At 15, the desire to earn money often collides with a thicket of rules, parental concerns and the realities of school schedules. Teenagers want independence, families want safety and employers want reliability. The essential answer is simple yes, 15-year-olds can work—legally—if the job, hours and conditions comply with youth labor laws. In the United States, federal law allows many forms of employment at 14 and 15 with strict limits on hours and hazardous tasks. States add their own layers. Within those boundaries, the range of options is broader than many families realize.
This article is a practical, long-form guide to jobs for 15-year-olds that balance legality, learning, and real pay. It explains which roles are allowed, what they typically pay, how schedules fit around school, and why early work can matter beyond the paycheck. It also addresses inequities—who gets access to safe jobs and who does not—and the ways technology and local labor shortages have expanded opportunities for teens in recent years.
For parents and guardians, the question is often less “Can they work?” than “Should they?” Research suggests that moderate, well-structured work during the school year can build responsibility and soft skills without harming academics. For teens, the first job can be a formative experience a manager who models professionalism, a customer who tests patience, a paycheck that makes budgeting real. The challenge is finding work that respects the limits of age while offering dignity, learning and a fair wage.
What the Law Allows—and Forbids
Federal youth employment rules are anchored in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor. For 14- and 15-year-olds, the law permits work outside school hours in non-hazardous jobs. During the school year, teens may work up to three hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week; during non-school weeks, the cap rises to 40 hours. Work must fall between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., extending to 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. These limits are not suggestions—they are enforceable standards designed to protect education and safety.
What counts as “non-hazardous” matters. Teens under 16 cannot work in manufacturing, mining, or processing; operate power-driven machinery; or perform tasks involving ladders, scaffolds, or motor vehicles. Cooking with open flames, baking, and operating fryers with automatic baskets are restricted; serving food and cashiering are typically allowed. Agricultural work has different rules, including family-farm exemptions.
States can—and often do—impose stricter requirements, including work permits, parental consent forms, and earlier curfews. “Youth employment laws exist to ensure that early work complements schooling rather than competes with it,” said David Weil, former administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the U.S. Department of Labor, in guidance explaining the intent of the FLSA. Families should always check state labor department sites before accepting a job.
Retail and Food Service: The Classic First Jobs
Walk through any shopping center and the familiar “Now Hiring” signs often include an age threshold of 16. But many retailers and quick-service restaurants legally hire at 15, particularly for front-of-house roles. Grocery stores employ teens as baggers, cart attendants, and shelf stockers during allowed hours. Clothing and big-box retailers may hire for fitting rooms, recovery (tidying), and cashiering with supervision.
Food service remains a major entry point. Ice cream shops, cafés without grills, bakeries where teens handle packaging rather than ovens, and fast-food counters offer structured training and predictable schedules. Pay varies by region and minimum wage laws; in states with higher minimum wages, teens may earn $12–$16 an hour. Tips can supplement income in counter-service environments, though laws differ on tip pooling and minimum cash wages.
The upside is scale and structure: corporate training, clear rules, and co-workers the same age. The downside is pace. Customer-facing roles test patience and resilience. “Service jobs are classrooms for soft skills,” noted Richard V. Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, in commentary on youth employment. “They teach punctuality, teamwork, and how to handle conflict—skills schools struggle to teach alone.”
Child Care, Pet Care and Neighborhood Work
For many 15-year-olds, the safest and most flexible work is close to home. Babysitting, mother’s helper roles, and pet sitting rely on trust and referrals rather than formal applications. Pay often exceeds entry-level retail wages, particularly for evenings and weekends. In many communities, $15–$25 per hour for babysitting is common, reflecting responsibility rather than age.
Pet care—dog walking, feeding, basic grooming—offers similar advantages. Teens can build a client list, set availability around school, and learn customer communication. Yard work and snow shoveling remain seasonal staples, though power equipment restrictions apply. Raking leaves and hand weeding are generally allowed; operating mowers or trimmers may not be.
These jobs also introduce entrepreneurship. Teens learn pricing, scheduling, and accountability. Platforms that connect families with sitters often require 18+, but community bulletin boards, school newsletters, and word-of-mouth fill the gap. Parents should discuss boundaries, emergency contacts, and transportation before work begins.
Arts, Athletics and Community Institutions
Recreation departments, libraries, and camps are significant employers of teens, especially in summer. Fifteen-year-olds may work as junior counselors, scorekeepers, swim lesson aides (not lifeguards, which usually require 16+), or program assistants. These roles emphasize supervision, safety, and teamwork, with training baked in.
Arts and culture organizations—museums, theaters, community arts centers—sometimes hire teens for ushering, box office support, or program assistance. The pay may be modest, but the exposure can be formative. Athletic facilities hire teens to maintain equipment, manage sign-ins, or assist coaches. Religious institutions and nonprofits also offer paid roles tied to youth programs.
Schedules often align with school calendars, and employers may be more accustomed to youth labor rules. “Community-based jobs can be especially protective,” said Dr. Jean Rhodes, a psychologist at the University of Massachusetts Boston who studies youth development, in discussions of mentoring-rich environments. The presence of trained adults and mission-driven work can buffer stress and reinforce positive identity.
Digital Work and the Limits of Online Income
The internet tempts teens with promises of easy money, but reality is uneven. Some legitimate options exist: tutoring younger students online through family-arranged sessions; selling handmade goods with parental accounts; assisting local businesses with social media posts under supervision. Content creation—videos, streaming, art commissions—can generate income, but it is unpredictable and often requires parental management for contracts and taxes.
Federal labor law applies offline and on. If a teen is an employee, youth rules still govern hours and tasks. If a teen is self-employed, other risks arise: platform terms of service, payment disputes, and online safety. Families should be wary of schemes that ask for upfront fees or promise guaranteed returns. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that minors are frequent targets of online scams.
Digital literacy matters as much as earning. Setting boundaries around screen time, privacy, and mental health is essential. Online work can complement, not replace, in-person jobs that teach embodied skills and routines.
Pay, Hours and What Teens Actually Earn
Earnings vary widely by region, sector, and local minimum wage laws. The table below summarizes typical ranges for common jobs available to 15-year-olds, recognizing that tips and local laws can change outcomes.
| Job Type | Typical Hourly Pay | Hours During School Weeks | Notes |
| Grocery bagger/cart attendant | $10–$15 | Up to 18 | Predictable shifts, physical |
| Fast-casual counter staff | $11–$16 | Up to 18 | Training provided; no grills |
| Babysitting | $15–$25 | Flexible | Higher responsibility |
| Dog walking/pet sitting | $12–$20 | Flexible | Client-based |
| Camp junior counselor | $10–$14 | Seasonal | Supervised environment |
| Library/recreation aide | $10–$14 | Limited | Community-focused |
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that teen employment rises sharply each summer, reflecting seasonal hiring and relaxed school schedules. During the school year, balancing work and academics is crucial. Research consistently finds that working more than 20 hours per week during school correlates with lower grades; staying within legal limits helps protect learning.
How to Get Hired at 15
Landing a first job is as much about preparation as persistence. Employers look for reliability, communication, and availability within legal hours. A simple résumé—education, activities, volunteer work—signals seriousness. References can include teachers, coaches, or neighbors. Practicing interview basics matters eye contact, punctuality and clear answers.
Work permits are common. Many states require a certificate signed by a school official or parent before employment begins. Teens should also open a bank account with a guardian, understand pay stubs, and learn about taxes. Yes, teens pay taxes; filing builds financial literacy early.
Transportation deserves planning. Walking, biking, or family rides are typical at 15; jobs that require driving are off-limits. Safety conversations—late shifts, emergency procedures, harassment reporting—should be explicit. The goal is independence with a net.
Equity, Access and the Geography of Teen Work
Not all teens have equal access to safe jobs. Rural areas may offer agricultural work but fewer retail options. Urban teens may face longer commutes. Family income shapes whether teens need to work or can choose enrichment instead. Schools and cities that invest in youth employment programs—summer youth employment initiatives, paid internships—can widen access and reduce risk.
These programs often partner with nonprofits and municipal agencies to place teens in supervised roles, paying at or above minimum wage. Evaluations of large city programs have linked participation to improved long-term outcomes, including higher earnings and reduced justice involvement. Access, not just motivation, matters.
A Timeline of Legal Milestones
Understanding how youth labor rules evolved helps explain today’s boundaries.
| Year | Milestone | Impact |
| 1938 | Fair Labor Standards Act enacted | Established federal youth labor rules |
| 1949 | Amendments clarify hazardous work | Expanded protections |
| 1974 | Updates to child labor provisions | Refined age-based limits |
| 2010s | State minimum wage increases | Raised teen pay in many states |
| 2020s | Labor shortages expand teen hiring | More opportunities within limits |
These Jobs for 15-Year-Olds guardrails reflect decades of balancing economic need with child welfare. While enforcement ebbs and flows, the framework remains robust.
Takeaways
- Fifteen-year-olds can work legally in many roles, with strict limits on hours and hazards.
- Retail, food service, child care, and community jobs are common entry points.
- Neighborhood work often pays more and offers flexibility, but requires planning.
- Digital income is possible but unpredictable; safety and supervision matter.
- Staying within legal hour limits protects academics and well-being.
- Access to jobs varies by geography and family resources; public programs help.
Conclusion
Jobs for 15-Year-Olds is less about the paycheck than the person it helps shape. Within the lines drawn by law, work can teach time management, empathy, and self-advocacy—lessons that echo long after the uniform is returned or the babysitting clients move on. The best jobs respect the rhythms of school, offer supervision, and treat young workers with dignity. Jobs for 15-Year-Olds are not shortcuts to adulthood, but guided steps toward it.
For families, the task is to match opportunity to readiness, to talk through safety and expectations, and to remember that learning continues beyond the classroom. For employers, hiring teens is an investment in the future workforce, one shift at a time. And for teens, the Jobs for 15-Year-Olds is a chance to test independence, to make mistakes with support, and to discover the satisfaction of earned income. In an economy that often asks young people to wait, lawful, meaningful work offers a way to begin.
FAQs
Can a 15-year-old work during the school year?
Yes, outside school hours, up to three hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, within permitted times.
Do 15-year-olds need a work permit?
Often, yes. Many states require a permit or age certificate issued by a school or labor department.
What jobs are prohibited at 15?
Hazardous work, manufacturing, mining, operating power-driven machinery and most cooking with open flames are prohibited.
How much can a 15-year-old earn?
Earnings vary by job and location typical ranges are $10–$16 hourly with higher rates for babysitting.
Do teens pay taxes on earnings?
Yes, Teens must file taxes if they earn above certain thresholds; filing builds financial literacy.
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Employment and unemployment among youth. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/youth.htm
Federal Trade Commission. (2023). Protecting young consumers online. https://www.ftc.gov
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. (2023). Youth employment rules. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules
U.S. Department of Labor. (1938). Fair Labor Standards Act. https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/flsa1938
Reeves, R. V. (2022). Why work matters for young people. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu
