients. Website designing is one of the best jobs for teens that lets them earn an hourly pay of $23.8.
14. Food Delivery
Are you 18 years old with a valid driver’s license? Delivering food is one of the best sources of earning decent money. The best part of this job is that you don’t have to follow a strict routine. You can choose to deliver as much or as less as you want. Teen food deliverers can make a handsome amount of approximately $25 to $30 hourly!
15. YouTubing
YouTube is one of the most-watched websites. The people whose videos are watched by others are called YouTubers. Successful ones with a decent amount of subscribers and views make several hundreds of dollars! The standard YouTube pay for every 1,000 views is $18. You can easily compute how much you could earn if you are able to amass several thousand views and subscribers. However, becoming a successful YouTuber does not happen overnight. So, this may not be ideal for teens wanting to earn good money in a short time.
16. Teach Swimming
Love aquatics and are physically fit? A swimming instructor can be a great job role for you. You can teach quarterly or take up the job for every 3-month period depending on how busy you are. A teen swimming instructor can earn approximately $12 hourly. At the same time, you also get to learn life skills like leadership and people management.
17. Barista
Do you love coffee and coffee shops? Working as a barista might give you the enjoyment you seek along with reasonable pay. For this role, you must be at least 16 years old. As a barista, you can earn up to $12 hourly, which is not a bad amount at all. Moreover, if you genuinely love making coffee, this role will feel very rewarding.
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18. Library Assistant
Library assistants help people find books as well as introduce them to new ones. If you are fond of reading, the job can be quite satisfying. The average national hourly pay for the job is $13.28. Besides helping people search books, you may also be asked to shelve books or digitize old documents. Either way, it’s a great role for book lovers.
19. Car Wash Attendant
As a car wash attendant, you will clean and shine cars. The job is suitable if you want to earn quick yet decent money. On average, the job can help you make $10.17 hourly. This is fairly at par with all the others listed above.
20. Beach Rental Clerk
Live near a beach? Why not take advantage of the fact and earn some dollars? A beach rental clerk takes reservations and processes payments. You can make up to $12.23 hourly by taking it up as a summer job. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?!
Summing up
As a teen in today’s modern digital environment, you have many opportunities to make money. The job roles listed in this post not only make you financially strong but also impart real-world skills and experience. No matter which one you choose, it is sure to enrich your life in some way. So, browse through the jobs we’ve compiled and take the first step towards gaining control of your financial destiny.
