William Lipovsky
While the pay and available positions vary by location and season, there are plenty of grocery stores, restaurants, theaters, and amusement parks that hire 14- and 15-year-olds.
If you’re a 14- or 15-year-old hoping to work at a clothing store, however, you may have to wait for another year or two — we couldn’t find any clothing retailers that hire employees younger than 16.
Policies may also differ according to state laws, so it’s always a good idea to check with your local store to make sure it can accept your application.
As a teenager, you can head to the businesses listed below for part-time work in the summer, after school, or on weekends. If none of these businesses are local to you, we also list some other ways for entrepreneurial teenagers to make money.
Limitations for Working at 14 or 15
There are a few limitations to working as a minor. These rules apply to all employers, regardless of industry:
- The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for most employees, but federal law permits a youth minimum wage. This allows employers to pay employees under 20 years old wages as low as $4.25 for their first 90 days of employment or until they reach age 20 (whichever comes first).[1]
- You can’t work for more than three hours on a school day or 18 hours in a school week. If it’s not a school day, you can work up to eight hours per day or 40 hours per week.[2]
- You can only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except for between June 1 and Labor Day, when those hours extend to 9 p.m. to accommodate for summer employment.[2]
- For more information on working at a grocery store as a minor, see the Department of Labor’s policies regarding youth employment at grocery stores.
- For more information on working in the food industry as a minor, see the Department of Labor’s policies on youth employment at food service stores.
Earnings
As a working teenager, it’s unlikely that you’ll be hired at a rate higher than the minimum wage established by the federal government and your state.
To find out if your state has set the minimum wage to something other than the federal minimum, check out the U.S. Department of Labor’s state-by-state minimum wage map. Currently, 29 states have rates higher than the federal minimum.
There are a few types of jobs in which 14- and 15-year-olds may earn more than minimum wage. While rates vary widely depending on where you are and the type of establishment, you’re most likely to earn more than minimum wage in the following positions:
- Lifeguard (Note: This requires special training and certifications.)
- Babysitter (Note: You may also want to earn additional certifications for this role.)
- Pet sitter
- Golf caddy (Note: This position also has the potential to earn tips.)
Comparison Table
You can use the following table for a brief comparison of the hiring ages at places that hire at 14 and/or 15.
Select any business or scroll to the list below for more information, and you can use the arrows at the top of each column to sort the table.
| Place | Type | Minimum Age | Available Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Eagle | Grocery | 15 | Varies |
| Giant Food | Grocery | 14 | Courtesy Clerk, Bagger, Cashier, Team Member |
| Harvey's | Grocery | 15 | Vary by location |
| Hy-Vee | Grocery | 14 or 16 | Courtesy Clerk |
| King Soopers | Grocery | 14 with approval | Courtesy Clerk |
| Kroger | Grocery | 14 | Varies |
| Publix | Grocery | 14 | Cashier, Clerk |
| Safeway | Grocery | 14 | Varies |
| Stop & Shop | Grocery | 15 | Grocery clerk, floral clerk, bakery clerk, courtesy clerk, casheir |
| Wegmans | Grocery | 15 | Customer Service Associate |
| Winn-Dixie | Grocery | 15 | Bagger |
| Baskin-Robbins | Restaurant | 14 | Varies |
| Ben & Jerry's | Restaurant | 14 | Varies |
| Boston Market | Restaurant | 15 | Dishwasher, Server |
| Bruster's | Restaurant | 14 | Ice Cream Maker/Scooper |
| Chick-fil-A | Restaurant | 14 | Varies |
| Culver's | Restaurant | 14 | Varies |
| Dairy Queen | Restaurant | 14 | Varies |
| McDonald's | Restaurant | 14 | Crew Team Member |
| Rita's Italian Ice | Restaurant | 14 | Treat Team member |
| Runza | Restaurant | 14 | Varies |
| Starbucks | Restaurant | 14 in MT | Barista |
| AMC Theatres | Theaters & Amusement Parks | 14 | Usher, Concessionist |
| Canobie Lake Park | Theaters & Amusement Parks | 15 | Varies |
| Incline Village Recreation Center | Theaters & Amusement Parks | 14 | Varies |
| Lagoon | Theaters & Amusement Parks | 14 | Varies |
| Six Flags | Theaters & Amusement Parks | 14 | Varies |
The List
Grocery Stores
Typical grocery store positions available for a 14- to 15-year-old are stocker and front-end associate (bagging groceries and bringing in carts).
The list below includes stores where we could confirm, through speaking with corporate customer service, that at least some of the company’s locations hire 14- and 15-year-old employees.
1. Publix
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[3]
- Jobs available: Cashier, floral clerk, or front service clerk[3]
- Average pay: $10 per hour[3]
- Search for openings
2. Wegmans
- Minimum age requirement: 15 years old (at some locations)[4]
- Jobs available: Customer service associate[4]
- Average pay: $10 per hour[4]
- Search for openings
3. Safeway
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old (at some locations)[5]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[5]
- Average pay: $9 per hour[5]
- Search for openings
4. Giant Food
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[6]
- Jobs available: Courtesy clerk, bagger, cashier, hourly team member[6]
- Average pay: $9 per hour[6]
- Search for openings
5. Hy-Vee
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old, though most stores won’t hire until age 16. We confirmed with a live chat representative on Hy-Vee’s website that each Hy-Vee store is independently owned and operated, so check with your nearest location.[7]
- Jobs available: Courtesy clerk[7]
- Average pay: $9 per hour[7]
- Search for openings
6. Stop & Shop
- Minimum age requirement: 15 in Rhode Island and Massachusetts; 16 in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey[8]
- Jobs available: Grocery clerk, floral clerk, bakery clerk, courtesy clerk, cashier[8]
- Average pay: $9 per hour[8]
- Search for openings
7. Harveys
- Minimum age requirement: 15 years old[9]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[9]
- Average pay: $8 to $9 per hour[9]
- Search for openings
8. Kroger
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old in some states at some locations[10]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[10]
- Average pay: $8 per hour[10]
- Search for openings
9. Giant Eagle
- Minimum age requirement: 15 years old (at some locations)[11]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[11]
- Average pay: $8 per hour[11]
- Search for openings
10. King Soopers
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old with district manager’s approval[12]
- Jobs available: Courtesy clerk[12]
- Average pay: $8 per hour[12]
- Search for openings
11. Winn-Dixie
- Minimum age requirement: 15 years old. However, the age requirement for your desired position may be higher.[13]
- Jobs available: Bagger[14]
- Average pay: $8 per hour[14]
- Search for openings
Restaurants
Fast-food chains are known for hiring teenagers to do simple tasks like food prep or scooping ice cream. The starting wage for these positions is typically minimum wage.
At franchised locations, minimum age requirements will be subject to each franchise owner’s discretion. You may want to contact your nearest location to confirm its minimum hiring age.
If you don’t see your favorite restaurant on our list, you can contact the manager to determine if it’ll hire 14- and 15-year-old employees.
12. Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[15]
- Jobs available: Varies by location and franchise[15]
- Average pay: About $9 to $10 per hour[15]
- Search for openings
13. McDonald’s
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[16]
- Jobs available: Crew team member (which includes taking orders, running the drive-thru, cooking the food, cleaning, etc.)[16]
- Average pay: About $10 per hour[16]
- Search for openings
14. Chick-fil-A
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[17]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[17]
- Average pay: About $9 per hour[17]
- Search for openings
15. Ben & Jerry’s
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[18]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[18]
- Average pay: About $8 per hour[18]
- Search for openings
16. Bruster’s
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[19]
- Jobs available: Ice cream maker/scooper[19]
- Average pay: About $8 per hour[19]
- Search for openings
17. Culver’s
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[20]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[20]
- Average pay: About $8 per hour[20]
- Search for openings
18. Dairy Queen
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[21]
- Jobs available: Varies by location[21]
- Average pay: About $8 per hour[21]
- Search for openings
19. Boston Market
- Minimum age requirement: 15 years old[22]
- Jobs available: Dishwasher, server[22]
- Average pay: About $8 to $9 per hour[22]
- Search for openings
20. Rita’s Italian Ice
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[23]
- Jobs available: Treat team member[23]
- Average pay: About $8 per hour[23]
- Search for openings
21. Runza
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[24]
- Jobs available: Varies by season[24]
- Average pay: About $10 per hour[24]
- Search for openings
22. Starbucks
- Minimum age requirement: Generally the age is 16, but in Montana, you can become a barista at 14[25]
- Jobs available: Barista[25]
- Average pay: About $9 per hour[25]
- Search for openings
Theaters and Amusement Parks
23. AMC Theatres
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[26]
- Jobs available: Usher, concessionist[26]
- Average pay: $8 per hour[26]
- Search for openings
24. Six Flags
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[27]
- Jobs available: Varies by location and season[27]
- Average pay: About $8 to $9 for food preparation worker[27]
- Search for openings
25. Incline Village Recreation Center (Nevada)
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[28]
- Jobs available: Varies by season[28]
- Average pay: Varies[28]
- Search for openings
26. Canobie Lake Park (New Hampshire)
- Minimum age requirement: 15 years old; a parental consent form is required
- Jobs available: Food service positions[29]
- Average pay: $10 to $11 per hour[29]
- Search for openings
27. Lagoon (Utah)
- Minimum age requirement: 14 years old[30]
- Jobs available: Varies by season[30]
- Average pay: $8 to $9 per hour[30]
- Search for openings
Places That Don’t Hire at 14 and/or 15
In the course of our research, we found that the following places don’t hire at 14 or 15 — most set their hiring ages at 16 or 18:
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- Aeropostale
- Albertsons
- American Eagle Outfitters
- Banana Republic
- Barnes & Noble
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Charlotte Russe
- CVS
- Food Lion
- Forever 21
- Gap
- GUESS
- H&M
- Harris Teeter
- Hollister
- HomeGoods
- Hot Topic
- JCPenney
- Justice
- Kmart
- Kohl’s
- Levi’s
- Marshalls
- Meijer
- Old Navy
- PacSun
- Ralph Lauren
- Target
- T.J.Maxx
- Trader Joe’s
- Walmart
- Walgreens
Other Ways to Earn Money at 14
Just because you may be too young to be hired at your favorite business doesn’t mean you can’t earn money. What skills do you have that others would be willing to pay you for?
Here are some ideas if you’re ready to embrace freelancing or entrepreneurship:
- Babysitting: If you like kids, babysitting is a great way to earn money. Ask family friends if they need a babysitter, or put up posters at school or around town. You may want to get some additional CPR certifications to boost your credibility.
- House cleaning: House cleaning is a great job for those who are naturally inclined to keep their things tidy. You can do this service for your friends and neighbors, or post ads on sites like Facebook or Craigslist.
- Pool services: If you live in a neighborhood where people have pools, offer to clean pools. People will usually already have skimming, vacuums, and chlorine, so you’ll just need to supply the labor.
- Lawn services: If you can push a lawnmower and use a rake and you enjoy being outdoors, this could be the perfect job for you. In the winter, consider shoveling snow.
- Tutoring: Turn your English or math skills into cash by becoming an after-school tutor for students who are struggling with subjects where you excel.
- Car washing: Go door-to-door in your neighborhood and ask if there are any cars that need washing. Many people may prefer to have their cars hand-washed, but not have the time to do it themselves.
- Dog walking: You most likely know which of your neighbors have dogs. Find out if that dog’s owner needs their dog walked or cared for. Adults are busy with jobs, kids, and after-school activities. They don’t always have time to walk the dog as much as they should. Take advantage of that fact and charge money for it.
- Garage or yard sale: Garage sales are great if you have a lot of old stuff that you can part with. Take your inventory and set your prices, and advertise around your neighborhood.
You can check out our related research for the list of retailers that hire at 15.
If you want to search again in a year or two, we also have the lists of retail stores that hire at 16 and retail stores that hire at 17.
My 15 year old just interviewed at McDonald’s. They said they no longer hire at 15.
Hi Kelly,
While there are many McDonald’s that do hire at 15, there are also many that don’t. Each McDonald’s is free to set its own minimum age policy. Both franchised and corporate owned McDonald’s restaurants set their own age policies, so they really can be inconsistent.
hi, im looking for a job after school im 14 and in very need of a job im hard working and help has many people I can even if its out of my way I live in leesburg ohio 45135
Hi Normandy,
If you’re interested in working for First Quarter Finance, check out how you can submit an application to join our team. Best of luck!
I’m looking for a job after school
Hi Gabriela,
We hope our article has helped you some. If you recognize any of the companies we have listed in our article as having locations in your town, the best bet is to use the location finders for those companies, and then call or visit your local stores to ask if there are any open positions available.Good luck with your job search!
hi my name is maty sam I’m a looking for an after school job in philadelphia pa 19120 I’m 14 years old and a great help i can work all day on weekends and it can be any kind of job food , retail cleans,ect.
Hi Maty,
I would suggest looking at some local resources to see if there are any job opportunities. Try looking on Craigslist or in your local newspaper. Local papers also usually have their classifieds section online. You can also try asking any adults you know whether they could use your services or whether they know anyone who would hire you. With some diligence and a good work ethic, you can definitely find something!
Hi. I turned 14 on June 25th. I live in Memphis, TN. I was looking for a clothing store, or fast food restaurant. Can you help me find any.
Hi Taylor,
You should try contacting local branches of the stores and restaurants on our list! Use the store locator to find the local contact number and call to ask whether they are hiring and will take 14-year-olds. While all of the stores on our list have at least some locations that take 14-year-olds, the individual stores near you might not, so you will have to call and check with the current manager. Good luck!
So I live in Colorado and I’ve called almost everyone on this list and they all hire at 15 or 16. Besides AMC I haven’t found a place that hires at 14. Help please.
Hi Jordyn,
While we can’t answer individual questions, your best bet is to check with fast food restaurants like McDonald’s and Arby’s, as they are more likely to hire employees younger than 16.
I want to start working at some type of clothing or book store but I’m 14 any where I can look at ?
Hi Reagan,
At Barnes and Noble, you need to be at least 16 to get hired. I’d recommend looking at local bookstores, you might get lucky and find one that will hire minors. For clothing stores, take a look at this article, where we list clothing stores that hire minors. It looks like you need to be 16 for almost all clothing retail jobs.
Hi im 15 years old, i would like to know if Estelles dressy dresses can hire at my age. If not then what other jobs are available in Farmingdale, New York. [no fast food restaurants]
Hi, my name is Jane, i’m 14 years old and i really really really need a job for i and my sister and i wanna know if u know any place that i can get a job, i live in Jamaica Queens Ny. I’m really looking forward for jobs like babysitting, and a grocery place that hires 14 year old and i’m also turning 15 years old in September.
Hi i’m 14 years old and i really need a job for I and my sister, do u know any place that i could get a job i live in Jamaica Queens, Ny
Hi, I live in North Brunswick NJ, and I’m afraid all the local McDonalds and BurgerKings always has grown employees and I don’t know where to start getting a job.
Hi Peter,
Your best bet is making your way down the list of places in the article that hire employees under the age of 16. You can even make phone calls to get an idea of who is hiring before applying. Good luck!
I am 15 and turning 16 in September do you know if there are any jobs available in Wesley Chapel, Florida? I tried looking at Winn Dixie but i couldn’t find any available positions. Also, Do you recommend any full time jobs in the summer?
Hi Meagan,
Unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive, we aren’t able to respond to individual requests.