24 Summer Jobs for Teens [Start Your Job Search Here]

Summertime is a long-awaited reprieve for just about every teen—no more pencils, no more books … you know the rhyme.

But while some teenagers view summertime as their opportunity to relax and do nothing, others are ready to get to work. For many teens, all those hours away from school mean hours they can spend on a summer job to earn some of their own money.

And teens can make money in many more ways than they probably realize.

Today, we’ll explore a couple dozen of the best summer jobs for teens. Our list factors in teenagers’ various interests and skills—some prefer to work indoors, while others want to soak up as much sun as possible. Some teens are extroverted and want to work with other people, while others would be happier with a little quiet and solitude.

So if you’re a teen and you’re not sure how you want to earn money this summer, or if you’re an adult looking up ways for your teenager to earn money, check out these top options.

Should Teens Get a Summer Job?

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A summer job is an excellent idea for most teens. They provide money, obviously. But they can also help teens get practice doing a job interview, help them develop a sense of independence, and teach responsibility.

And because there’s such a wide variety of summer jobs, teens will have few problems finding something that’s right for their personal scenario. There are full-time jobs, part-time jobs, even a couple gigs that you can do to earn a little extra money with a few minutes of spare time. And even if a teen doesn’t have a car to take them to a workplace, there are plenty of online summer jobs for teens that they can do around the neighborhood.

Related: 40+ Ways to Make Money as a Teenager

Are There Rules for Teens Getting a Summer Job?

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Teens under the age of 18 do face some restrictions on the types of jobs they can do, the number of hours they can work, and what time of day they can work. All of these factors affect which summer jobs they’re qualified to do.

Job Restrictions

The U.S. federal government sets a number of rules around teen and child employment. For instance, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is essential in ensuring fair workplace practices. It sets the national minimum age for employment at 14 years old and limits the number of hours you can work if you’re under age 16.

States often have their own rules, too. But when state law and FLSA differ, whichever law is more protective of the minor applies.

There are some exceptions to these rules. For example, the minimum age for agriculture employment is only 12 years old. But even then, some states have more protective rules; for instance, in California, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Washington, and Wisconsin, a person must be 18 to perform agricultural work during the school day.

One important restriction to note: No one under age 18 can work a hazardous occupation, including (but not limited to) coal mining, working near explosives, and using power-driven meat-processing machines.

Also, if you’re younger than 13, and you still want a summer job: You’re in luck! There are still several types of work, such as yard work and babysitting, that have no age restrictions.

Limited Number of Hours and Times

The FLSA restricts 14- and 15-year-olds to work outside of your school hours. Moreover, they can’t work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on any day for most of the year, except between June 1 and Labor Day, when teens can work until 9 p.m.

Also, 14- and 15-year-olds can’t work more than three hours per day on a school day, they can’t work more than 18 hours per week during the school year, and they can’t work more than 40 hours per week when school is out.

But remember: These are federal rules. States set their own rules. In the list of summer jobs below, we’ll let you know generally what the federal minimum required age is to work each gig, but remember: Your state might have something different to say, so make sure you’re aware of your state’s child labor laws.

Best Summer Jobs for Teens (Online)

1. Completing Online Surveys

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• Minimum age requirement: Varies by service, typically 13

Everyone has an opinion! But did you know you could get paid for yours? Several online survey sites pay out a little money when you tell them what you think. Below, we highlight three of the more popular services for taking surveys. While not necessarily strictly in the summer jobs for teens category, these apps provide flexibility to earn money on the go.

If you participate in multiple surveys daily, our experience tells us that you may have the opportunity to earn money roughly equivalent to the minimum wage, though results may vary depending on your situation.

(Editor’s note: While taking online surveys on a survey site or app isn’t exactly a lucrative job, the convenience and flexibility these services provide can make them worthwhile contenders for teens interested in making money online from home or on the go. In fact, while filling out surveys does qualify among summer jobs for teens, the fact that you can do this with just a few minutes of spare time makes it feasible all year long.)

Swagbucks

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• Minimum age requirement: 13

Making money online through Swagbucks is simple. Swagbucks lets users earn Swagbucks points (SBs) by completing simple tasks—that includes taking surveys, yes, but also shopping online, playing video games, or even just doing web searches.

Users can redeem SBs for gift cards from popular retailers, such as Apple, Amazon, and Target; the website awards more than 7,000 gift cards every day. However, if you just want cash, you can redeem points that way, too, and receive the money in a PayPal account.

You’ll need your own bank account if you want to transfer this money for you to use. Several companies offer bank accounts specifically designed for kids and even teen checking accounts with debit cards. Just the same, you might consider asking your parents if you can use their account.

 

Branded Surveys

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• Minimum age requirement: 16 for normal accounts (Those under 16 must get parental consent and use their parent’s account)

Branded Surveys has paid out more than $72 million to its more than 3 million users.

The surveys made available to you will depend on your interests and profile information, as well as what research partners currently need. Each survey earns points; you can cash out once you’ve accumulated at least 500 points. Depending on survey length, users make anywhere from 50¢ to $5 per survey.

You can use your points toward gift cards from more than 100 brands, receive cash in your PayPal or bank account, or even make a charitable donation.

 

Survey Junkie

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• Minimum age requirement: 18

Survey Junkie is a paid-survey service that’s trusted by millions of users. The platform matches users with surveys that are most relevant to them. You complete surveys on your own time and earn points for doing so.

Each point earned through Survey Junkie is worth 1¢. Once you have at least $5 worth of Survey Junkie points, you can redeem them for virtual gift cards from popular merchants including Starbucks, Target, and iTunes. You can also get Visa gift cards or even receive cash back via PayPal or bank transfer.

Related: How to Get Free Stocks: 14 Apps Giving Away Free Shares

2. Test Apps and Games

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• Minimum age requirement: Varies by service, typically 13

Too good to be true? Nope! Several websites will indeed pay you to test apps and games. Sometimes it’s because game companies want to test a product. And sometimes it’s because gamemakers want to boost their user and in-game ad statistics. Either way, teens win!

Scrambly

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• Minimum age requirement: 16

Scrambly rewards you for a number of tasks, including completing online surveys, testing companies’ products, and playing games on their phones.

In exchange for completing tasks, you get coins that can be exchanged for cash back to a PayPal account, Visa gift cards, or gift cards to a small number of vendors, including Amazon, Google Play, and Apple. And if users invite friends, they earn a commission on their friends’ lifetime earnings.

The survey aspect of the site is pretty straightforward—you’ll receive questionnaires similar to what you get with other paid survey sites. But what makes Scrambly stand out is the ability to earn money by trying out products and services from the likes of AARP, Cash App Taxes, and Disney+.

There is no minimum or maximum amount of time you have to spend. You can do this occasionally for just a bit more spending cash or more frequently to rack up rewards faster.

Related: Best Passive Income Ideas & Passive Income Investments

3. Sharing Your Internet Connection

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• Minimum age requirement: Varies

There’s perhaps no more passive summer job than sharing your internet connection, which requires you to do virtually nothing different than what you already do.

Honeygain

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• Minimum age requirement: Legal age of maturity; teens under said age must get parental consent

Teens looking for a passive online summer job should consider Honeygain, which allows you to earn rewards merely by sharing your internet.

With Honeygain, you effectively open up your internet connection to Honeygain’s partner companies. “These companies extract insights from the web using Honeygain to make market research, ad-fraud prevention, brand protection, pricing intelligence, travel fare aggregation, and SEO monitoring services,” Honeygain says. Honeygain only allows trusted partners to use your internet, and it will never ask for or gain access to your personal data.

Honeygain provides a wide variety of returns, including covering monthly subscriptions to platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube Premium; free gaming with Xbox Live, Twitch Prime, free in-game currency, and more; and even returns in crypto or PayPal cash.

Earnings vary based on the amount of traffic you share. For instance, Honeygain’s estimating calculator says that “with three devices on different networks, you could reach a $20 payout every 3 to 4 months, and even faster if you have active referrals.” That might not seem like a lot, but remember: You’re not doing anything differently than you otherwise would.

Teens should consult their parents about using Honeygain, including whether they’re allowed, the amount of GB that can be shared, and how much time per day is acceptable.

 

4. Freelance Writing

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• Minimum age requirement: Federal/state minimum working age, or 18 in some cases

Whether you want to write website copy, advertisements, blog posts, or something else for others, many people make money as a freelance writer.

Freelance writers will sometimes write under their own name, or “byline.” But sometimes you’ll “ghostwrite,” which means either someone else will get credit for the writing, or there will be no name on the writing at all.

Not anyone can become a freelance writer, of course—you need a combination of writing skills and marketing skills so you can attract clients.

Note that while you can start at any age, any businesses that want writers to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA, which basically requires you to keep corporate secrets) will require workers to be 18 or older, which will ensure the document is legally binding.

Related: Best Passive Income Apps That Give and Make Money

5. Open a Teen Investment Account

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• Minimum age requirement: 13

Everyone loves spending money, but if you save and invest your money as a teenager, you can grow that cash into much larger sums in the future. Sure, opening a teen investment account isn’t a quick way to make money, unlike the jobs above. But it’s still a worthwhile way to put some of your earnings to work so you can generate even more money over time.

Invest With Greenlight

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• Minimum age requirement: None (but recommended for kids age 6 and older)

Greenlight is a premier kids’ financial app and debit card that teaches minors the ins and outs of saving, spending, and financial responsibility—and with a Greenlight Max or Greenlight Infinity plan, they can start to invest, too!

Greenlight’s investing app will help your kid learn the basics of investing, how stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) work, and more with real money, real stocks, and real-life lessons—all with your direct involvement and supervision.

With Greenlight Investing, your child can:

• Start investing with as little as $1
• Buy fractional shares of companies they admire (say, kid-friendly stocks)
• Spread out their risk with ETFs
• Avoid trading commissions

Parents can enjoy peace of mind knowing that Greenlight’s popular guardrails extend to its investing offering, too. Teens can only invest in U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs that have either a market capitalization over $1 billion or a three-month average daily dollar volume of more than $500,000. And parents must approve every trade directly in the app.

Read more in our Greenlight Card review or use our link to sign up for Greenlight Max or Infinity today.

6. Saving Money in a Bank Account

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• Minimum age requirement: Varies by bank, can be as young as 6

While teens should invest some of their money, most of what they earn should be saved in a traditional bank account. Bank accounts make it easy to both save and spend your money, and they’re the backbone of solid money management.

If you’d prefer to simply save some and spend some, an Acorns Early account is an excellent way to meet your needs.

Save and spend with Acorns Early

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• Minimum age requirement: 6

Acorns Early is a complete financial solution for minors—a debit card, yes, but also an app-based ecosphere that provides education and experience for the child, as well as ways for parents to keep their kids safe and teach them responsibility.

When you open an Acorns Early account, each child receives an Acorns Early Mastercard debit card that can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted (so, millions of vendors), online, in stores, and even in ATMs. An Acorns Early account also allows kids to set savings goals, which they can fund manually or via autosave. And it also hosts educational materials to help children and teens alike develop good money habits.

This FDIC-insured account also enjoys a variety of safety features, including chip and PIN protection, secure PIN recovery, and Mastercard’s Zero Liability Protection, which means your child won’t be liable for fraudulent purchases as long as they take care in protecting your card from theft and you promptly report any fraudulent activity. It also has parental controls such as spending notifications, card lock/unlock, and adjustable spending limits.

Acorns Early was formerly known as GoHenry before Acorns acquired it. We bring that up because we always considered GoHenry among the best prepaid debit cards for kids because of their outstanding customer service. Good news there: Acorns Early users enjoy a similarly high level of customer support, including seven-day-a-week phone service from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, as well as 24/7 live chat support.

Acorns Early has no minimum age requirements but recommends starting at age 6 or older. Sign up for an Acorns Early account or Acorns Gold to get started today, or read our Acorns Early review to learn more.

Related: 16 Best Prepaid Debit Cards for Teens & Kids [Reloadable]

Best Summer Jobs for Teens (Offline)

7. Babysitting

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• Minimum age requirement: Varies by state

Babysitting is a popular first job for teenagers—especially those with younger siblings. It’s also a fitting job, given that teenagers usually have enough energy to keep up with excited young children.

In addition to virtually always being paid in cash, babysitting offers other perks. Some babysitters watch kids at night and get several hours to themselves while the kids are asleep. Others who babysit during the day might get to take advantage of the family’s memberships to children’s museums, aquariums, and other attractions. And of course, the job is great practice for any teen who thinks they might want children of their own when they get older.

8. Lifeguarding

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• Minimum age requirement: 15

Teens aged 15 and older can get certified to become lifeguards at traditional swimming pools and water amusement parks. By age 16, they can also become lifeguards at natural environment swimming facilities, such as oceanside beaches and lakes.

Lifeguarding is an important job that can teach teens responsibility. Most lifeguarding jobs are outdoors, meaning workers can enjoy the summer weather. Teens who like working as a lifeguard during the summer might also be able to secure weekend shifts during the school year, though that’s largely dependent on what facilities are near you.

9. Walking Dogs / Pet Sitting

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• Minimum age requirement: None

Walking dogs allows teens to get some exercise and enjoy the sunshine. And, of course, it’s a perfect summer job for dog lovers.

And if you love dogs, or other pets, you can also try your hand at pet sitting. Pet sitting involves making sure the animals have enough exercise, as well as enough food and water, and possibly even medicine. In some cases, teens might be required to spend the night in another person’s home.

Related: Best Money Apps for Teens 

10. Mowing Lawns

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• Minimum age requirement: None; state laws on use of powered mowers vary

Mowing lawns is another popular summer job—largely because teens have the summer off, and mowing services are in the highest demand during the summer—and provides plenty of exercise. Neighbors or family friends might hire teens to mow the lawn regularly, or just ask a teen to help fill in when they’re out of town.

Note that some states have rules for what age a teenager can use a power-driven lawn mower. For example, in Minnesota, you have to be at least 16 years old to operate a power-driven lawn mower, so younger teens would be restricted to a push power.

11. Yard Landscaping

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• Minimum age requirement: None; state laws on use of powered tools vary

Yard landscaping and other yard work are another great pick for job seekers who want to work outdoors. Younger teens might focus on tasks like pulling weeds or raking leaves, while older teens can do jobs that are more physically demanding work. Also, like we mentioned above with lawn mowing, some power-driven equipment has age restrictions based on state, so brush up on your state’s laws.

This can be a dirty job, so there is no need to dress up. Teens can sometimes do work through a professional landscaping company, but sometimes, they can just go and find their own clients—something that can allow the teen to create their own schedule and pick up exactly as much (or little) work as they want.

12. Retail

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Admittedly, the decline of malls is making retail jobs scarcer than they once were, but retail stores still offer plenty of job opportunities for teens.

Working in retail sales is an excellent way to improve a teens customer service skills. And if you work at a large chain store, you might have the opportunity to transfer to another location when you head off to college. And while many retail stores pay only minimum wage, they can also offer perks such as store discounts.

Related: Best Investments for Teenagers [How to Start Investing Young]

13. Fast Food

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Food service is one of the all-time classic teen summer jobs, in large part because the industry provides so many positions to younger teens.

The jobs range from cashiering and drive-thru service to busing tables to food preparation. Teens typically work these gigs for basic pay while they’re in high school. However, crew members who perform well usually find it easy to move up in the ranks—thus, a teen has the potential to gain a more impressive title and higher pay relatively quickly.

Some chains also offer scholarships and other educational benefits. For example, the Midwestern fast-food chain Culver’s has a scholarship program that awards dozens of college scholarships to eligible workers each year. High school seniors can earn either $5,000 or $10,000 toward college expenses.

14. Internships

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Interning is an excellent experience to put on resumes, college applications, and scholarship forms. They also give you experience and insights into a field where you might want to pursue a career when you’re older.

Also, some information is better learned not from books or classes, but from the real-life experience you get from interning. But perhaps the best perk of all? Internships frequently result in recommendations for other jobs down the line, and sometimes, they can lead to full-time employment with the company.

The only downside? Some internships are unpaid. So if you’re a teen looking to make money, always make sure to ask about the pay before accepting an internship.

15. Working at a Golf Course

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Golf courses typically offer up several teen jobs during the summer, including working the front desk, maintaining the grounds, and working as a golf caddy. Caddying at a local golf course can be a particularly great part-time summer job as caddies get exercise and sunshine, can learn golfing strategies, and often receive cash tips.

Related: Best Investing Apps for Teens Under 18 [Stock Apps]

16. Summer Camp Counselor

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Summer camp counselor jobs can be a fun way to earn money. Camp counselors get to participate in many of the same activities as campers (albeit with more responsibilities). This can be a part-time summer job if you work at day camps, though it’s more of a full-time job if you work at an overnight camp.

17. Umpiring Little League Games

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• Minimum age requirement: Varies by league

Umpiring Little League games at a local recreation center can be a great summer job for sports lovers. You get to be outside, you get to learn more about a sport you might love, and many people find the job rewarding—after all, you’re helping kids have fun. (But in full disclosure, you might need an even temperament to deal with some of the parents.)

Note that Little League umpires typically are paid per game, rather than hourly.

18. Restaurant Host/Hostess

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Many teens’ summer jobs involve working at a restaurant as a server, but that’s not the only position restaurants will hire teens to do. Another option is to be a host or hostess, which greets guests and helps them to their tables. Hosts are usually also responsible for answering the phone and handling the reservation book.

This job is an excellent fit for someone who would prefer a fixed wage rather than relying on tips.

19. Bagging Groceries

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

While self-checkout stations are becoming more popular, grocery stores still need people to bag groceries. This role doesn’t interact as heavily with customers as the cashier, so you don’t need to be overly extroverted.

20. Washing Cars

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• Minimum age requirement: None if independent, 14 if you work for a company

Washing cars can be a very different experience depending on who you’re doing the work for.

If you work for a local car wash business, you’ll likely earn a minimum wage with the possibility for tips. You can also try washing cars at your house. If parents let their teen use the hose, then the teen will only need to buy some car soap and automotive drying towels to get started—though depending on where you live, business could be inconsistent and difficult to come by.

Related: Kiddie Tax: What Is It, Who Must Pay, How Much + More

21. Pool Cleaning

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• Minimum age requirement: None if independent, 14 if you work for a pool cleaning company

Pool cleaning can be a profitable job for teens. People are happy to outsource this job, and if you live in an area where pools are popular, it shouldn’t be too tough to find clients. This job can be done at one’s own pace and usually without much interaction with others.

Reminder: Cleaning pools is a physical job, so it’s best for teens with some physical endurance.

22. Tutoring

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• Minimum age requirement: None

Tutoring is an excellent way for teens to share their knowledge with others. Teens can help people learn about whichever subjects they feel most comfortable teaching. Tutoring can also reinforce topics you’ve learned, further cementing information into your memory.

Some tutors work with peers, while others work with younger children. Skilled tutors might decide to later create their own online courses. Plus, tutoring can easily be done in just a few hours each week, with each session lasting an hour or less. It’s one of the most flexible part-time summer jobs because of the small time commitment.

23. Library Assistant

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Librarians are often busy with summer programs and sometimes need help with some of the easier library tasks. Library assistants’ main tasks include shelving books and other materials, clerical tasks, and interacting with patrons. Working as a library assistant is a great role for teens who want to work indoors, mainly independently, and be in a quiet environment.

24. Amusement Park Work

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• Minimum age requirement: 14

Summer is the prime amusement park season, and thus, a ton of amusement park roles tend to come open during the summer months. Amusement parks typically need people to sell and collect tickets and work at concession stands. They also need ride operators, though teens typically have to be at least 16 for this kind of work.

Perks often include free park admission for you, and sometimes for friends and family, too.

How to Find a Summer Job for Teens

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Teens have a number of ways to find in-person summer jobs. They can visit places that typically hire during the summer, like retailers, fast-food restaurants, and amusement parks. They can ask their parents to drive them around and look for places with “Now Hiring” signs. And they can ask friends for recommendations or even check out the local newspaper.

For many in-person summer jobs, one of the best ways to find work is for a teen to visit places they already frequent and see if they are hiring. Jobs like retail, fast food, and amusement parks often offer discounts or free admission, so it makes sense to try and work at places a teen already likes. They can also ask others to keep a lookout for hiring signs, check the local newspaper, and ask friends for recommendations.

For some online jobs, the teen can simply go to the website and sign up. Other online jobs might require checking online job boards, such as Fiverr.

Related Questions About Summer Jobs for Teens

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What is a summer job?

Summer jobs are exactly what they sound like: seasonal employment during the summer months. Because school’s out for summer and students have more time, teens commonly work summer jobs.

Can you make good money working a summer job?

Teens can absolutely make good money working a summer job—depending on the role. Many jobs only pay minimum wage or a bit higher, but others pay much more. Typically, higher pay requires a specialized skill, strength, or knowledge.

The fewer people who can do a job, the more money you can probably make doing it.

Do you put summer jobs on a resume?

Yes, you should put summer jobs on a resume. Even seasonal jobs show responsibility and leadership. And future employers will want to see your past work to understand which skills you have likely developed.

How can younger kids below the legal working age make money during the summer?

For most jobs, the Fair Labor Standards Act sets the minimum age for employment at 14 years old. However, there are exceptions. For example, you can work at a younger age if it’s for a business owned by your parents or if it’s an agricultural job. Younger teens can also work informal jobs, such as babysitting and taking paid surveys.