Teenagers are beginning to need a job during high school because of inflation, the rise of car insurance, family, experience, and for enjoyment. According of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “The proportion of the 16 to 24-year-old civilian noninstitutional population with a job is 53.1% in July 2025.” (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/youth.pdf) 

A great job for teenagers is working in the shopping or food industry. A simple job like a cashier, cook or janitor could be a great entry point to get into the job industry. Most of these jobs can require little to no work experience and most of the time and teach you how to do it. Some of these jobs may also have benefits like free merchandise, paid time off and many more. Most offer a minimum wage for hourly, weekly, or monthly paychecks.  Senior Graham Murray works as a church janitor 

“Having a job is time consuming, especially if your friends are doing something and you can’t because of the job you have,” said Murray.  

Another good way to make money as a teenager is by detailing cars. Detailing cars is deep cleaning the inside of the car that no regular carwash can do. The equipment can be cheap; however, if you want to do this for more than a side hustle, you may want to consider better equipment. Detailing isn’t hard to learn, but most cars you work on will be time-consuming and may require some patience. According to senior Aleks Erdman, “The hardest part is getting customers to trust you.”  

Reselling is also a good way to make money as a teenager. Reselling can be in many categories such as electronics, clothing, shoes, trading cards, etc. When managing a reselling business, you want to aim for products that are marked at a lower price than they are sold such as overstocked items, customer returns, and seller discount, you can find these kinds of discounts on eBay, liquidation stores, thrift stores, and second hand markets. 

One of the best ways that isn’t easy is making your own business. This can range anywhere from a lawnmowing business to setting up a lemonade stand on your driveway. What makes owning a business hard is that it can be easy to get lost on what to do next, putting the time and effort into the business, and getting first sales. 

Making money is possible and worth it as a teenager. There are many ways to get money, from helping your grandpa mow your lawn to getting a job at Publix.