Jobs for 16-Year-Olds, Ranked by Pay and How Much They Suck
At 16, most job doors open. We ranked 14 of them by real pay data and by how much they suck, plus what you still can't do until 18.
In this guide
At 16, most of the “sorry, you’re too young” doors open. You can work as many hours as you want under federal law, cook in a real kitchen and apply at places that wouldn’t look at you a year ago.
Here’s the honest part, though: the pay gap between most teen jobs is smaller than you’d think. So we ranked them by pay and by how much they suck, because an extra dollar an hour isn’t worth it if you hate every shift.
What changes at 16
The U.S. Department of Labor calls 16 the “basic minimum age for employment.” Sixteen- and 17-year-olds can work unlimited hours in any job that isn’t on the government’s hazardous list. Compared to 15, that means:
- No federal hour limits. Late shifts and school-night closes are allowed federally. Your state may still set limits, and many do.
- Real kitchen work. Cooking, fryers and grills are fine at 16.
- More employers. A lot of chains set their own minimum hiring age at 16.
What you still can’t do until 18: drive as part of the job (17-year-olds can, in very limited cases), run meat slicers or big dough mixers, operate forklifts, run the cardboard baler or compactor, and do roofing or most construction work. So no pizza delivery yet.
What 16-year-olds actually get paid
The pay below is the national median hourly wage for each job from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), which counts workers of all ages. As a new teen hire, expect to start below it, often closer to your state’s minimum wage. The federal minimum is $7.25, and employers can pay a $4.25 youth wage to workers under 20 for their first 90 days, but many states set a higher minimum that applies to teens too.
The useful part is the ranking: it shows which jobs tend to pay a bit more.
Jobs for 16-year-olds, ranked
1. Line cook or prep cook: $17.98
Where to apply: diners, pizza places, burger spots, local restaurants.
The best-paying job on this list, and a skill you keep forever. It’s also hot, fast and loud on a Friday night, and you’ll go home smelling like fries.
Suck factor: 4/5 on busy nights, 2/5 on slow ones.
2. Stocker at a grocery or big-box store: $17.95
Where to apply: grocery stores, pharmacies, home and garden stores, big-box retailers.
Unloading boxes, filling shelves, putting things back where they belong. You barely deal with customers, and earbuds-in shifts (where allowed) make the time go. Early mornings and late nights are common.
Suck factor: 2/5. Repetitive, but low drama.
3. Camp counselor or rec leader: $17.58
Where to apply: day camps, YMCAs, parks and rec departments, after-school programs.
You get paid to play capture the flag. You also get paid to deal with a crying 7-year-old in 90-degree heat. Mostly summer, but rec centers hire year-round.
Suck factor: 2/5, if you like kids. 5/5 if you don’t.
4. Car wash attendant: $17.23
Where to apply: local car washes and detailing shops.
Vacuuming, drying and prepping cars. You’re outside, you’re moving, and tips can happen. You’re also outside in January.
Suck factor: 3/5. Great in May, rough in winter.
5. Retail sales associate: $17.03
Where to apply: clothing stores, sporting goods, bookstores, mall shops.
Folding, helping customers, running the fitting room. Employee discounts are a real perk. Holiday season is chaos, and some customers will be rude to you for no reason.
Suck factor: 3/5. Depends a lot on the store.
6. Kennel or doggy daycare attendant: $17.00
Where to apply: boarding kennels, doggy daycares, pet stores, animal shelters.
Feeding, walking and playing with dogs. Also a lot of cleaning up after dogs. If you love animals, the cleaning is worth it.
Suck factor: 2/5 for animal people.
7. Dishwasher: $16.73
Where to apply: any restaurant, especially busy ones.
Restaurants almost always need one, so it’s one of the easiest jobs to get. It’s wet and messy, but you’re in the back with no customers, and it’s a common way to move up to cook.
Suck factor: 3/5.
8. Busser: $16.34
Where to apply: sit-down restaurants.
Clearing and resetting tables. In many restaurants, servers share tips with bussers, so the real pay can be higher than the hourly rate.
Suck factor: 3/5.
9. Lifeguard: $16.14
Where to apply: city pools, YMCAs, water parks, swim clubs.
You’ll need a certification course first. Hours of quiet focus, then a few minutes where it really matters. Many pools pay certified guards above minimum wage and hire in early spring.
Suck factor: 2/5. Sunburn is the main enemy.
10. Movie theater crew: $15.82
Where to apply: local and chain theaters.
Tickets, concessions, cleaning theaters between shows. Free movies are the classic perk. Cleaning up after a sold-out kids’ movie is the classic downside.
Suck factor: 2/5.
11. Cashier: $15.81
Where to apply: grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores.
Easy to learn and easy to get hired. You’ll stand a lot, and the line never ends on a Saturday.
Suck factor: 3/5.
12. Amusement park or entertainment center: $15.46
Where to apply: theme parks, trampoline parks, bowling alleys, mini golf, arcades.
Running rides, games and party rooms. Fun crew, busy weekends, and a lot of birthday parties.
Suck factor: 2/5.
13. Fast food crew: $15.00
Where to apply: any fast food chain, many of which hire at 16 or younger.
The easiest place to get hired and the most flexible schedules. The tradeoff: rush hours are intense and drive-thru customers can be impatient.
Suck factor: 4/5 at lunch rush, 2/5 the rest of the day.
14. Host: $15.00
Where to apply: sit-down restaurants.
Greeting people, managing the waitlist, seating tables. Clean and not physical, but you’re the one telling hungry people it’s a 45-minute wait.
Suck factor: 2/5.
Jobs where you set the rate
Some of the best-paying teen work doesn’t have a boss at all.
- Babysitting. Often pays more than any job above. Use our babysitting rate calculator to see what sitters charge in your state.
- Tutoring. If you’re good at a subject, parents of younger kids will pay for homework help.
- Pet sitting and dog walking. Neighbors going on vacation need someone. The calculator has dog walking rates too.
- Yard work. Mowing, raking, shoveling. At 16, power mowers are allowed.
How to get hired at 16
- Check your state’s rules. Some states still need a work permit at 16 or limit school-night hours.
- Make a one-page resume. School, activities, volunteering, babysitting, any job you had at 14 or 15. Use our teen resume template.
- Apply in person. Walk in at a quiet time, ask for the manager and ask if they’re hiring.
- Know your availability. “After 3:30 on weekdays and all day Saturday” is the answer they want.
- Follow up once after a week. It works more often than you’d think.
Need a parent on board first? Here’s how to convince your parents to say yes to a job. Not 16 yet? Check jobs for 15-year-olds.
