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Best Sites to Make Money Online as a Teen
Branded Surveys 13+
$0.50 – $5 on average per survey with bonus points ($1 sign up bonus)
Average survey length is 10-20 minutes and minimum payout is $5
Collect rewards in PayPal, Direct Deposit or gift cards (100+ brands)
Survey Junkie 16+
$1 – $3 per survey + extra ways to earn up to $100 with focus groups
Each survey time varies, but on average it takes 15 minutes to complete
Redeem rewards using PayPal, e-giftcards or bank transfer ($5 min)
Places That Hire at 15
Online Surveys
(Earn up to $5 per survey)
LifePoints Summary
- On average, earn up to $20 each month
- Survey times vary – 10 min to 20 min
- Surveys are available in 40+ countries
- Only $5 minimum payout threshold
While there may be limited places that hire at 15, one of the simplest and best jobs for teenagers is online surveys. This is because many platforms have an age requirement of 13+.
The platforms tailor surveys to your interests and preferences. You will also share your opinion with companies looking for input from your demographic group. Most of the surveys are quite short, so you can easily fit them in between your school work and activities.
LifePoints
Lifepoints is a community where you can earn rewards participating in surveys. You can also earn points when you shop online or complete other tasks. The great thing about Lifepoints is that you only need to earn 550 points or $5 before you can cash out.
You can redeem your earnings via PayPal or gift card for popular brands such as:
Ipsos I-Say
i-Say Summary
- You can earn as much as $50 each month
- Earn $1 for each friend you invite
- Low minimum cash out threshold of $5
- Instant cash out for e-gift cards
i-Say has an active community of over three million users and you can join them to earn cash for your honest opinions.
Completing a poll or survey can earn you up to 150 points. Even if you screen out of a survey, you’ll still receive 5 points. You can also get additional points for each complete survey through the i-Say Loyalty Program.
The minimum cash out is 1,530 points or $15.
Toluna
Toluna Summary
- High payouts of up to $16.66 per survey
- Receive up to 7 surveys in a single day
- Earn 500 points for each friend you refer
- Win up to 1 million points in sweepstakes
The Toluna community allows you to participate in activities and earn money helping to shape decision making. You can take part in surveys, polls and product tests. Or you can use the Toluna app to create your own polls.
It is possible to exchange the points you earn for gift cards, sweepstake entries or charity donations.
Valued Opinions
Valued Opinions Summary
- High average payout per survey of up to $5
- 5 membership levels with tailored surveys
- Quick turnaround time for e-gift card
- Low minimum cash out threshold of $10
Valued Opinions pays up to $5 per survey and they typically take up to 20 minutes to complete. The surveys are usually more in depth, but the pay reflects this. So, if you tackle a shorter survey, you will earn less, while longer surveys pay more.
Once you reach the minimum redemption level of $20, you can redeem your earnings as a gift card. Valued Opinions only issues electronic gift cards and you can expect to receive yours within 24 hours.
SpringBoard America
Springboard America Summary
- Earn up to $5 per survey you answer
- 3 different cash out options for earnings
- Receive 1 to 4 surveys invites per month
- Quick 1 week processing time for rewards
Springboard America has been operating for over 10 years and offers “Survey Dollars” for each task. Each Survey Dollar is worth $0.01 and you can earn up to 500 per survey. There are also sweepstake draws and you can receive entries as a reward.
After you reach 5,000 Survey Dollars, you can redeem your earnings for a $50 PayPal payment or gift card. You should receive your reward within one week.
American Consumer Opinion
American Consumer Opinion Summary
- Easy to understand point system
- Longer surveys can pay up to $50
- Product reviews pay between $50 to $200
- Low minimum payout threshold of $10
American Consumer Opinion (ACOP) has millions of members who earn cash completing surveys. The shorter surveys pay up to 50 points, but occasionally there are longer surveys offering thousands of points.
ACOP also has a referral program to help you supplement your earnings. So, inviting your family and friends to join can boost your rewards.
The minimum cashout is 1,000 points or $10. You can claim the funds via PayPal or use your points for charity donations or entries into sweepstake draws.
YouGov
YouGov Summary
- $0.50 on average per survey
- Expect up to 7 surveys per week
- $2.85 for each referred friend
- Redeem rewards in gift cards or PayPal
YouGov has surveys that typically take less than 15 minutes. When you join, you’ll need to supply some basic profile information. YouGov will use these details to match you with appropriate surveys.
When you match with a survey, YouGov will alert you via email or app invite. This means that you are unlikely to receive an invitation to participate in a survey that is not appropriate for you.
Each survey pays up to 100 points and you’ll need 5,000 or $50 before you can cash out.
Food Worker
(Earn an average of $9 per hour)
Fast food restaurants are one of the most common places that hire at 15. In this industry, you can expect to earn $9 per hour on average. The responsibilities include:
- Taking orders via the drive thru or in store
- Take payment and make appropriate change
- Clean areas including floors, lobby, tables and bathrooms
- Answer food questions.
There could also be opportunities for career progression as a team leader or shift manager. So, this could offer a potential career after graduation.
McDonald’s
One of the most popular companies that hire 15 year old applicants is McDonald’s. McDonald’s has over 13,000 locations in the USA, so it should be easy to find one in your local area.
In some locations, you may even be able to join as a crew member from age 14.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is another of the well known places hiring teens. Some of the independently owned locations will hire team members age 14 and older.
Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC has more than 4,400 locations throughout the USA, with more than 22,000 locations globally. The restaurant locations in many areas will hire 15 year olds in clean up crew positions or working in customer service.
Runza
Runza has locations in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Select locations will hire crew members age 14 plus.
Boston Market
Boston Market is predominantly in the NorthEast and MIdWest, but there are locations in Florida, Texas and California. There are only approximately 350 locations across the US, but if you do have one in your local area, they do offer jobs that hire at 15
Wendy’s
Wendy’s currently has over 6,500 locations throughout the US and in other territories around the world. Some locations have jobs for 15 year olds in positions such as cashier or cleaner.
Baskin-Robbins
If you have more of a sweet tooth, Baskin- Robbins may be one of the best places that hire at 15 for you. This brand has over 2,400 locally owned and operated locations across the US.
Select locations will hire team members age 14 and older.
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen is another popular chain offering jobs for team members from age 14 at select locations. The company has more than 6,000 locations in the US, Canada and other areas of the world.
Rita’s Italian Ice
Rita’s Italian Ice has more than 600 locations across 30 states. The company policy for this brand is to hire team members aged 14 and older.
Starbucks
Starbucks is the largest coffee house brand in the world with almost 10,000 locations in the US. While the minimum age requirement in most locations is 16, in Montana select locations may hire 15 year olds.
Culver’s
Culver’s has approximately 600 restaurants in 24 states. At select locations, Culver’s will hire team members 14 plus.
Bruster’s
Bruster’s has 200 locations, serving communities in 22 states. According to the local store policies and state labor laws, Bruster’s may hire team members aged 15.
Grocery Stores
(Earn an average of $10 per hour)
Working at a grocery store in your neighborhood could earn you $10 per hour on average. The duties include:
- Scanning items at the checkout
- Bagging groceries
- Taking inventory
- Stocking shelves
- Taking payments and making change
- Helping customers
There may also be additional incentives for employees such as a staff discount. This will allow you to earn some cash and help out the family, reducing the household grocery bills.
There are a number of grocery stores that hire at 15:
Winn-Dixie & affiliates
Winn Dixie hires baggers at a minimum age of 14. Once you reach 16, you can then progress to becoming a cashier.
Fareway
One of the jobs you can get at 15 is in the Grocery Department at Fareway.
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle has a number of roles for 14 and 15 year olds including shopping cart attendants and bakery clerks.
Safeway & affiliates
Safeway hires baggers from the age of 14.
Giant Foods
Many Giant Foods locations will hire workers from age 14
Kroger & affiliates
Krogers hires baggers and stockers from the age of 14
Publix
Publix has roles for applicants age 14 and older, such as floral clerks, service desk personnel and cashiers.
Entertainment Venues
(Earn $10+ per hour)
If the idea of grocery stores or fast food restaurants don’t appeal to you, another of the places that hire at 15 are entertainment venues. The specific job requirements will vary according to the role, but if you enjoy visiting the venue, you may enjoy working there.
AMC Theaters
At select AMC Theaters locations, you can find a job at 15 as an usher or concessions worker.
Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment has team member roles for applicants age 14 plus. These roles include Admissions, Parking Attendant, Park Services or Food and Beverage Cashier.
Six Flags
Six Flags hires teens on a part time basis for roles in the food or ice cream trucks or as a skill game operator.
What Laws Affect Hiring a 15 Year Old?
The law affecting places that hire at 15 is the Fair Labor Standards Act. This law impacts the minimum hiring age and the limitation on the type of work and number of hours a minor can work.
For 15 year old employees, all of the work must be performed outside regular school hours. The other restrictions include:
- No more than 3 hours on a school day including Friday
- Less than 18 hours per week during school semesters
- Less than 8 hours per day when school is out of session
- No more than 40 hours a week during school vacations
- They cannot work before 7 am or after 7 pm on any day. The exception to this is June 1st to Labor Day when this is extended to 9 pm.
There are also some states that require teens to obtain a work permit to seek employment. If you’re unsure if this applies to your state, check with your school’s guidance office or the Department of Labor.
Finally, there are some exceptions, but generally teens must be paid the federal minimum wage, depending on where they work and what they do. This is currently set at $7.25 per hour.
Some states require teens to obtain a work permit
Businesses You Can Start at Age 15
If you are still struggling with where you can work at 15, you may want to consider setting up your own part time business. This can be a way to access what pays the most at 15 and you can set your own hours to suit your schedule.
| Business | Expected Earnings |
| Pet sitter | Approx $15 per hour |
| Car washing | $8+ per hour |
| Babysitter | Average $16 per hour |
| Mother’s helper | Average $10 per hour |
| Blogger | Up to $1,000 or more per month |
Pet Sitter
If you love animals, consider becoming a freelance petsitter. Find jobs in your local area with sites like Petsitter. You can browse the job boards for postings in your city or create a profile on the site.
Apply for jobs that offer a good rate of pay or set your own rates. While the market is quite competitive, you can expect to earn as much as $15 per hour.
Car Washing
If you can’t wait to get behind the wheel, you can feed your car interest by setting up your own car washing enterprise. Although there are lots of cars on the road, many drivers don’t have the time or inclination to wash and detail their vehicle.
You could offer mobile car washing, cleaning the cars after school or at weekends. So, you can set your schedule around your school commitments and other activities.
You will need to consider the costs of your car cleaning supplies, but you can set your own rates. The typical rate is $8 or more per hour.
Babysitter
When considering who hires at 15, your first thought may be parents looking for a babysitter. There are lots of parents who need a responsible, reliable and trustworthy babysitter.
You can use word of mouth, asking family members and your parent’s friends to find jobs or post ads on social media.
The average hourly rate for babysitters in the USA is $16 per hour. However, you may earn more if you look after more than one child or take on additional responsibilities.
Mother’s Helper
A mother’s helper is a little different from babysitting as the parents will remain in the home. Essentially, you’ll help out with child care and other tasks while the parent is busy. This is particularly popular now, as many parents are working from home.
The list of tasks may include:
- Watching the children while the parent works or cooks
- Walking the dog
- Cleaning
- Laundry
Being a mother’s helper typically pays less than babysitting with an average of $10 per hour. However, if you don’t have any babysitting experience, it is a good way to try the task without having complete responsibility, as the parent is on hand if there are any issues.
Blogger
If you’re looking at what jobs pay the most at 15, blogging should be at the top of your list. Blogging has great income potential and it can develop and grow over time. You don’t need to be an expert programmer, as there are themes and layouts already coded.
As a blogger, you could earn anything from a couple of dollars to $1000 or more each month. The most appealing aspect is that it is highly flexible. You can work at any time and simply schedule your posts to go live automatically.
You can blog about practically any topic, as long as you feel passionate about it. Keep this in mind, as you may be writing about the topic for years!
As you can see, the answer to can you get hired at 15, is a resounding yes. There are lots of places that hire at 15, so you can choose where you would feel most comfortable or which industry may be of interest to you for a future career. This will allow you to gain valuable work experience and have some cash in your pocket.
