U.S. Teen Summer Employment Rises to 35.5% in 2026 as 6.2 Million Work, Still Below 58% Peak
Updated
Updated · Pew Research Center · Aug 19
U.S. Teen Summer Employment Rises to 35.5% in 2026 as 6.2 Million Work, Still Below 58% Peak
1 articles · Updated · Pew Research Center · Aug 19
Summary
35.5% of Americans ages 16 to 19 worked for pay in summer 2026, up from 33.8% in 2025, with June-July employment averaging 6.2 million teens.
That gain came despite expectations of a weak teen job market and even as fewer teens were actively seeking work this summer, suggesting demand held up better than feared.
39% of White teens were employed, versus 28% of Hispanic teens, 27% of Black teens and 21% of Asian teens; 48% of 18- and 19-year-olds worked, compared with 24% of 16- and 17-year-olds.
2 million teens worked in accommodation and food services and 1.3 million in retail, while food preparation and serving jobs led occupations at 1.5 million, followed by 1.1 million in sales.
The rebound remains modest against a long decline: more than half of U.S. teens worked summer jobs as recently as 2000, and the rate peaked at 58% in 1978.