Many 17-year-olds want to earn pocket money on the side. But here’s the catch: local governments prevent minors from working in hazardous occupations like manufacturing, warehousing, etc. (may vary from one legislation to another).
Despite age restrictions in some sectors, there are still many employment opportunities for 17-year-olds. For example, employers in industries like retail, agriculture, and food service are eager to hire 17-year-olds.
In this article, we gathered jobs requiring at least 17 years of age. These part-time jobs have a flexible schedule and offer weekend availability to accommodate teenagers’ busy schedules.
1. Tutoring Jobs
- Salary: $20 per hour.
- Workload: 75% of positions are full-time.
- Medium Demand: 7,404 tutoring jobs are available on
Tutoring is all about sharing the beauty of a subject with students who have a hard time understanding it. As a tutor, you get the opportunity to help others in need.
The most in-demand courses you can tutor as a 17-year-old are:
- High school tutoring: pre-calculus, SAT & ACT math, trigonometry, algebra, English (intermediate), Spanish (basic), and French (basic).
- Primary school tutoring: basic arithmetic, counting, and basic geometry.
Requirements
- Excellent grades in subject-related courses.
2. Retail Sales Associate
- Salary: $18 per hour.
- Workload: 84% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 4,770 retail sales associate jobs are available on
Retail sales associate help customers find what they want. They assist walk-in customers, answer phone calls, and maintain displays in the retail store.
Retail jobs are one of the few entry-level jobs that offer flexible hours and competitive pay. Working in retail is also to gain experience to rise to leadership or executive positions.
Requirements
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Physical demands: Must be able to lift, carry, push, and pull small weights. Sales associates must also be able to stand up for 4 hours at a time.
3. Dog Walker
- Salary: $14 per hour.
- Workload: 93% of positions are full-time.
- Medium Demand: 5,221 dog walker jobs are available on
I was shocked when I found out that some people actually pay to walk their dogs.
Here’s the deal: dogs need to walk to get mental stimulation, exercise, and take a “potty break.” However, many dog owners are busy and do not have the time to walk their own dogs. This is where you can propose your service as a dog walker. It is an excellent opportunity to make side money while taking a quick walk in the park!
Requirements
- Proven experience working with dogs.
- Preferred: dog walker certification that includes dog first aid and CPR training.
4. Data Entry Clerk
- Average Salary: from as little as $5 up to $25 per hour.
- Workload: 9% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 692 data entry jobs are available on
Data entry jobs are exactly what they sound like! They’re jobs that involve entering data, such as:
- Describing or identifying images
- Entering up-to-date prices
- Transcription of audio notes
- Subtitling
- Tagging and annotating data
- You name it!
You are typically asked to perform on-demand tasks that computers are unable to do.
Requirements
- Preferred High school diploma or equivalent.
- Preferred: Completing a qualifier to validate transcription/subtitling/tagging skills.
5. Lawn Mowing
- Salary: $19 per hour.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 9 lawn mowing jobs are available on
Lawn mowing is one of the most popular summer jobs.
Many employers hire to mow residential or commercial grounds. Lawn care specialists are expected to cut lawn riding mowers and edge around walks, flower beds, and walls. Some jobs also involve clearing leaves, applying fertilizer, and doing other general maintenance work.
Requirements
- Manual dexterity, physical strength, and stamina.
- Familiarity with lawn care equipment and tools.
6. Doing Homework For Others
- Average Salary: depends on how well you negotiate with other students (a fair salary is $16 per hour).
Some websites actually pay you to do homework for other people.
The deeper your knowledge, the higher your chances of making a decent wage. Moreover, if you are good at finances, math, and physics, you will have a better chance of earning a respectable income.
Doing homework for others can be deemed unethical, especially when completing graded assignments. Make sure answers to homework questions can only be used as a tutoring aid or a reference.
Requirements
- Preferred: Good grades in subject-related courses.
7. Restaurant Team Member
- Salary: $18 per hour.
- Workload: 10% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 1,824 restaurant team member jobs are available on
Restaurant team members help with easy tasks such as cleaning the restaurant, setting tables, serving customers, and assisting with food preparation.
Restaurant team member often gets the opportunity to work up to leadership positions once they’ve gained enough experience.
Requirements
- Excellent customer service skills.
- Preferred: previous restaurant experience as a waiter or greeter.
8. Lifeguard
- Salary: $12 per hour.
- Workload: 78% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 252 lifeguard jobs are available on
Keeping people safe is something to be proud of!
However, being charged with people’s safety is no light matter. This is why lifeguards must be alert at all times and assertive when they see unsafe behavior.
All in all, lifeguarding is an excellent summer job for responsible young adults who are strong swimmers.
Requirements
- Complete lifeguard training and get a lifeguard certification.
9. Pet Sitter
- Salary: $15 per hour.
- Workload: 92% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 2,576 pet sitter jobs are available on
Pet sitters take care of pets while their owner is on vacation or traveling for business. They usually work at the pet owner’s home, but pets may also be at the provider’s home or a pet-sitting company. Even though most pet-sitting jobs involve dogs and cats, some pet sitters also take care of birds and reptiles.
Requirements
- An extensive amount of hands-on experience with the animal in question.
- Preferred: pet first aid and CPR training.
10. Freelance Graphic Designer
- Salary: $19 per hour.
- Workload: 93% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 124 graphic designer jobs are available on
Teenagers can get hired to design logos, magazine covers, advertisements, and other communication materials. There are many graphic design jobs on websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and other freelance websites.
Requirements
- A strong portfolio of logos, illustrations, or other graphics
- Familiarity with design software (such as InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop)
11. Teen Model
- Salary: $24 per hour.
- Workload: 92% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 358 fashion jobs are available on
There is no minimum age to work in the modeling industry. Large companies and small businesses often hire teenage models to advertise their products.
To find modeling jobs, you can contact modeling agencies in your area. The most in-demand modeling jobs are:
- Commercial models look like everyday people and promote everything, such as food and household items. This job often requires basic acting skills.
- Parts models are in huge demand from companies who want the perfect hands, legs, feet, or other body parts to advertise their products.
- Catalog models have a look that appeals to the target audience. They do not have the same physical requirements as fashion models.
Requirements
- An impressive modeling portfolio.
12. Freelance Web Developer
- Salary: $20 per hour.
- Workload: 93% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 283 web developer jobs are available on
Freelance web developers build websites for organizations and small businesses.
Building websites is easier than it seems. There are Content Management Systems like WordPress that automatically create websites. You just need to select the appropriate theme and adapt it to the client's needs.
For 17-year-olds, the most challenging part is to convince clients that you can do the job. It would be best if you built a solid portfolio to showcase your web development skills.
Requirements
- Knowing how to build and host a website with WordPress.
- Basic understanding of HTML and CSS.
13. Fast Food Jobs
- Salary: $10 per hour.
- Workload: 93% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 264 fast food jobs are available on
Working in a fast-food restaurant isn’t glamorous, but you earn your pay every week/fortnight/month.
There are many different fast-food-related jobs:
- Assembling items, such as sandwiches and salads.
- Cashiers
- Customer service
However, 17-year-olds do not have access to management positions.
Requirements
- Preferred: customer service experience.
14. Internships
- Average Salary: paid internships can pay up to $20 per hour.
- Workload: 91% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 1,220 internships are available on
17-year-olds can benefit from internships to gain first-time experience in a working environment. The earlier you start gaining experience for your CV, the better!
Once you have gained some experience, you will be able to boost your resume and increase your chances of getting a job!
Requirements
- A well-written resume and transcripts.
- Preferred: Letters of recommendation from a teacher or professional in the field.
15. Babysitter
- Salary: $18 per hour.
- Workload: 77% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 267 babysitting jobs are available on
As a babysitter, you must supervise children when their parents are unable to watch them.
Babysitting is not only a way to make a few bucks on the side, it is also a huge responsibility. Taking responsibility for others is an important step as a young adult.
Requirements
- Preferred: Have a driver's license.
- Preferred: Earn first aid and CPR certifications.
16. Freelance Photographer
- Salary: $17 per hour.
- Workload: 93% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 139 photographer jobs are available on
There are many opportunities to make money by taking pictures:
- Event photography (festivals, weddings, etc.)
- Advertising for local businesses (bakeries, kennels, etc.)
- Professional photos (music bands, influencers, lawyers, etc.)
Requirements
- A portfolio of beautiful pictures.
- Working knowledge of Photoshop.
17. Yard Worker
- Salary: $12 per hour.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 27 yard worker jobs are available on
Yard workers are responsible for maintaining the grounds surrounding businesses, public buildings, and private homes.
Their job involves spreading mulch, pulling weeds, planting flowers, mowing the grass, trimming bushes, and running the irrigation system.
Requirements
- Preferred: Knowledge of Horticulture and Agronomy.
18. Freelance Writer
- Average Salary: between $20 and $100 per 1000 words.
- Workload: 84% of positions are full-time.
- High Demand: 124,971 writer jobs are available on
Freelance writing is a great occupation for teenagers who want to perfect their writing style. Online writing jobs can be found on gig economy platforms like Fiverr and UpWork.
17-year-olds often get hired for entry-level writing jobs such as:
- Simple web content: blog posts, product descriptions for ecommerce websites, etc.
- Video scripts: Some Youtube channels hire writers to write video and podcast scripts.
- Emails: businesses need to send newsletters and marketing emails to their customers.
Requirements
- A good grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- A portfolio that shows excellent writing and editing skills.
19. Virtual Assistant
- Salary: $12 per hour.
- Workload: 89% of positions are full-time.
- High Demand: 66,429 assistant jobs are available on
Virtual assistants are administrative assistants from home. Their job involves:
- Scheduling appointments
- Making phone calls
- Responding to emails
- And more: bookkeeping, writing, marketing services, etc.
Requirements
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Preferred: prior experience as an administrative assistant.
More Jobs for 17-Year-Olds
In case you are also interested in full-time gigs or online jobs, feel free to check out these articles:
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