Summer Jobs Grow Scarcer for US Teenagers
For generations, summer jobs have been a defining rite of passage. Whether scooping ice cream, busing tables, or lifeguarding, millions of American teenagers have worked in summer to earn income and gain exposure to the labor market. Beyond the paycheck, these jobs taught teenagers to take direction, collaborate, and develop skills that shaped their future careers. Yet despite this longstanding tradition, that rite of passage is fading.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for US teenagers ages 16–19 reached a summer high of 14.3% in August 2024, 15.2% in July 2025, 14.7% in May 2026, and 14.6% in June 2026. These are the highest sustained rates since the post-pandemic recovery, continuing an upward trend that began in 2023. Data also shows 219,000 fewer employed teens in May 2026 than in May 2025, and 510,000 fewer than in May 2024.
The broader youth labor market reflects this slowdown. In July 2025, 53.1% of Americans ages 16 to 24 were employed – the traditional peak month for summer youth employment – down from 54.5% in July 2024, while youth unemployment rose from 9.8% to 10.8%. While nearly 1.9 million young people entered the labor force between April and July 2025, consistent with the typical seasonal influx of students seeking summer employment, job growth did not keep pace with labor force participation. As a result, a larger share of young job seekers remained unemployed despite actively looking for work.
While New Jersey does not track the teenage unemployment rate, its overall jobless rate has been higher than the national rate. Overall unemployment in New Jersey stood at 4.5% in June, compared to the US rate of 4.2%. ompetition for summer positions has also intensified. Unemployment among recent college graduates (22–27) ranged from 4.8% to 5.8% in 2025, up from a 4.3% to 5.3% range in 2024. Facing a tougher job market, many graduates remain in retail, hospitality, and food service – the very industries that traditionally gave teenagers their first jobs – forcing younger workers to compete against candidates with degrees, experience, and stronger professional skills.