21 Awesome Jobs For 14 & 15-Year-Olds
Are you a teenager looking to earn some extra cash? Getting your first job as a 14 or 15-year-old can be an exciting yet daunting experience. However, there are companies that have jobs for 14 and 15 year olds that specifically cater to young workers like you!
This comprehensive guide covers 21 of the best jobs, gigs and side hustles for ambitious 14 and 15-year-olds. We’ve done the research so you can fast track your job search and land your first paycheck. Let’s dive in!
1. Movie Theater Jobs
Do you love the silver screen? Movie theaters like AMC and Regal Cinemas hire 14 and 15-year olds across various front-of-house roles:
- Cashier – Sell movie tickets and concession items
- Usher – Clean auditoriums and restrooms
- Concession stand worker – Prepare and sell popcorn, snacks and drinks
As long as you meet state teen labor laws, most movie theaters are an excellent first job option. The work hours line up perfectly with school schedules, and the perks (like free movies!) are pretty sweet too.
| Movie Theater Job | Typical Duties |
| Cashier | Operate box office computer, sell movie tickets, answer customer questions |
| Usher | Tear tickets, help guests find seats, clean theaters after shows |
| Concession Stand Worker | Prepare food and drinks, operate point-of-sale system, maintain cleanliness of stand |
Check out job postings at your nearby cinemas today!
2. Fast Food Restaurants
KFC is among Fast food places that hires at 14 and 15 across front counter and kitchen roles like:
- Cashier
- Drive-thru order taker
- Sandwich maker
- Fry cook
- Customer service
According to state labor laws, most national chains allow team members as young as 14. Popular picks include:
- McDonald’s
- Burger King
- Taco Bell
- Wendy’s
- Chick-fil-A
- Subway
The work is fast-paced but you’ll learn valuable skills in food prep, customer service, cash handling and operating point-of-sale systems. If college is your goal down the road, check out tuition assistance programs like McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity.
3. Grocery Stores
Bagging groceries are common jobs for 14 and 15-year-olds. Positions like courtesy clerk involve assisting customers, tidying aisles, handling cash registers and delivering orders to cars. Most grocery chains have entry-level roles for teens:
- Albertsons
- Kroger
- Safeway
- Publix
- Winn-Dixie
Depending on your state’s teen labor laws, employees as young as 14 may also work as cashiers, stockers or assist in specialty departments like bakery, seafood, produce and floral.
Be sure to research openings at your neighborhood supermarket or apply online!
4. Retail Stores
Retail giants like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s hire teens seasonally across various departments:
| Retail Job | Typical Duties |
| Sales Associate | Greet customers, answer questions about products, maintain store appearance |
| Stocker/Merchandiser | Unload trucks, organize backroom inventory, place product orders, stock store shelves and displays |
| Cashier | Scan items, process payments, balance the cash drawer |
| Cart Attendant/Janitor | Gather shopping carts from parking lot, clean spills, take out trash, basic maintenance |
Check the “Careers” page on retail websites or visit your nearby store in person. With determination and strong customer service, you can land an entry level position.
5. Restaurant Host/Hostess
If you’re outgoing and thrive in busy settings, restaurant host could be the perfect first gig. Main duties include:
- Greeting guests
- Answering phones
- Managing wait lists
- Seating customers
- Preparing tables
The best part? Most restaurants promote hosts to server roles where the earning potential is far higher. Use this time to soak up knowledge about menu items, ingredients and pairings.
6. Babysitting
Parents everywhere need trustworthy and responsible babysitters – especially ones with CPR training and First Aid credentials. As an aspiring 14 or 15 year old sitter, you can easily create flyers and spread the word to families in your neighborhood.
Make sure to outline your availability, experience level, hourly rate and any special skills like tutoring, sports lessons or willingness to care for pets too.
Nowadays, online platforms like Care.com also make it easier than ever for young babysitters to connect with clients.
7. Pet Care Jobs
In the same vein as babysitting, local pet owners need assistance caring for furry friends while out of town or working long hours. Pet sitter duties may involve:
- Feeding/watering pets
- Walking/exercising dogs
- Cleaning litter boxes
- Providing medication
- Transportation for grooming/vet appointments
Create flyers and hang them at vet clinics, pet supply stores or dog parks to advertise your services. Consider joining professional platforms like Rover as well.
8. lemonade Stands
Running a traditional lemonade stand is still a classic way for ambitious young teens to pocket extra cash. Consider crafting homemade signs and hanging them around your neighborhood to promote the pop-up operation.
Spruce up the stand with decorations and chalkboard menus to attract more foot traffic too. You can even bake and sell cookies, brownies or Rice Krispie treats as bonus offerings.
9. Yard Work & Lawn Care
Do you enjoy working outdoors? Local families often lack the time for labor-intensive lawn and yard work – meaning teens can capitalize on the demand. Services like grass cutting, raking leaves, weeding, planting, trimming bushes and snow shoveling tend to be the most profitable.
You’ll need to supply your own (or borrow) age-appropriate equipment. Reach out to neighbors and create flyers to advertise your services around the community.
10. Tutoring & Lessons
Got a knack for certain school subjects like math, English or science? Consider tutoring classmates for extra money. You may even parlay skills in music, arts, foreign languages or sports into paid lessons for younger kids.
Start by asking parents, family friends and community center leaders to spread the word. Over time, your roster of students can grow simply via word-of-mouth referrals.
11. Freelance Writing
If you possess strong writing chops for your age, websites like Fiverr offer gigs doing blog posts, product descriptions and more.
Rates per project might be modest when starting out, but the income stacks up over time. You’re also building an impressive portfolio showcasing your skills – something colleges eat up.
Just be sure to have a parent closely involved since strangers from the internet can pose risks otherwise.
12. Refereeing Youth Sports
Organized sports leagues for young athletes are always needing more refs. Specifically, community basketball, soccer, baseball, football and volleyball programs tend to hire teenagers in officiating roles.
Sure, you’ll deal with overzealous parents. But the pay is solid, games are mostly evenings and weekends, and staying active while earning money is reward enough for most sports-loving teens.
13. Car Washing
Wash, wax and detail neighbors’ filthy cars in your driveway during weekends. Spread the word on social channels and hang up flyers around busy shopping centers nearby too. You can easily find locations that hire 14 year olds near you.
Price services reasonably, invest in quality cleaning materials, and watch the summer cash roll in. You can expand into vacuuming and junk removal for extra profit over time as well.
14. Dog Walking
Can’t commit to full pet care but love animals? Simple dog walking services are needed across every community. Apps like Wag! connect you directly with clients who need someone to exercise their pup. Expect to earn $15-20 for 30-60 minute sessions.
With just a few walks per week, earnings add up fast. And who doesn’t love bonus canine cuddle time?
15. Delivery Services
Apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart and Shipt enable teens to work as delivery drivers – with parental permission and supervision of course. You typically need a valid driver’s license, safe vehicle and auto insurance coverage.
Delivery jobs offer extremely flexible schedules since you simply log on whenever time permits. Just be sure to understand pay structures since tips make up a significant portion of overall earnings.
16. House Cleaning & Chores
Busy families, seniors and vacation rental owners need assistance keeping homes tidy. As a trustworthy teen, offer services like:
- Surface cleaning
- Sweeping
- Mopping
- Vacuuming
- Dusting
- Laundry
- Changing bed linens
Nothing beats cash payments upon completing chores. But creating client accounts via Handy or TaskRabbit is wise too.
17. Seasonal Jobs
Spring, summer and winter seasons usher in gigs perfectly suited for school-aged teens:
- Pool lifeguard
- Baseball stadium vendor
- Waterpark attendant
- Amusement park ride operator
- Museum tour guide
- Pumpkin patch worker
- Ski mountain gopher
- Holiday gift wrapper
Landing these temporary yet lucrative jobs comes down to early application timing and availability to work weekends.
18. It’s Fashion Retailer
Youth-focused clothing stores like Hollister Co. and Abercrombie are places that have jobs for 14 and 15-year olds to join vibrant teams in roles like:
- Brand Representative – greet customers, maintain store visuals
- Stock Associate – process shipment deliveries, organize the backroom and stock selling floor appropriately
Retail positions score you sweet discounts on trendy threads – while getting paid. Just be sure your personal style aligns with the brands’ vibes.
19. Golf Caddy
Spend summer weekends carrying golf bags for players across scenic courses and reap $80-100+ per round in tips. Standout caddies at exclusive clubs can pocket $1,000+ on weekends.
Beyond the lucrative pay, you’ll soak up valuable insight into work ethic, game strategy, business deals and more from the golfers. Arrive early, work hard, exceed expectations and watch your wallet grow fatter than a Titleist Pro V1.
20. Children’s Party Performer
Local party supply stores, bounce house rentals and event planners often hire teenagers to work children’s parties as face painters, balloon twisters, magicians, and caricature artists. If you have a talent for entertaining and engaging groups of kids for extended periods of time, consider honing a 10-15 minute act and offer services at $50-100 per hour-long party.
21. Voice Acting
Aspiring young actors and actresses can explore paid voice over work for animation, commercials, audiobooks and more through sites like Voices.com. The trick is having a quiet, professional home studio setup for remote auditioning and gig completion. Pay-to-Play auditions start around $100 but can usher in consistent income streams if your pipes match in-demand roles companies search for.
Wrapping Up
The bottom line? Ambitious young workers can totally capitalize on first employment opportunities through gigs like fast food, retail, baby/pet sitting, tutoring, landscaping and freelancing.
Every job forces you to develop professional skills – not to mention padding your savings for games, gadgets, movies and more. Just don’t forget to budget wisely when paychecks start rolling in.
Before applying anywhere though, always research your state’s specific teen labor laws regarding age restrictions, work permits, hour maximums for minors and overtime regulations too.
Lastly, prep some resumes and practice common job interview questions to boost confidence. With determination and grit, there are lots of places that have jobs for 14 or 15 year olds and it is totally possible. Start applying…and welcome to the workforce!