Before we launch into the best jobs for 14-year-olds, I want to take a moment to explain what prompted this particular post! It all started when my daughter, who is nearly 14, approached me about the possibility of getting her first job. 

For the first few seconds, I was far too baffled at how quickly she'd grown up to offer much of a response at all! But then came the emotions – a sense of fatherly pride, accompanied by plenty of questions about how best to support her. 

Sensing a great deal of research was about to ensue, I decided to bring all my fellow parents out there along for the ride. Throughout this article, I’ll be sharing what I discovered about the best jobs for 14-year-olds and where to find them.

What To Know Before Getting a Job as a 14-Year-Old

You’re not alone if you’ve only recently discovered you’re not sure how old you even have to be to get a job! As it turns out, the answer lies in a blend of both federal and state-to-state labor laws. Here’s how to find out how old your child needs to be before they start filling out applications. 

Federal Minimum Age for Employment

As far as the federal government is concerned, enterprising teens everywhere are in luck! According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the minimum employment age for most non-agricultural work is indeed 14. The law even specifies that there are a few choice jobs that are open to children of any age, such as: 

• Delivering newspapers
• Working as a child actor
• Working for a parent-owned business (as long as it isn’t in a dangerous industry)
• Babysitting and other minor household chores
• Gathering evergreens and making them into wreaths (this one was just too delightfully random not to mention)

It’s also worth mentioning that a separate set of laws applies to minors working in agricultural jobs. These are a little more complex, so I’d recommend checking them out directly on the U.S. Department of Labor website. 

Minimum Age for Employment by State

Keep in mind that federal law isn’t the only green light your child will need to start working! When it comes to employment, each state also has its requirements and minimum age limits. 

For example, if your state forbids the employment of anyone under 16, then its rules supersede the federal minimum age requirement. The easiest way to check out the laws in your state is to head over to the Department of Labor's state employment/age certification chart. 

Just click the name of your state to pull up everything you need to know about when your child can start working and under what conditions. Here are a few important details I discovered about the working rights of kids in my home state of Michigan:

• Work permits are mandatory for most kids under 18. 
• Kids under 16 are ineligible to work during school hours or between 9 p.m. to 7 a.m Monday-Friday. 
• Kids under 18 are capped at a certain number of work hours each week
• School hours count towards the weekly hourly work cap

House Rules

Don’t forget to factor in the most important laws of all – parental rules! No one is in a better position than you to decide whether your child is ready to take on a job or how many hours a week they can realistically handle. 

Sit down as a family and take a look at your child’s grades, homework load, and other commitments. No matter how keen your child is to snag a part-time job at McDonald’s, it’s not worth compromising their chances of getting a great college scholarship. 

If you’re not sure whether your child is ready for the responsibility of a job, consider exploring volunteer ideas for teens instead. We’ll also include several “side hustle” style options in the list below that allow teens to work on their own schedule. 

Best Jobs for 14-Year-Olds

As you may have gathered by now, the best jobs for 14-year-olds can vary from state to state. But the ones you’ll find in the list below tend to be among the best options for kids under 16, regardless of location. With that said, let’s jump right in!   

1. Babysitting

Among the most time-honored of first jobs, babysitting is a great way for teens to earn money by looking after younger kids. Unlike some part-time jobs, it also comes with the perks of flexibility, allowing your teen to take on jobs that work around their busy schedules. 

Word of mouth is often the key to helping your teen build up their client list. If they’re interested in helping them find new clients, offer to mention their services to friends, co-workers, or family members. 

2. Dog-Walking

If your teen prefers dogs to diapers, then dog-walking may be the way to go. While teens may not be eligible to sign up for official sites like Rover until they’re 18, they can gain plenty of experience by drumming up their own business. 

In addition to walking dogs, plenty of people will pay for a trustworthy sitter to drop in on cats or other pets while they’re out of town. You might even consider helping your teen set up a free teen Venmo account to offer convenient payment options.

3. The Family Biz

If you or a family member own your own business, it may be just the connection your teen needs to start pulling in their own dough. Giving your teenager a job at a family-owned business can come with the perk of assigning them jobs best suited for their unique skill level. 

It can also be a valuable opportunity to help them learn new skills they can use for future job hunts. Just make sure you don’t forget to comply with your state’s employment regulations! 

We've used this route to help our kids earn money and invest for their future with a Custodial Roth IRA. Both of my kids now have over $5,000 in their retirement accounts!

4. House Cleaning

While the tidy teen may be a rare breed, legend suggests that they do exist. If you’ve managed to raise one, then they may be able to turn their skills into extra income. 

Ask around at work, church, or anywhere else overworked adults tend to gather, to see if anyone could use extra help around the house. Just don’t be afraid to be overly cautious about allowing them to work alone in the home of anyone you don’t already know or trust.  

5. Lawn Care

If your teen is the energetic, outdoorsy type, then the pain of lawn care may be their gain. From raking leaves in the fall to mowing lawns in the summer, there’s always plenty of work out there for trustworthy youngsters.

But make sure you sit down to work out logistics beforehand. For instance, if they plan to mow lawns, it’s important to discuss whether a mower will be provided or if they’ll be expected to show up with their own. 

6. Youth Sports Referee

If your child is a sports fan, then encourage them to reach out to some of the kid’s leagues in your area. In many states, teens as young as 13-14 can sign up for referee training programs. 

Once completed, your teen will have all the skills they need to make money overseeing the games they love. Referees also tend to enjoy plenty of flexibility and can take on as much or as little work as they’re interested in. 

Given our family jumped onto the travel soccer bandwagon a few years ago, a soccer referee could be our winner as the best job for 14-year-olds!

7. Golf Caddy

If your teen loves getting out on the green, then look into any caddy programs your local golf course may offer. Many courses are open to caddies as young as 13, who work on more of a casual basis. 

Caddies help out by carrying clubs for golfers, retrieving stray balls, and maintaining the course. Some courses even offer mentorship opportunities where older caddies will show younger recruits the ropes.  

8. Instructor’s Assistant

Local YMCAs or community centers can also be great places to ask about jobs for teens. While your 14-year-old may not be ready to lead a class by themselves, they could qualify to serve as an instructor’s aide. 

Instructor’s aides serve as teacher’s assistants in classes on anything from swimming to art. Aides can offer instructors a valuable helping hand or assist participants with questions. 

9. Washing Cars

These days, it’s not always easy to get your car hand-washed for a reasonable rate. If your teen is down to keep cars looking their best, then launching their own car washing business may be the way to go. 

You might even encourage them to carve out their own niche by using eco-friendly soaps or wax. Whether they intend to use your home water hose or their clients', investing in a water-saving hose nozzle can also help cut down costs for anyone involved.

10. Tutor

No matter what your child’s strongest subject, they may be able to make money by sharing their knowledge. Some schools even offer formal tutoring programs that connect older kids with tutoring opportunities.

If such programs aren't available, it's worth asking local schools if they would mind your teen hanging flyers that announce their tutoring services. 

11. Movie Theater Attendant 

While most of the jobs up to this point have been more along the lines of self-employment, there are some employers who are open to hiring younger crew members. Movie theaters tend to be a particularly good option for 14-year-olds who are ready to set out on the W-2-work route. 

AMC, for instance, often hires young people between the ages of 14 and 17, depending on state work regulations.

12. Amusement Park Employee 

While opportunities vary from state to state, it's worth looking into openings at any amusement parks or theme parks near you. One of the reasons that parks tend to be open to hiring younger employees is that they're often very seasonal in nature. 

In other words, it may be no problem if your child is just looking for a job they can work throughout the summer. Many parks will hire extra ticket takers, game attendants, and other employees specifically for their peak seasons. 

13. Busser / Porter

While it isn’t always easy to get a job as a waiter or waitress until you're 16, many restaurants will make exceptions for bussers. A busser’s tasks generally include things like wiping down tables and bringing used dishes back to the kitchen.

While the role is pretty straightforward, it requires a certain amount of energy that many older employees simply don't have! Mom-and-pop restaurants tend to be particularly open to hiring younger employees, so don’t be afraid to ask around. 

14. Grocery Store Crew Member

Some grocery stores, such as Publix, are also open to hiring 14-year-olds for certain positions. While your teen may initially be limited to certain jobs like bagging groceries or bringing in carts, getting in on the ground floor can pay off in the long run.

The more trust they’re able to build with the store’s manager, the easier it should be to work their way up the ladder. 

15. Fast Food Restaurant Crew Member

Depending on your state’s laws, it may be possible for your 14-year-old to get a job at some fast-food restaurants. The tricky part is that finding one that’s open to hiring teens under 16 can involve some asking around. 

Major chains like McDonald’s, for instance, are often made up of independently owned and operated franchise locations. So the hiring policies of one McDonald's may vary from those of another in the same area. 

16. Artist/Craft Maker

If your teen loves making art, jewelry, or any other type of craft, then you might consider helping them set up a shop on a site like Etsy. The only thing to be aware of is that making sales on a large platform often comes down to a great deal of marketing. 

If your teen plans to stick to local sales, then they might have more success setting up a free Wix website to use as an online showroom. You might even reach out to local businesses to see if they’d be interested in selling their crafts for a portion of the profits.  

17. Tech Skills

The tech skills of the average member of Gen Z never fail to amaze me!  If your teen is a whiz with a laptop, then their skills may already be more marketable than you think. 

You might be surprised how many people would be willing to pay for help building a website, editing videos, or setting up a social media page. If your child is interested in expanding their skills, then steer them toward free YouTube resources where they can learn anything from photo editing to UX/UI design. 

18. Farm Hand

If you’ve got a hard worker who isn’t afraid to go old school, then consider looking into jobs at local farms or plant nurseries! These types of jobs can involve anything from caring for livestock to potting or pruning plants. 

Just make sure your teen understands that manual labor often involves a whole new level of hard work. But for the right kid, the chance to work outside and stay active all day can be incredibly rewarding. 

How to Use Your New Money

If there’s one thing no kid thinks they need, it’s help learning how to spend money! But with the right approach, your child’s first job can also be a golden opportunity to pass along some of your own hard-earned financial wisdom. 

But how do you broach topics like how to save for college with a teenager? While every kid is different, I’ll include some tips throughout the following sections on money topics to discuss with teens. 

Save Some

Sure, it’s one thing for younger kids to do chores around the house or earn a small allowance. But there’s nothing quite like earning your first paycheck from a non-family member to truly put money-making into perspective. 

Once your teen begins to realize how much work a job entails, they may become a little more open to discussing financial topics like saving. This is a great opportunity to introduce them to the secret of earning free money by stashing cash in a high-interest saving account.  

If you’re looking for a nice fee-free option with a generous APY, then check out Ally’s custodial savings account. It comes with features like “savings buckets,” which make it easy for teens to save for separate goals.

Invest Some

Can you imagine how different your life might look today if you'd started investing at 14 years old? While that ship may have sailed for most of us, it’s exciting to think that the opportunity is still open to our kids.

The only trick, of course, is figuring out how to explain the wisdom of investing in the future instead of the new Taylor Swift album. You might open by offering to explain how most millionaires attained their elite financial status – I know that’d be enough to catch my attention!

The cool part is, it’s not an exaggeration. The Ramsey Solutions team recently conducted the largest study of millionaires ever in America. As it turns out, a combination of long-term investing and avoiding debt was the secret to success for 8 out of 10 millionaires surveyed.  

Offering to help set up a Custodial Roth IRA for your teen can be a powerful way to introduce them to the benefits of investing firsthand. The more they see their money grow, the more likely they are to be interested in learning more about investing as they get older.  

Give Some

There are few better ways to empower your kids than to show them just how much of a difference their generosity can make in the world. The beauty of giving is that there are so many great causes out there to choose from. 

Encourage your new earner to do a little research to find a cause that really matters to them. For instance, you might introduce your daughter to organizations like She’s the First, which is dedicated to making education possible for girls all over the world. 

There are also plenty of other great charities for children that focus on everything from cancer research to ending hunger. Talk to your kids about the change they’d like to see in the world and then empower them to become a part of it!

Spend Most 

Now we get to what likely inspired your 14-year-old to seek out a job in the first place – the fun of spending! Believe it or not, there are even financial tools that can help your kids build a great foundation in this area. 

Among my favorites is Crew, which is specifically designed for families. When you sign up, your kid will get their own debit card with their name on it, complete with an attached high-yield savings account currently at 3.7% APY. Here's our full Crew review.

If the idea of signing up for another app gives you a headache, check out our best child bank accounts with a debit card. Sometimes just working with your local bank is the best way to go. That way you can easily transfer money back and forth if you want to.

Just keep in mind that an important part of raising financially responsible adults is allowing your kids to make a few rookie mistakes. There may be a month when your child discovers the “fun” of struggling along until payday because they blew their whole check at Starbucks. Try to remain grateful that this is a lesson they’re able to learn 14 instead of 34! 

Final Thoughts on Best Jobs for 14-Year-Olds

Watching your 14-year-old prepare to enter the world of earning can introduce plenty of emotions! The important thing to remember is that the best way to support your teenager will vary from one family to the next. 

No matter what type of job your teen chooses to pursue, don’t be afraid to help them build a strong financial foundation. The wisdom you pass along to them today may turn out to serve them (and their own family) for many decades to come. While you're teaching those lifelong lessons, use a family banking app like Crew to help your teen understand the importance of saving and smart spending. It works well for our family!

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What do you think of our list of best jobs for 14-year-olds? What would you add to this list?

Please let us know in the comments below.

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