Jobs for 15-Year-Olds: Where to Apply and What They Pay
At 15 you can lifeguard, work a register, tutor, babysit and more. Here's where to apply, what each job pays and the hour limits nobody explains.
In this guide
Fifteen is a great age to get your first real job. You’re old enough for most entry-level work, and one job opens up that 14-year-olds can’t do yet: lifeguarding. You’re still under the same hour limits as 14-year-olds, though, so it helps to know them before you apply.
What’s different at 15
Under federal law, 14- and 15-year-olds follow the same rules, with one big exception. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 15-year-olds who are trained and certified by the American Red Cross or a similar group can work as lifeguards at regular pools and water parks. Teaching swim lessons needs an extra certification on top of that.
Also, many businesses set their own minimum hiring age at 15 or 16, so there are simply more places that will say yes once you’re 15.
How many hours can a 15-year-old work?
The federal limits for 14- and 15-year-olds:
- School days: up to 3 hours, and not during school hours
- School weeks: up to 18 hours
- Days off school: up to 8 hours
- Weeks off school: up to 40 hours
- Time of day: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or until 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day
Some schools run a Work Experience and Career Exploration Program (WECEP) that lets students work during school hours and up to 23 hours in a school week. Ask your counselor if yours has one.
Your state can be stricter, and many states require a work permit before you start. When federal and state rules differ, the stricter one applies.
What 15-year-olds get paid
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, and a business can pay workers under 20 a youth wage of $4.25 for their first 90 days. Many states have a higher minimum wage that applies to teens too, so the real number depends on where you live.
Jobs you run yourself are different, because you set the price. Babysitters on the Babysits app average from about $13.60 an hour in West Virginia to almost $20 in D.C., according to their 2026 data. Our babysitting rate calculator gives you a number for your state and experience.
Jobs for 15-year-olds and where to apply
1. Lifeguard
Where to apply: city and town pools, community centers, YMCAs, water parks, swim clubs.
The new option at 15. You’ll need to pass a lifeguard certification course first, which includes a swim test, CPR and first aid. Many pools offer the course in spring and hire their own trainees for summer, so start looking around March.
2. Swim instructor or assistant
Where to apply: the same pools and swim schools.
If you’re a strong swimmer and good with little kids, this pays well for a teen job. You’ll need an instructor certification in addition to lifeguarding.
3. Cashier, bagger or stocker
Where to apply: grocery stores, pharmacies, garden centers, local shops.
Ringing people up, bagging, stocking shelves and tagging prices are all allowed for 15-year-olds. Ask at local stores in person. Some big chains hire at 15 in some states and only at 16 in others, so it’s worth asking each one.
4. Restaurant and cafe jobs
Where to apply: ice cream shops, cafes, pizza places, fast food restaurants, snack bars.
You can take orders, serve, bus tables, wash dishes and do some limited cooking. Federal rules don’t let you bake or use slicers, fryers and other power equipment yet.
5. Movie theater, bowling alley or rec center
Where to apply: local theaters, family entertainment centers, parks and rec departments.
Tickets, concessions, front desk, cleaning up. Busy on weekends, which works well with school.
6. Camp counselor in training
Where to apply: day camps, church and community camps, sports camps.
A summer classic. Some CIT programs pay and some are volunteer at first, but they often lead to a paid counselor job the next summer.
7. Tutor
Where to apply: word of mouth, your school, neighborhood group chats.
If you’re strong in math, reading or a language, parents of younger kids will pay for help with homework. You set your rate.
8. Babysitter
Where to apply: neighbors, family friends, your parents’ friends.
Often the best-paying teen job, and it doesn’t fall under the federal child labor rules at all. A CPR or babysitting course makes parents more comfortable and lets you charge more.
9. Pet sitter and dog walker
Where to apply: neighbors, flyers, family friends.
Feeding pets while families are away and walking dogs after school. Our calculator has dog walking rates too.
10. Yard work and odd jobs
Where to apply: your street, your parents’ friends, neighborhood apps.
Raking, weeding, shoveling snow, washing cars, helping clean out a garage. Federal rules mean no power mowers or trimmers in a job at 15, so hand tools only.
Not 15 yet? Read our guide to jobs for 14-year-olds.
How to apply when you’ve never had a job
- Check your paperwork. Find out if your state needs a work permit, and know your Social Security number.
- Write a one-page resume. School, activities, sports, volunteering, babysitting, anything you’ve done regularly.
- Apply in person when you can. Ask for the manager at a quiet time of day, introduce yourself and ask if they’re hiring.
- Prepare two answers. Why you want the job, and when you’re available. That covers most first interviews.
- Follow up. If you haven’t heard back in a week, call or stop by once. It shows you really want it.
