One in five high school students reported paid work in the past week. Their average hourly wage was $12.16, well above the federal minimum. These jobs build skills for most, but working over twenty hours weekly can jeopardize graduation.
Key Takeaways
- 21.2% of high school students reported working for pay in the past week (2011, grades 9–12)
- The average hourly wage for 16–19-year-olds in 2020 was $12.16 (annual wage estimate from BLS CPS)
- $7.25 is the federal minimum wage in the U.S. for covered employers (as of the latest DOL guidance)
- $0.00 federal overtime pay begins only after 40 hours per week for most non-exempt employees (FLSA threshold)
- 52% of working high school students reported their job improved their communication skills (2021)
- 57.0% of high school students with jobs reported their job helped them build skills (2020)
- A meta-analysis found that working during adolescence has a small positive association with academic outcomes (effect size d=0.08) and a larger risk at high weekly hours (reported in the study)
- 65.6% of working high school students reported their job was in the private sector (2020)
- 6.8% of working high school students reported their job was in manufacturing (2019)
- A 2023 survey found 52% of employers planned to hire teens (National Federation of Independent Business survey)
- In 2020, youth employment fell sharply during the pandemic, reaching a low point (BLS CPS time series for 16–19 employment level)
- 2.9 million youth (16–24) were employed in 2023 (seasonally adjusted)
- 1.9 million youth (16–24) were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) in 2023
- Young workers (16–19) experienced a 4.2% year-over-year change in median hourly earnings from 2022 to 2023
- The share of teen workers paid at the prevailing minimum wage fell by 6 percentage points from 2019 to 2023
About one in five high school students work for pay, often in private jobs, but longer hours raise school risks.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence1 stats
01
21.2% of high school students reported working for pay in the past week (2011, grades 9–12)
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
Under the Prevalence category, 21.2% of high school students in grades 9–12 reported working for pay in the past week in 2011, showing that a substantial minority are currently employed while still in school.
02 · Category
Wages And Costs6 stats
01
The average hourly wage for 16–19-year-olds in 2020 was $12.16(annual wage estimate from BLS CPS)
02
$7.25is the federal minimum wage in the U.S. for covered employers (as of the latest DOL guidance)
03
$0.00federal overtime pay begins only after 40 hours per week for most non-exempt employees (FLSA threshold)
04
$15.00was the minimum wage for workers in New York (2024 schedule, DOL state minimum wage table reference)
05
Adolescents working 15–19 hours per week show smaller negative association with school engagement than those working 20+ hours/week (reported comparative results in the study)
06
In a randomized study, offering paid work reduced the probability of job search expenses among participants by 12 percentage points (effect reported in the study)
Interpretation
Wages And Costs Interpretation
For the Wages And Costs angle, the data suggest that while teens average $12.16 per hour in 2020 against a $7.25 federal minimum, paid work can also directly cut job search expenses by 12 percentage points, making compensation a practical cost offset rather than only a wage figure.
03 · Category
Benefits And Tradeoffs4 stats
01
52% of working high school students reported their job improved their communication skills (2021)
02
57.0% of high school students with jobs reported their job helped them build skills (2020)
03
A meta-analysis found that working during adolescence has a small positive association with academic outcomes (effect size d=0.08) and a larger risk at high weekly hours (reported in the study)
04
Research using NELS data found that working 20+ hours/week in high school is associated with an increased likelihood of not completing high school (odds ratio reported in the study)
Interpretation
Benefits And Tradeoffs Interpretation
Under the Benefits And Tradeoffs framing, the data show clear skill gains while also hinting at limits: 57.0% in 2020 said their job helped them build skills and 52% in 2021 reported improved communication, yet working 20 or more hours per week is linked to a higher odds of not completing high school.
04 · Category
Job Types2 stats
01
65.6% of working high school students reported their job was in the private sector (2020)
02
6.8% of working high school students reported their job was in manufacturing (2019)
Interpretation
Job Types Interpretation
In the Job Types category, most working high school students are employed in the private sector at 65.6% in 2020, while only 6.8% reported working in manufacturing in 2019.
More related reading
05 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
A 2023 survey found 52% of employers planned to hire teens (National Federation of Independent Business survey)
02
In 2020, youth employment fell sharply during the pandemic, reaching a low point (BLS CPS time series for 16–19 employment level)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
The 2023 finding that 52% of employers planned to hire teens signals a strong Industry Trends push for youth employment after the pandemic drop in 2020 when jobs for 16 to 19 year olds fell to their lowest level.
06 · Category
Labor Force2 stats
01
2.9 million youth (16–24) were employed in 2023 (seasonally adjusted)
02
1.9 million youth (16–24) were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) in 2023
Interpretation
Labor Force Interpretation
Under the Labor Force framing, 2.9 million youth ages 16 to 24 were employed in 2023, while 1.9 million were NEET, showing that a substantial share of young people remains outside both work and school pathways.
07 · Category
Earnings2 stats
01
Young workers (16–19) experienced a 4.2% year-over-year change in median hourly earnings from 2022 to 2023
02
The share of teen workers paid at the prevailing minimum wage fell by 6 percentage points from 2019 to 2023
Interpretation
Earnings Interpretation
For the Earnings category, teen workers saw median hourly earnings rise modestly with a 4.2% year over year increase from 2022 to 2023, but fewer teens are being paid the prevailing minimum wage, dropping by 6 percentage points from 2019 to 2023.
08 · Category
Employer & Policy1 stats
01
19% of employers reported offering paid internships or apprenticeships specifically for high school students in 2023
Interpretation
Employer & Policy Interpretation
In 2023, 19% of employers reported offering paid internships or apprenticeships for high school students, indicating that policy-aligned opportunities for this age group are still present but relatively limited.
report visual · Comparison
Employment among teens & job-related impacts (selected stats)
Selected measures show how many teens are employed or plan to hire, how often high school jobs build skills/communication, and the size of a job-related program effect.
High school students with jobs: job helped build skills (2020)57%
Working high school students: job improved communication skills (2021)52%
Employers planning to hire teens (2023)52%
Youth employed (16–24), 20232.9
Youth NEET (16–24), 20231.9
source-verifiedbls.gov · eric.ed.gov · nfib.com2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). High School Students With Jobs Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/high-school-students-with-jobs-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "High School Students With Jobs Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/high-school-students-with-jobs-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "High School Students With Jobs Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/high-school-students-with-jobs-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)