For the more mature and motivated 14 and 15-year-old, a job can be a great way to learn the value of hard work and self-discipline. It is also a good way to earn an income and gain valuable professional experience to build a foundation for their career.
There are numerous legal limitations on how many hours and what kind of jobs non-adults can work. In general, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets 14 years old as the minimum age for non-agricultural employment.
- No hazardous job such as mining or warehousing. No job that requires the use of power saws or ladders
- No more than 3 hours of work on a school day
- No more than 8 hours of work on a non-school day
- No more than 18 hours of work in a week when school is in session
- No more than 40 hours of work in a week when school is not in session
- No work before 7 am or after 7 pm from the day after Labor Day to May 31
- No work before 7 am or after 9 pm from June 1 to Labor Day
Employment laws vary from state to state. As a result, some companies may have jobs for 14-year-old in some locations but not in other locations. Let’s take a look at common jobs that hire at 14 or 15 years old.
Related: How Much Allowance Should a Kid Get? (by Age)
| Job | Rate Per Hour | Difficulty |
| Tutor | $24.65 | Hard |
| Lifeguard | $11.83 | Hard |
| Sports Referee | $16.13 | Hard |
| Ice Cream Scooper | $11.04 | Easy |
| Restaurant Host/Hostess | $11.26 | Medium |
| Grocery Bagger | $11.81 | Easy |
| Dog Walker | $15.61 | Medium |
| Babysitter | $17.63 | Medium |
| Cashier | $11.72 | Medium |
| Summer Camp Counselor | $9.16 | Hard |
| Barista | $11.51 | Medium |
| Pet Sitter | $13.32 | Easy |
| Kitchen Assistant | $12.21 | Medium |
| Concession Stand Worker | $10.59 | Easy |
| Dishwasher | $11.22 | Easy |
| Busser | $10.61 | Easy |
| Caddy | $12.32 | Medium |
| Theater Usher | $9.33 | Easy |
Tutor
If you are good with academics, tutoring is the generally the highest paying job for teenagers. As a tutor, you will work with your students in a one-on-one setting to help them to succeed in their school works and the average pay is around $24.65 per hour.
You will answer academic questions from your students and help them through problem areas in their studies. Typically, a tutor will specialize in a specific academic discipline such as math, science, or history.
Look up any tutoring businesses in your local area and contact them to see if they are hiring. You can also put up flyers at your local community centers and schools to attract clients on your own. It may also help if you focus on specific subjects.
Lifeguard
As a lifeguard, you will be employed by a public or private pool, beach, or water park. Average pay is around $11.83 per hour, and job duties include monitoring your surroundings to ensure public safety at all times.
You may also have to clean the pool or beach and to open and close the facility to visitors. And of course, in case of drowning, you would have to jump into the water and save someone
To work as a lifeguard you need to be a good swimmer. Also, you need a lifeguard certificate and a first-aid certificate, which you can get from taking an American Red Cross Lifeguarding & Water Safety training class.
Once you have gained the required qualification, you can look for lifeguard jobs by looking up any pools, beaches, water parks, fitness clubs, or country clubs in your local area and contact them to see if they are hiring. You can also search for lifeguard jobs on Google or job websites such as Indeed.com
Sports Referee
As a sports referee, you will preside over sporting events such as baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, and softball to enforce any relevant rules. You will maintain orders in your sporting events and make sure any conflicts are resolved appropriately. Average pay is around $16.13 per hour.
As a 14 or 15-year-old, you will most likely be refereeing sporting events in your local youth leagues or at your own school. Pick a sport you are familiar with and interested in, such as basketball or baseball. Make sure you understand the rules of that sport.
Look up any youth sports leagues in your local area and see if they have any openings. Also, talk to your physical education teacher and see if your own school is hiring any referee
Ice Cream Scooper
As an ice cream scooper, you will greet customers at an ice cream shop, recite your menu, offer flavor suggestions, answer any questions from customers, provide ice cream samples, take orders, scoop and serve ice cream, and collect payments from customers. Average pay is around $11.04 per hour.
You can find work as an ice cream scooper in either independent ice cream shops or national chains. Look up any indie ice cream shops in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings.
You can also apply to national chains for job openings. National chains that hire at under age 16 include:
- Baskin Robbins: Will hire ice cream scoopers as young as 14 in select locations. Search for job openings here or contact your local Baskin Robbins directly
- Bruster’s: Will hire 14-year-old ice cream scoopers. Apply for job openings here or contact your local Bruster’s directly
- Dairy Queen: Will hire ice cream scoopers in select locations. Search for job openings here or contact your local Dairy Queen directly
Restaurant Hostess or Host
As a hostess or host, you will be working at a restaurant greeting customers, maintaining an orderly waiting list, leading customers to open tables, presenting menus and daily specials, and making sure the different sections of your restaurant are balanced to prevent overloading servers. Average pay is around $11.26 per hour.
You can find work as a hostess or host in either independent restaurants or national chains. Look up any independent restaurants in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings.
You can also apply to national restaurant chains for job openings. For example, Boston Market: Will hire hostess or host as young as 15 in select locations. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local Boston Market directly
Grocery Bagger
As a grocery bagger, your job is to help grocery store customers to organize their purchased groceries and put them into bags. You may also have to help carry the bagged groceries to the customers’ cars. average pay is around $11.81 per hour.
You can find work as a grocery bagger in either independent grocery stores or national grocery chains. Look up any indie grocers in your local area.
Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings. Many national grocery chains will hire at under age 16:
- Fareway: Will hire baggers as young as 14. Apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Kroger & Subsidiaries (Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Mayer, and more): Will hire baggers with a proper work permit as young as 14. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Publix: Will hire baggers as young as 14. Apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Safeway & Subsidiaries (ACME, Albertsons, Shaw, Star Market, and more): Will hire baggers with a proper work permit as young as 14. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Winn Dixie & Subsidiaries (BI-LO, Harveys & Fresco y Más): Will hire baggers as young as 14. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
Dog Walker
As a dog walker, you will be taking dogs on their daily walks. Some dog walkers walk one dog at a time while other dog walkers may walk multiple dogs simultaneously. The duration and route of each walk will depend on the breed of the dog and the requirement of the dog owner. Average pay is around $15.61 per hour.
Look up any dog walking businesses in your local area and call them up to see if they have any job opening. You may also work as an independent dog walker. To do that, put up flyers at your local community centers or libraries to advertise your service.
You can also try listing your service on classified ad websites such as Craigslist.org or specialized dog walking marketplaces such as Rover.com or Wagwalking.com
Child Sitter or Babysitter
As a child sitter or babysitter, you will take care of babies or children while their parents are away. Typical duties include making sure the kids are safe, playing with them, preparing food and feeding them, helping them with homework, changing diapers, and getting the kids to bed on time. You may also have to do some light housework such as laundry or vacuuming. Average pay is around $17.63 per hour.
Look up any babysitting businesses in your local area and call them up to see if they have any job opening. You may also work as an independent babysitter. To do that, put up flyers at your local community centers or libraries to advertise your service.
You can also try listing your service on classified ad websites such as Craigslist.org or specialized babysitting marketplaces such as Care.com or UrbanSitter.com
Cashier
As a cashier, you will typically be working at a retail store or a fast food restaurant. Your job duties will include ringing up customer orders and handling payments in cash, credit card, debit card, or personal check.
You may also have to process returns and refunds, count money, and keep your cash drawer balanced throughout your shift. Average pay is around $11.72 per hour.
You can find work as a cashier in either retail stores or fast food restaurants. Look up any independent shops or restaurants in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings. Many national chains will hire at under age 16:
- Burger King: Will hire cashiers as young as 14 in select states. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local restaurant directly
- Chick-fil-A: Will hire cashiers as young as 14 in select locations. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local restaurant directly
- McDonald’s: Will hire cashiers as young as 14 in select locations. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local restaurant directly
- Runza: Will hire cashiers as young as 14 in select locations. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local restaurant directly
- Taco Bell: Will hire cashiers as young as 14 in select locations. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local restaurant directly
- Fareway: Will hire cashiers as young as 14. Apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Kroger & Subsidiaries (Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Mayer, and more): Will hire cashiers with a proper work permit as young as 14. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Publix: Will hire cashiers as young as 14. Apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Safeway & Subsidiaries (ACME, Albertsons, Shaw, Star Market, and more): Will hire cashiers with a proper work permit as young as 14. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
- Winn Dixie & Subsidiaries (BI-LO, Harveys & Fresco y Más): Will hire cashiers as young as 14. Search and apply for job openings here or contact your local store directly
Summer Camp Counselor
As a summer camp counselor, you will help organize and lead various camp activities such as orientations, hikes, games, classes, campfires, singing, art projects, and more. You will also help with monitoring the kids in your camp to ensure their safety and to maintain orders. Average pay is around $9.16 per hour.
Search for any summer camps in your local area. Contact those camps directly and ask if they have any job openings. If you have any strengths or special skills, highlight them when you talk to the camps.
For example, if you are good at art or music, you will be a strong candidate for leading art or music activities at the camps. Make sure the camps you talk to know that.
Barista
As a barista, you will work at a coffee shop to greet customers, help your customers to choose menu items, answer any questions they have, make and serve drinks and light snacks, and handle payments from customers.
You may also have to help with the cleaning, opening, and closing of your coffee shop. Average pay is around $11.51 per hour.
While coffee shops will typically provide training on how to make drinks, you will have a leg up on other candidates if you already know how to make common coffee drinks such as espresso, cappuccino, and latte before you apply for a job as a barista.
Starbucks usually has a minimum age requirement of 16 for anyone to work there. But in Montana, that minimum age is lowered to 14. So if you live in Montana, feel free to apply for a job at Starbucks. You can search for job openings and apply online here.
Pet Sitter
If you love pets but do not want to work outdoor as a dog walker bracing the elements, pet sitting may be the perfect job for you. As a pet sitter, you will care for pets while their owners are away.
Typical duties include feeding the pets, giving them water and medicines, brushing them, cleaning their litter boxes, and more. Average pay is around $13.32 per hour.
Look up any pet sitting businesses in your local area and call them up to see if they have any job opening. You may also work as an independent pet sitter. To do that, put up flyers at your local community centers or libraries to advertise your service.
You can also try listing your service on classified ad websites such as Craigslist.org or specialized pet sitting marketplaces such as Rover.com or Wagwalking.com
Kitchen Assistant
As a kitchen assistant, you will be working in the kitchen of a restaurant under the guidance of a kitchen supervisor or a chef de partie. In general, your job is to make sure the kitchen is clean, organized, and operating efficiently.
You will be cleaning the food prep area and equipment, washing cooking utensils and dishes and making sure they are stored in the right places, sorting and storing ingredients, disposing of garbage, and preparing linen laundry.
In some restaurants, you may also be asked to prepare cooking ingredients. So this could be a great stepping stone to a career as a chef. Average pay is around $12.21 per hour.
Look up independent restaurants in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings. Highlight any skills or experience you may have in food preparation or cooking
Concession Stand Worker
As a concession stand worker, you will be responsible for operating your concession stand. Duties may include food preparation, selling food and drinks, taking payments and giving changes, and cleaning the concession area. Average pay is around $10.59 per hour.
You can find work as a concession stand worker in either theaters or stadiums. Look up any stadiums or indie theaters in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings. You can also apply to national theater chains for job openings
AMC Theater will hire teens as young as 14 to work as concession stand workers in select locations. Apply online here.
Dishwasher
As a dishwasher, you will be working at a restaurant kitchen and be responsible for washing and drying dishes, glassware, cookware, and utensils. You may have to wash them by hand or load them into dishwashing machines.
After cleaning, you will place the dishes in the serving station. You may also be responsible for cleaning the dishwashing area and machines. Average pay is around $11.22 per hour.
Look up any independent restaurant in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings.
Busser
As a busser, you will be working at a restaurant and be responsible for clearing dishes, utensils, and glasses from tables, wiping down tabletops, and replacing tablecloths. You may also be responsible for refilling customers’ nonalcoholic drinks and carrying food to tables. Average pay is around $10.61 per hour.
Look up any independent restaurant in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings.
Caddy
As a caddy, you will be working at a golf course as an assistant to the golf players there. You will be carrying golf bags, raking sand bunkers, holding flags, replacing divots, providing players with advice on which golf club to use, and cleaning golf balls.
Look up any golf course or country club in your local area. Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings. Average pay is around $12.32 per hour.
If you are knowledgeable or passionate about the game of golf, make sure you mention that to the people you talk to. It could give you a leg up on other candidates. Also, make sure you are fit enough to do this job, as being a caddy can be quite physically demanding
Theater Usher
As a theater usher, you will be working at a theater to help the customers get to their assigned seats. Other duties include checking tickets, handing out programs, answering any questions from customers, making sure customers are following the theater’s rules, and showing people the way to restrooms or concession stands.
You may also have to pitch in to clean the auditoriums and the lobby. Average pay is around $9.33 per hour.
You can find work as an usher in both independent theaters or national theater chains. Look up any indie theaters in your local area.
Contact their managers or owners directly to see if they have any job openings. You can also apply to national theater chains for job openings. AMC Theater will hire teens as young as 14 to work as ushers in select locations. Apply online here.
