US: First jobs · 5 min read
How can I make money as a teenager in the US?
Legal ways to earn money as a US teen, from babysitting and lawn care at 13 to part-time jobs at 14 and 16, online options, what the IRS expects and what pays off.
The short answer
Before 14 the reliable earners are the ones the labor laws leave alone: babysitting, pet sitting and dog walking, lawn mowing and yard work, snow shoveling, tutoring younger kids, and selling things you make or resell. From 14 you can take a part-time job in retail, food or an office under the federal hours rules, and from 16 almost anything that isn't hazardous. Online, you can sell on marketplaces with a parent's account, and from 18 you can freelance. The IRS doesn't care about your age: if you earn more than $400 from self-employment in a year you owe self-employment tax, even though you'll owe no income tax until you pass the $16,100 standard deduction.
Key takeaways
- Under 14: babysitting, yard work, pet care, tutoring, reselling. These are exempt from most child labor rules and pay $12 to $25 an hour in many areas.
- 14 and 15: part-time jobs within the 3-hours-a-school-day and 18-hours-a-week limits. 16 and 17: most jobs, most hours.
- Self-employment income over $400 a year means a tax return and 15.3% self-employment tax, even for a 15 year old.
- The earners that pay off later are the ones with a skill or a customer list: tutoring, lifeguarding, a small service business with repeat clients.
On this pageWhat's open at each age
What's open at each age
| Age | What's open | Typical pay |
|---|---|---|
| 13 and under | Babysitting, pet care, yard work, tutoring, selling, newspaper delivery, acting, family business | $10 to $25 an hour informally |
| 14 and 15 | All of the above plus retail, food, office and recreation jobs within federal hours limits | State minimum to $16 |
| 16 and 17 | Most jobs except the hazardous list; lifeguarding, camps, kitchens, warehouses | State minimum to $20 |
| 18 | Everything, including gig apps, delivery driving and freelance platforms | Varies |
The informal jobs are a real business
A 14 year old who mows eight lawns a week at $40 each earns more than most retail jobs allow under the hours rules, sets his own schedule, and learns pricing, scheduling and customer service. The same is true of regular babysitting for three families, or tutoring two students a week in algebra. These jobs aren't a lesser option before you can get a "real" one; for many teens they're the better one. Treat them like a business: a price list, a text thread with clients, a notebook of what you earned.
The tax rules, briefly
- Employee income: your employer withholds Social Security and Medicare (7.65%) and federal income tax. File a return in the spring to get the income tax back if you earned under $16,100.
- Self-employment income: once net profit passes $400 in a year, you owe 15.3% self-employment tax and must file a Schedule C and Schedule SE, even if you owe no income tax.
- Both kinds together: the thresholds apply separately, and a return is required if either is crossed.
- A Roth IRA: any earned income lets you contribute, and a parent can open a custodial one. Money put in at 16 has fifty years to grow.
Earners that teach you something
Some money is just money. Some comes with a skill, a certification or a client list you keep. Lifeguarding gives you a certification and a reference. Tutoring proves you can explain things, which every job needs. A small service business teaches you to quote, schedule and chase payment. A job at a vet clinic, a hospital gift shop or a local newspaper shows you a field from the inside. When you have a choice, take the one that leaves something behind.
Illustrative example: eight lawns and a spreadsheet
A 14 year old starts mowing two neighbors' lawns at $35 each. By July he has eight weekly clients, has bought a better mower with the first month's money, and keeps a spreadsheet of what each job earned. He clears about $2,400 over the summer, files a return in the spring because his profit passed $400, and at 16 hires a friend for the overflow. The spreadsheet is the first thing he shows at a college interview two years later.
Questions people ask
- How can a 13 year old make money?
- Babysitting (a Red Cross babysitting course at 11 or older helps you charge more), pet sitting and dog walking, mowing lawns and yard work, shoveling snow, washing cars, tutoring elementary students, and selling baked goods or crafts. Federal child labor rules don't cover these informal jobs, though some states and cities have rules on street sales. Newspaper delivery and acting are the main formal exceptions open under 14.
- Can teenagers make money online legally?
- Yes, with limits. Most marketplaces, payment apps and freelance platforms require users to be 18, so under that age you need a parent's account and their involvement. Selling on eBay or Depop, running a YouTube or Twitch channel (with a parent as account holder), and designing print-on-demand products are common. The income is taxable the same as any other.
- Do teenagers have to pay taxes on side money?
- If you're paid as an employee, tax is withheld and you get most or all of it back if you earn under $16,100. If you're self-employed (babysitting, mowing, selling), you owe self-employment tax of 15.3% once your net profit passes $400 in a year, and you must file. Income tax itself starts above the standard deduction. Keep a simple log of what you earned and spent.
- What's the best-paying job for a teenager?
- Lifeguarding often tops the list at $16 to $22 an hour in cities with shortages. Tutoring can reach $20 to $40 an hour if you're strong in math or a test subject. Skilled trades apprenticeships from 16 or 18 pay $15 to $20 to start and more each year. Among ordinary part-time jobs, warehouse and grocery roles with large employers often pay $15 to $18.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- YouthRules! Young workers · US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
- Tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 · Internal Revenue Service
- Fact Sheet 43: Child labor provisions for nonagricultural occupations · US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
How this page is written
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