William Lipovsky
While there are limitations in the jobs you can get, many stores hire employees who are 17 or younger. Below we’ve compiled the list of retail stores that hire 17-year-olds, as well as information on working limitations and minimum wage laws that may apply to you.
Minimum Wage Laws at 17
In most circumstances, you must be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.[1] Exceptions can apply, depending on where you work. For instance, some states set their own minimum wage requirements, so you could make more per hour, depending on the state in which you reside.
But here’s the catch: Young employees are often subject to different minimum wage requirements. At 17, your employer can pay you the youth minimum wage, which the federal government sets at $4.25 per hour.[2]Until you reach age 20, any time you start a new job, your employer can pay you the youth minimum wage for the first 90 consecutive calendar days (not work days) of your employment. Some state and municipal governments have their own laws regulating or prohibiting the youth minimum wage, so check your local employment laws to see if this applies to you.
What We Recommend
We’ve put Target at the top of the list for its high company minimum wage — currently $13 per hour[3] — as well as its employee benefits, opportunities for growth, and good employee reviews.
The List
The stores below all hire 17-year-olds — we’ve ordered the list beginning with the best options. In comparing these retailers, we considered starting pay, flexibility in hours, and company reputation. To obtain this information, we looked at the retailers’ websites as well as reported salaries and employee reviews on Indeed and Glassdoor.
1. Target
- Positions you can get: Cashier, cart attendant, sales floor team member, backroom team member
- What else you may want to know: You must be 16 to work in stores and 18 to work in distribution centers.[4]
- Apply online or find a location
2. Gap
- Positions you can get: Brand associate, sales associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Gap is 16.[5]
- Apply online or find a location
3. Wegmans
- Positions you can get: Customer service associate, cashier, parking lot attendant
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Wegmans is 15.[6] However, as with many stores, each location has the right to change its age policy. Be sure to contact your desired location and inquire.
- Apply online or find a location
4. Walmart
- Positions you can get: Cashier, sales associate, stocker, cart attendant
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Walmart is 16.[7]
- Apply online or find a location
5. CVS Health
- Positions you can get: Cashier, sales clerk, pharmacy tech apprentice
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at CVS Health is 16.[8]
- Apply online or find a location
6. Old Navy
- Positions you can get: Brand associate, sales associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Old Navy is 16.[9]
- Find a location or apply online
7. Safeway
- Positions you can get: Courtesy clerk, stocker, production clerk, cashier, fuel station attendant, food clerk
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Safeway is 14, but specific positions have higher age requirements.[10]
- Apply online or find a location
8. Publix
- Positions you can get: Bakery clerk, grocery clerk, produce clerk, front service clerk, floral clerk, cashier
- What else you may want to know: You can start working certain jobs at Publix at 14.[11]
- Apply online or find a location
9. Walgreens
- Positions you can get: customer service associate, beauty advisor, photo specialist
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Walgreens is 16.[12]
- Apply online or find a location
10. Hy-Vee
- Positions you can get: Courtesy clerk, checker, produce clerk, kitchen clerk, stocker, floral clerk
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Hy-Vee is 16,[13] though each store has the right to set its own age requirement, so be sure to contact your desired location.
- Apply online or find a location
11. T.J. Maxx
- Positions you can get: Merchandise associate, coordinator
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at T.J. Maxx is 16.[14]
- Apply online or find a location
12. JCPenney
- Positions you can get: Sales associate, merchandise associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work for JCPenney is 16.[15]
- Apply online or find a location
13. Banana Republic
- Positions you can get: Brand associate, sales associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Banana Republic is 16.[16]
- Apply online or find a location
14. Barnes & Noble
- Positions you can get: Bookseller, maintenance clerk (positions may vary by location)
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Barnes & Noble is 16.[17]
- Apply online or find a location
15. HomeGoods
- Positions you can get: Sales/merchandise associate, coordinator
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at HomeGoods is 16.[14]
- Apply online or find a location
16. Meijer
- Positions you can get: Food clerk, retail clerk, general merchandise clerk, bakery clerk
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Meijer is 16.[18]
- Apply online or find a location
17. Harris Teeter
- Positions you can get: Produce clerk, grocery stock clerk, customer service clerk, dairy clerk, cashier, bagger
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Harris Teeter is 16.[19]
- Apply online or find a location
18. Forever 21
- Positions you can get: Sales associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Forever 21 is 16.[20]
- Apply online or find a location
19. BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Positions you can get: Stock/cart retriever, member services, cashier, recovery clerk
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at BJ’s Wholesale Club is 16.[21]
- Apply online or find a location
20. Giant Food
- Positions you can get: Courtesy clerk, bagger, cashier, hourly team member
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at all Giant Food locations is 15 years old.[22]
- Apply online or find a location
21. Kohl’s
- Positions you can get: Customer service associate, sales associate, freight associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Kohl’s is 17.[23]
- Apply online or find a location
22. Winn-Dixie
- Positions you can get: Bagger, cashier associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Winn-Dixie is 15.[24]
- Apple online or find a location
23. Giant Eagle
- Positions you can get: Cashier, parking lot attendant, customer service, courtesy clerk, stock clerk, fuel station attendant
- What else you may want to know: Though each Giant Eagle can set their own age requirements, most hire at 16.[25]
- Find a location or apply online
24. Kroger
- Positions you can get: Cashier, bagger, grocery clerk, produce clerk, meat clerk, deli clerk, bakery clerk
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Kroger is 14 at most locations, but each location has the ability to set its own age requirements.[26] Be sure to contact your desired location and inquire.
- Find a location or apply online
25. Marshalls
- Positions you can get: Merchandise associate, backroom coordinator
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Marshalls is 16.[14]
- Apply online or find a location
26. American Eagle
- Positions you can get: Sales associate, stock associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at American Eagle is 16.[27]
- Apply online or find a location
27. Food Lion
- Positions you can get: Various associate positions (sales, grocery, bakery, etc.)
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Food Lion is 16.[28] However, specific positions for teens may vary by location. Contact your local store for verification.
- Apply online or find a location
28. Aeropostale
- Positions you can get: Sales associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age for working at Aeropostale is 16.[29]
- Apply online or find a location
29. Hot Topic
- Positions you can get: Sales associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Hot Topic is 16.[30]
- Apply online or find a location
30. Kmart
- Positions you can get: Cashier, customer service associate
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Kmart is 16.[31]
- Apply online or find a location
31. Harveys
- Positions you can get: Bagger, various associate positions (grocery associate, cashier associate, bakery associate, etc.)
- What else you may want to know: The minimum age to work at Harveys is 15.[32]
- Apply online or find a location
For more, see our research on jobs that allow dyed hair, colored hair, dreadlocks.
