How to Earn an Income in High School: 15 Best Jobs for Teens

With more teenagers looking to earn money while they’re in school, it’s important to make a list of the best jobs for teens to make sure they find something that’s suitable and legal.

Teens are encouraged to work, earn money, and become less dependent on their parents, but it’s important that they keep their focus on school and education.

If you’re wondering about how to find a job as a teenager then you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve put together a list of the best teen jobs that are safe, pay well, and not too time-consuming.

Best Jobs for Teens? Keep It Simple and Babysit

Babysitting has been around for the longest time. It’s a profession that’s not dependent on technology and will probably always be an option. Parents will always look for someone to take care of their infant while they’re out and unless they have a nanny, they’re going to need a babysitter.

It’s one of the best local jobs for teens because it relies on reputation and how well people know you. If you live in a relatively small community or neighborhood, word can start spreading about how good of a babysitter you are.

The pay is good and the hours are nice. Babysitting won’t interfere with your education since you can take your books with you while babysitting. The problem is that there’s almost no job stability here. In a few months you might yourself out of babysitting jobs for whatever reason.

Finding your first babysitting job might be hard but once you have a decent reputation, many people will ask for your services.

Tutor

Are you good at chemistry? Why don’t you make extra money by teaching it? Tutoring is one of the most suitable and best part time jobs for teens. It really plays to a high school teen’s strength.

Whatever it is you’re good at, you can teach. Those who are good at several subjects can make additional money by teaching more.

Tutoring is a particularly interesting option if you have a passion for learning and education. You can help shape the minds of younger generations with your knowledge and enthusiasm. Just like with most other jobs, if the kid your tutoring starts getting much better grades, people will start speaking highly of you and you’ll get more job offers.

The job is easy if you’re good at time management and plays to your strengths because you’ll be teaching something you’re currently learning or where learning a couple of years ago.

Take Online Surveys

SurveyJunkie

Through SurveyJunkie, you can take surveys online and get paid for them. Surveys usually take about 5 minutes or less to complete so it’s not time consuming.

Companies and manufacturers need feedback on their products, so SurveyJunkie collects it for them through surveys. Since SurveyJunkie gets paid, so do you.

You need to be at least 13 years old to use SurveyJunkie.

Swagbucks

With Swagbucks, you can get paid to take surveys as well as watch videos or ads. It’s quite simple and once again, you need to be over 13 to register.

Making money online is quite suitable for a teenager who has lots of homework and assignments to do.

Work as a Barista

Working in a coffee shop is quite a popular job these days. As a teenager you’re likely to find competition from high school and even college graduates as well.

Either way, working as a barista gives you plenty of important experience in dealing with people and improving your people skills.

It’s also a stable job because unlike tutoring or babysitting, you’ll actually be employed by a coffeehouse. The hours are somewhat flexible and the job isn’t boring although you might have to deal with people who just woke up and need their coffee.

If you’re looking for something stable then this is one of your best options, and you’ll also be getting free coffee.

Join the Theatre

Well, no, we’re not suggesting you run to Hollywood and become a movie star although that would certainly pay better. We’re talking about working at your local movie theatre.

The job is quite easy. All you have to do is sell tickets, snacks, or clean the theatre at the end of a movie. Some people find this to be a bit boring, but not all jobs are fun unfortunately. Plus, it’s not a permanent career defining job anyway.

Perhaps knowing that you’ll be getting free movie tickets will help persuade you to join your local movie theatre. Try not to pay attention to the ending of a movie as you go in to clean the theatre though if you’re interesting in seeing it later.

Dog Walker and Pet Sitter

Dog walking and pet sitting are fun for people who love animals (who doesn’t?). Personally, if someone told me they’d give me money to walk their dog or take care of their pets while they were gone, I wouldn’t hesitate.

With dog walking you get to exercise too and enjoy some fresh air. If you’re posting an add as a pet sitter, make it clear in the ad that you can only take care of pets in clients’ homes not at your own place.

Apart from being fun, dog walking has the potential for being one of the high paying jobs for teens, especially those who live in big cities.

Camp Counselor

Looking for something to keep you occupied in the summer? Work as a camp counselor and help inspire and motivate kids. You’ll be organizing games, telling stories, and helping the children with anything they need.

Just think back on how much you loved your camp counselors when you were a child. That’s the kind of impact you can have on younger generations. It’s a lot of fun too and will keep you occupied during the relatively boring summer vacation.

Making friends is another perk of the job as you get to know other counselors your age. Perhaps the only issue is that it’s not a year round job, but it’ll do for the summer vacation. During winter you can look for part-time jobs to go with your studying and school.

Sell Stuff Online

Selling your stuff on eBay, Decluttr, or through other websites is something that requires very little skill or time. You can sell things like your old watch, old video games, and even books.

If it’s something you haven’t used in years, we seriously doubt that you’ll ever use it again. Unless you have an emotional attachment to something, sell it. It’s a great way of cleaning up and getting rid of things you don’t need while getting paid.

You don’t have to leave the house or learn any new skills either. Just do a quick search to see how much other people are selling your item so you can sell it for a competitive price too. Once you post the item, just wait for someone to buy it while you go about your life and have fun.

Work at a Grocery Store

Grocery stores aren’t glamorous, but it’s a steady job that a lot of people do for a period of their lives. With little experience and no degree yet, you’ll probably start bagging groceries at the cashier or restocking shelves.

It’s a simple and honest job. If you become good at it and show yourself to be responsible and reliable, they might let you work as a cashier which is definitely more fun than restocking shelves or bagging items.

Working in a grocery store will also be part time with the possibility of picking up extra shifts on vacations or during the summer if you like working and need the money. Being a grocery store worker isn’t something you might want to brag about, but it’s something you can take pride in for sure.

We consider it to be one of the best jobs for teenagers for the stability it provides and its simulation of working in the real world.

Field Marketer

Well, this job isn’t for everyone but if you don’t find many alternatives, it’s still a decent job opportunity.

Don’t know what a field marketer is? A field marketer is someone who goes around passing flyers, or the guy/girl flipping signs outside a store. Basically, if you’re doing something to attract people to and market a store then you’re a field marketer.

The problem is that it’s mostly an outdoor job and depending on where you live and the season, working outside could be difficult. Just make sure you’re dressed properly for the weather and that you’re wearing comfy shoes because you’ll be on your feet for most of the day.

Become a Blogger

You can do this on your own terms through a personal blog, by joining other popular blogs, or through freelancing. Joining a popular blog or website would be your safest option because it’s going to guarantee that you get paid a fixed amount per article or time.

Starting your own blog will take lots of time for you to develop a fan base so you can start earning money from ads. If neither option works for you, try freelancing. It’s hard at first but once you work long and hard enough to develop a high rating, people will start contacting you for jobs.

Blogging is truly one of the best jobs for teens because it has the potential to pay really well, can be done from home, and improves their writing skills.

Web Developer

Working as a web developer has some of the same features that come along with being a blogger. It’s something you can do online and one that won’t pay well at first but can ultimately pay you more than you imagined.

The important thing is to create a proper portfolio so people can see your talent and hard work. Being a web developer is also quite a flexible job since you work at home whenever you’re free (as long as you don’t fail to meet deadlines).

Lifeguard

Being a lifeguard is a lot like babysitting, except you’ll be watching adults at a pool. How many times have you seen a pool lifeguard in action? Probably never.

Lifeguards have relatively boring jobs, people don’t often need urgent help at a pool and you might only need to interfere a few times all year.

Nonetheless, working as a lifeguard isn’t something to be taken lightly because if you’re called to action, you have to be prepared because it’ll be a matter of life and death. If you’re looking for a boring job that might turn into lifesaving opportunities a couple of times a year then working as a lifeguard is for you.

Archival Services

Archiving documents and pictures can be quite a lucrative business, and it’s not much work. Start with your parents’ friends or adult family members who need documents and photos digitalized. You’ll be making lots of money scanning these documents and uploading them to the Drive or simply to DVDs and computers.

It’s a very low risk job that can be quite boring, but adults will pay you to do things they’re too lazy to do themselves. You can charge .25 cents per photo or document. It’s not much but it’ll add up as you scan hundreds of them.

Handle documents gently and scan them properly though if you want people to keep coming to you and trusting you with their files.

Join a Packing and Moving Service

People often hire packing and moving services because they’re too busy or exhausted to handle moving themselves. Your service will always be needed, but you probably don’t want to go solo because movers are often insured while you won’t be if you work alone.

It’s an easy job so it’s not surprising that you’ll be making minimum wage. Tips will be split amongst the crew too.

There’s not much money in it and putting in all that effort can be hard on a hot day but it’s a low risk job that will be easy to acquire. Make sure to stay hydrated and take breaks as needed to avoid overexertion.

With teenagers seeking more independence with each passing day, so will their desire to find a job.

After all, being independent will rely mostly on their financial status. If they can make enough money to support themselves that would be great.

We’ve put together a list of the best jobs for teens, but ultimately it all comes down to a person’s skill set and what they can see themselves doing for several months or even years.