31 Jobs That Hire 16 Year Olds in 2023 (Part-Time & Well Paid) 

When children become teenagers, there is a transition from having what they want given to them to going out and working for what they want.

Jobs for 16 year olds are plentiful, especially depending on the labor laws in the teen’s state of residence.

Even if labor laws in a specific state do not allow 16 year olds to have a job in the workplace, there are entrepreneurial opportunities that can be pursued to still make money. 

In this article, you will learn:

• The types of jobs available for 16 year olds.
• Companies that hire 16 year olds.
• Entrepreneurial opportunities if there are no jobs for 16 year olds in your area.
• What you need to know before applying for a job as a 16 year old.

First type in “jobs hiring near me for 16 year olds” in Google to get a preliminary idea of jobs suitable for your age group. The more you continue to search, the more job opportunities in which you can capitalize.

Getting started in the workforce at a young age will build responsibility, accountability, and valuable job skills. Here is a list of jobs hiring 16 year olds.

Ice Cream Scooper

Ice cream parlors are a great place to start looking for jobs that hire at 16.

Not only will you beat the summer heat by working in an air conditioned environment full of delicious frozen confections, you can also help to put smiles on everyone’s faces as kids and adults alike indulge in a cold summer treat. 

More than likely, you will receive a discount where you work as well.

As an Ice Cream Scooper, you will be one of the people responsible for scooping ice cream in the style and flavors that customers want.

Lifeguard

The American Red Cross certifies lifeguards who are ages 15 and older so having a summer job as a lifeguard is an option for teens interested in the position.

According to the Department of Labor, youth ages 16 and 17 can perform non hazardous duties if they are employed as lifeguards.

For example, you can redirect the behavior of people swimming in a lake or at a water park to enforce safety regulations.

Check out more information about the Department of Labor’s regulations for lifeguards by age here.

Ride Operator

Teenagers can be trained to operate rides at amusement parks. Once a certified specialist has trained the teenager to operate the ride, the teen employee can operate the rides independently.

This is also an easy position for a teenager starting off in building their job skills.

Cashier

Retail positions are great part time jobs for 16 year olds. Working retail builds customer service skills, social skills, and time management skills

More than likely, you will be cross trained in different departments as a young retail professional depending on the company that hires you.

As a Cashier, you will be the last person the customer interacts with during his or her grocery trip.

Restaurant Crew Member

There are many fast food restaurants that hire at 16. You can be a Cashier, Expeditor, and/or Cook as a Restaurant Crew Member.

The Cashier takes the customer orders and handles processing payments. The Cook gets the food ready for the customer.

The Expeditor collects all the completed food to put on a tray for dine-in customers or in to-go bags for drive-thru or takeout customers.

You may also be cross trained in different positions throughout the restaurant to satisfy customer need and demand.

Delivery Driver

Higher paying jobs for teens involve positions where you will receive tips and/or a good load of work to keep you busy and income constantly coming.

While base pay may be low for some of these jobs, you can receive incentives for great performance based on the client’s discretion. Three high paying teen jobs are discussed below.

If you live in a state where teens are able to get their license at 15 or 16 years old, you can become a delivery driver for a local pizzeria or other small restaurant.

Small restaurant businesses are always looking for reliable delivery drivers ready to serve up awesome customer service.

This is also a great starter job for a teenager looking to start building job skills. You’ll be paid a base wage as a delivery driver and then get tips along the way from your clients.

Timing, organization, and politeness are needed to be a great delivery driver. Don’t forget that a great sense of direction will be achieved as you learn more areas of your neighborhood when delivering food.

Eventually, when you turn 18, you can use your delivery driver experience from your teen years and make your own schedule by becoming a delivery driver for Door Dash and/or Grub Hub.

Caddying

Just like being a delivery driver, you will sometimes receive tips from caddying. Caddying involves carrying around the golf clubs, tees, and golf balls for golfers at a country club.

Country club members have a considerable amount of discretionary income to be able to spend so you will be tipped handsomely if you are a teenager working as a caddy person.

While working as a caddy person, you can enjoy free rides on the golf cart from time to time, watch golfers enjoy their game, and build your social skills when conversation sparks between you and the golfers.

This job does not require too much manual labor except having the caddy holding the golf supplies sitting on your back.

Babysitting

Parents need affordable child care to be able to go to work or even have the occasional date night for some alone time away from the kids.

Daycares can get pricey and some of them only stay open until 6pm. Becoming a babysitter will help to fill in the gap that childcare centers cannot fulfill.

Plus, you can do it for your clients at a more affordable rate than what a childcare center charges.

As you gain experience in babysitting, you can increase your hourly rate and eventually make great money doing what you love: caring for children.

This is another one of those high paying jobs for 16 year olds because it is all about your connections.

If there are many young babies or children in your neighborhood that need babysitting, your business has the potential to grow monumentally.

Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Learning to have an entrepreneurial mind set is a great way for teenagers to learn how to be self-sufficient and resourceful.

By learning different entrepreneurial ventures and skills, the 16 year old can do a money-making activity to make up for that deficit. 

Here is a list of 3 entrepreneurial opportunities you can start now.

Sell at Yard Sales and Flea Markets

There are two ways you can acquire items to sell at yard sales or flea markets.

You can ask family and friends to donate items they do not want anymore for you to add to your inventory or you can learn how to coupon to get your inventory for a cheap out of pocket cost.

Learning how to coupon can be done with practice and resources. When you coupon, you can get items for very cheap and resell them for a profit. Do the following to get started.

• Collect paper coupons from inserts such as RetailMeNot and Smartsource.
  
• Find deal matchups on the Krazy Coupon Lady to get started finding products for cheap.
  
• Sign up for digital store coupons at your favorite stores using your smartphone to take advantage of more great deals.
• To really lessen your out of pocket expenses when purchasing products to resell, learn how to do Dollar General penny shopping to get items for a penny each so that you can sell them for profit!

Walk Dogs in Your Neighborhood

After-school evenings and during the summer months, walking dogs would be a great entrepreneurial venture for 16 year olds.

Not only will you be able to get some exercise, but you will also be helping some furry, four legged friends get their exercise, too.

Post flyers in higher echelon neighborhoods where people have the extra money to spend on dog walking services.

You can even start a Facebook business page for free and show your potential clients which areas of your city you will be servicing. 

Network with family and friends to also help you find potential clients and build a strong client base for continuous income flow.

Once you turn 18, you can use this experience and apply to Wag or Rover to walk dogs by your own schedule!

Mow Lawns or Shovel Snow

Mowing lawns is best done in spring and summer and shoveling snow can be done in the winter.

You can start a local yard maintenance business where you service people in your neighborhood year round as they need your services. 

All you need is a lawn mower or two depending if you want to get your friends involved in the business.

Routine maintenance may be needed on the lawn mowers every few months or so depending on how many yard maintenance jobs you get per week.

To start shoveling snow next winter, be proactive and grab snow shovels that go on clearance in stores at the end of this winter so you are spending less in business expenses.

Clean-up Property

This is a great job for a teen or a group of teens, depending on the size and number of properties you're hired to clean.

Many property management companies look for people to clean up property since it’s a time-consuming job maintenance teams oftentimes don't have time to complete.

It’s up to the teen to find jobs cleaning property, which isn't difficult. It may, however, take a bit of time to find companies that need service.

Electronics Tutor

Let’s face it: some adults aren’t what you’d call electronic-savvy. They barely understand how smartphones, tablets, and other devices work and struggle to take advantage of the offerings as a result.

With all of today’s new technology, teens can bring older adults without a good understanding of how things work to current times by tutoring them on proper device usage.

It may seem lame from an outside perspective, but you'll find that older adults aren’t so bad after spending a bit of time with them. Charge a flat rate or hourly rate and earn money as you help someone else!

Buy & Resell

Many adults buy products to resell, but teens can also get in on the fun if they’d like to make extra money and have an interest in such an activity.

There are tons of sites to find cheap products from to resell and, of course, thrift store finds are always nice. Ask mom or dad to help you get started.

Many teens participate in buy and sell opportunities to earn cash, selling their old clothing, shoes, accessories, purses, and other items as well.

Stores designed specifically for teen fashions are out there, both online and locally. Teens can rack up a nice sum of money selling their items and the great finds from other sources.

Veterinary Assistant

Veterinarian assistants care for the well-being of animals in various situations. May veterinary clinics hire 16-year-olds during the summer to fill VA positions.

Any teen who loves animals can appreciate working as a veterinarian assistant, especially those seeking a future career working with animals.

In this position, teens are responsible for performing various duties, such as kennel care, bathing and grooming, pet walking, cleaning kennels, and working hands-on with animals, among other duties.

Reward Sites

Every teen has their phone in hand a large portion of their waking hours. Why not register for one or two of the free reward sites online and earn money while your phone is in hand?

Many reward sites offer membership only to adults 18+, but a growing number also offers membership to 16-year-olds.

Reward sites pay members to complete various activities of their choices, such as watching videos, subscribing to newsletters, or reading emails.

Pay varies and while it won’t earn any serious income, it can rack up money that teens can use to buy that shirt they’ve always wanted or to put toward other expenses.

Uhaul

Uhaul is a moving services company with locations across the U.S. Many of the company’s reservation agents work from home.

Teens 16+ can apply for a position as a reservation agent and help customers with various tasks, including quotes information, location information, booking, and more. Access to a computer and headset is needed.

The position provides teens with useful job skills they’ll use in the workforce for many years ahead. Any team interested in this position must be able to work independently!

Review Music

Up-and-coming musicians need to hear what people think of their music. But, getting their music out there is sometimes easier said than done.

That’s where teens come in to help by listening to their music and telling the artist what they like and don’t like about the song.

Music reviewers listen to small snippets of music and give their opinion, both things that teens love.

It takes just a minute or two to review music and as a bonus, you’re the first to hear the slapping new music. Many websites offer the opportunity to get paid to review music with free sign-up.

Voiceover Work

You could be the invisible voice behind commercials, cartoons, and other media when you find voice over work.

With a few signatures from your parents and the right connects, this is a very realistic possibility. Voiceover work probably pays much better than other local jobs, although work isn’t regular.

Voiceover work is great for teens interested in media and art careers but is an exciting position that most any teens to fill.

Driving Jobs

Rideshare jobs like Uber require drivers to be at least 18 years old, but there are still driving jobs for 16-year-olds in a not so professional setting.

Your newly earned drivers license can help you earn money running errands for people in the community. It’s easy and really helps out those in need.

It’s another one of those parts of the time jobs, but one that almost any teen is suited for.

Videographer

Many people hire others to create videos for them. They need videos for online and business purposes and sometimes, simply to capture memories.

Yet, most people aren’t so keen on the price that professional videographers charge for service.

A teen with videography skills can capture those videos for anyone with a need. The better your skills, the more people who will hire you to create their videos.

Pay for a videographer position varies, but keep rates reasonable and this is a great way to get your name out there (for future purposes, perhaps) and earn money.

YouTube’r

Everyone uses YouTube these days. Although some people use the site simply for viewing videos or sharing with friends and family, many others use it to make a name for themselves -and a little money.

Teens can create their own YouTube channel (at no cost, of course) and videos and do the same.

It’s a fun and easy way to earn money that many people already use for this purpose.

Model

Teen model search contests are held throughout the year in major cities, but even teens who live outside of these areas can find work as a model.

It’s a good idea to get the skills necessary to work as a model from a local modeling school before seeking out positions, but this isn't always necessary.

Pay varies, oftentimes on a per-gig basis. Never pay upfront for a modeling gig and always get mom and dad to vouch for the credibility and trustworthiness of any company/site ahead of time.

Sell Your Designs

Most anyone can register for a design site, create a design, and sell it to the company.

They’ll use the design to create cool stuff, such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, stickers, and other goods. On the downside, you may not get credit for the design after selling your rights.

Another option is to create your designs and plaster it on your own merch. Then, sell the goods online, on social media, at craft and church bazaars, etc. for great profit.

Endless opportunities for designers exist for teens and it’s all online.

Promoter

Any 16-year-old can work as a promoter spreading the word about local events, concerts, and other teen-centered happenings around town.

This job is best for someone with a large friends and social media base and connections around town.

Sell Crafts

Teens with a niche for crafting can use sites such as Etsy to sell their creations. Set your own prices, design the items that interest you, work at your own pace, and earn great commissions every time a product sells. 

It’s an easy way for teens to pocket some cash as well as learn skills they’ll use for a lifetime.

Most of the sites that allow teens to sell their crafts charge a small commission on each item.

However, there are no registration fees so teens can sign up to learn more about the site and how it works to better decide if it's right for their needs.

Family Business

Teens, even younger than the age of 16, can work at a family business as long as the work doesn't involve machinery or dangerous equipment.

Most teens find the family business is also their first job. Perhaps this is a good place to get your start as well.

Pros and cons exist for teens who work at the family business. You’ll spend a lot of time around family, which can create some tensions.

Expectations at work may also be higher when its parents or other family members also serving as your boss.

Pooper Scooper

People love pets and pets poop. People do not love poop or picking up their pets poop. It’s a dirty, unattractive job, but it pays good money and somebody's gotta do it!

They’ll need a few tools to get started, as well as a way to advertise and promote their pooper scooper business.

Social Media Influencer

Around 81% of all teens use social media sites such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook every single day.

Most teens use social media simply for the purpose of sharing with and keeping up with friends and family. Others, however, build quite a reputation online.

Those people who seem to get all of the followers and attention are known as social media influencers and an influencer can not only way a person to commit certain acts and/or behaviors but also earn money in the process.

Teens with popping personalities find this job exciting (since it really isn't working at all) as well as profitable.

Artist

Artistic talent should never go to waste. A teen with future plans of a career in an artistic field thrives when they showcase their talents at this young age.

When it earns cash, it inspires and motivates teens to keep on keepin’ on.

Even teens without plans on a future art career can use their skills to earn cash. 16-year-olds can create various types of art and sell it online, at church and craft fairs, to friends, etc.

Some Lucky teens also sell their creations to artists, magazines, and other large cities.

Survey Taker

Survey sites designed specifically for teens offer a platform to give their opinion concerning various topics of interest to their age bracket.

Teens can register, for free, with multiple survey sites online and complete surveys at their leisure. Pay for surveys varies, but most of the sites for teens pay better than others.

Many scam survey sites are thrown into the bunch. It’s a good idea to get mom and dad to help find legitimate sites since they know the things to look for and the things to watch out for that indicate a likely scam.

What Places Hire 16 Year Olds?

Now that you have an idea of the type of jobs you can work as a 16 year old, here is a small list of companies that offer jobs that hire at 16.

Ice cream parlors that make great summer jobs for 16 year olds include:

• Baskin-Robbins
  
• Ben & Jerry’s
  
• Braum’s
  
• Cold Stone Creamery
• Haagen-Dazs

Fast food restaurants that hire at 16 include:

• McDonald’s
  
• Burger King
  
• Chick-fil-A
  
• Wendy’s
  
• Taco Bell
  
• KFC
• Krispy Kreme

Retail jobs for 16 year olds include:

• H-E-B
  
• Publix
  
• Kroger
  
• Acme
  
• Albertson’s
  
• Bottom Dollar Foods
• Safeway

It is possible to find jobs for 16 year olds. Stay dedicated to the job search and you will start your first job in no time!

What You Need to Know Applying to a Job as a Minor

Children under 18 in the workplace have certain restrictions to keep checks and balances on the child labor laws. Keep in mind the following when you are a minor looking for a job.

• On school nights, you may work only 3 hours per day. This is so you can focus on your primary priority: your education!
  
• On weekends, school breaks, and summer vacation, you can work up to 8 hours a day. You cannot go over 40 hours per week on non-school weeks.
  
• Working hours for 16 year olds must be between 7am and 7pm except from June 1st to Labor Day.
• Manufacturing and mining jobs are prohibited for minors.