Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Cool Jobs.
The summer job was once a rite of passage for teenagers and young adults, but this tradition faded significantly by 2020.
Multiple factors have contributed to this dip in teen employment, including an increased emphasis on school, more demanding high school coursework, and higher rates of borrowing to pay for rising college tuition.
It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that the demand for teenage workers increased significantly. Following the initial lockdown period, many adults were hesitant to return to work due to health concerns, childcare issues, and challenging customer interactions.
Teenagers filled in these job vacancies, and as a result, the teenage labor force participation rate began to grow, sustaining levels not seen consistently since early 2009.
To determine the locations with the best-paying summer jobs, researchers at Cool Jobs analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Find details on our methodology at the end.
Here are the U.S. metropolitan areas with the best-paying summer jobs.
15. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $950
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $950
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 15.6%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 24,868
14. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $951
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,038
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 21.4%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 41,279
13. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $955
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $908
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 23.6%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 16,291
12. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $997
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,195
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 11.6%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 31,386
11. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,012
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,159
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 14.0%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 32,463
10. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,046
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,037
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 18.7%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 64,681
9. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,046
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,205
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 10.5%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 21,277
8. Tucson, AZ
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,051
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $977
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 13.4%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 9,019
7. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,097
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,156
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 14.6%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 22,409
6. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,109
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,060
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 14.8%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 23,046
5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,138
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,295
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 9.3%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 76,196
4. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,147
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,281
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 12.4%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 14,850
3. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,152
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,225
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 14.1%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 22,335
2. Fresno, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,243
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,262
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 10.0%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 7,898
1. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (adjusted): $1,267
- Average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs (actual): $1,337
- Percentage of teens working summer jobs: 9.3%
- Total teens working summer jobs: 32,659
Methodology
To determine the locations with the best-paying summer jobs, researchers at Cool Jobs analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 Quarterly Workforce Indicators and 2021 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ 2021 Regional Price Parities, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
The researchers ranked metropolitan areas by the average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs after adjusting for cost of living. Only locations with complete data available are included in the analysis. In the event of a tie, metros were sorted by the unadjusted average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs.
Note that average monthly earnings for teens working summer jobs were calculated using private firm employment data from the start of Q3 2021 for employees aged 14–18.
Additionally, some state minimum wages are subject to stipulations based on establishment size, health benefit offerings, geography, or are tied to economic indicators like the Consumer Price Index.
To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis.
