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Flexible hours, teen-friendly, and good pay.
Great for learning customer service and handling cash.
Steady hours and a reliable weekly paycheck.
Get certified once and earn well every summer.
Fun team environment and flexible evening shifts.
Always hiring, teaches speed and teamwork.
Perfect if you love animals, plus retail experience.
Already hired? Those starting rates are not permanent. Here is how to ask for a raise at your teen job, with a script and the timing that works.
Five steps from "no experience" to first shift.
One page. Attitude and reliability matter more than job history.
Pick 8 to 10 places nearby that hire teens and are easy to get to.
Online and in person. Ask for the manager and hand over your resume.
Know why you want this job and have two questions ready to ask.
A short thank-you message afterward makes you stand out instantly.
No job history? No problem. Include these six things.
Federal law sets the floor everywhere. Your state can only add to it, so start with the federal rules, then check your state's row.
You can start most non-farm jobs at 14. At 14 and 15 you can work up to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, or 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week when school is out, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day). At 16 and 17, federal law sets no hour limits, only a ban on hazardous jobs. The federal minimum wage is $7.25.
30 states pay more than $7.25, and 20 add their own hour rules for 16- and 17-year-olds. Work permits vary the most: some states require one until 18, some only under 16, and some none at all.
| State | 2026 minimum wage | Work permit needed | Extra hour rules at 16 and 17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 (federal) | Employer holds it | Yes, state limits |
| Alaska | $13.00 rises to $14.00 on July 1, 2026 | Under 17, plus 16- and 17-year-olds whose employer is licensed to sell alcohol | None beyond federal |
| Arizona | $15.15 | None required | None beyond federal |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | None required | Yes, state limits |
| California | $16.90 | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Colorado | $15.16 | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | Under 16 | Yes, state limits |
| Delaware | $15.00 | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Florida | $14.00 rises to $15.00 on September 30, 2026 | None required | Yes, state limits |
| Georgia | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | Under 18 | None beyond federal |
| Idaho | $7.25 (federal) | None required | None beyond federal |
| Illinois | $15.00 | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Indiana | $7.25 (federal) | None required | None beyond federal |
| Iowa | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Kansas | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Kentucky | $7.25 (federal) | None required | Yes, state limits |
| Louisiana | $7.25 (federal) | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Maine | $15.10 | Under 16 | Yes, state limits |
| Maryland | $15.00 | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Michigan | $13.73 | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | Under 16 | Yes, state limits |
| Mississippi | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Missouri | $15.00 | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Montana | $10.85 | None required | None beyond federal |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Nevada | $12.00 | Under 14 only, and only with a district judge's written permission | None beyond federal |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 (federal) | Ages 12 to 15 | None beyond federal |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | Ages 14 and 15 | None beyond federal |
| New York | $16.00 $17.00 in NYC, Long Island and Westchester | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| North Carolina | $7.25 (federal) | Under 18 | None beyond federal |
| North Dakota | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Ohio | $11.00 | Ages 14 to 17 | Yes, state limits |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Oregon | $15.55 $16.80 in the Portland metro and $14.55 in nonurban counties, from July 1, 2026 | Employer holds it | None beyond federal |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 (federal) | Under 18 | Yes, state limits |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | Ages 14 and 15 | None beyond federal |
| South Carolina | $7.25 (federal) | None required | None beyond federal |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | None required | None beyond federal |
| Tennessee | $7.25 (federal) | None required | Yes, state limits |
| Texas | $7.25 (federal) | None required | None beyond federal |
| Utah | $7.25 (federal) | None required | None beyond federal |
| Vermont | $14.42 | Under 16 | None beyond federal |
| Virginia | $12.77 | Ages 14 and 15 | None beyond federal |
| Washington | $17.13 | Employer holds it | Yes, state limits |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | Ages 14 and 15 | None beyond federal |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 (federal) | Under 16 | Yes, state limits |
| Wyoming | $7.25 (federal) | None required | None beyond federal |
Dress a step nicer than the job requires and arrive 10 minutes early.
Eye contact, a real smile, a firm handshake. Confidence beats a perfect answer.
Know why you want this job, not just any job, then send a thank-you after.
Looking for more? Every article we have written about work and paychecks is collected in the First Job section of the blog.