Youth Employment Trends

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Source: U.S. Department of Labor. Report on the Youth Labor Force, November 2000. Based on Current Population Survey data. Web: stats.bls.gov/opub/rylf/rylfhome.htm .

How Many Youths Work?

During the 1996–1998 period, 2.9 million youths age 15 to 17 worked during school months, and 4.0 million worked during the summer months.

Among youths, employment increased markedly with age. During the school months of 1996–1998, only 9% of 15-year-olds were employed in an average month, compared with 26% of those a year older and 39% of 17-year-olds. Youths in each age group were more likely to work in the summer, during which employment rates increased to 18%, 36%, and 48% at each age, respectively.

Despite popular perceptions that youths work more than they did in the past, the proportion of 15- to 17-year-olds who work has declined over time. Employment-population ratios declined with economic downturns in the early 1980s and 1990s. After the decline in the early 1990s, however, the rates did not return to earlier levels. During the 1996–1998 period, a quarter of youths worked during the school months, down from 30% in 1977–1979. Just over a third worked during the summer, down from 43% during the late 1970s.

How Much Do Youths Earn?

The minimum wage often is associated with young workers first entering the labor force. CPS data indicate that earnings were above the minimum wage for most youths, with hourly earnings in the school and summer months about the same. The minimum wage was $5.15 in 1998.

In 1998, median earnings of 15- to 17-year-olds combined were $5.57 per hour. In 1998, the earnings increased with age: 15-year-olds earned a median of $5.38 per hour, 16-year-olds earned $5.52, and 17-year-olds earned $5.65 per hour. Earnings varied slightly across sex and race groups. Hispanic and white males had the highest median hourly earnings; Hispanic and black females had the lowest.

Where Do Youths Work?

About 62% of youths age 15 to 17 employed during the school months of the 1996–1998 period worked in retail trade, more than in any other major industry. Within retail trade, eating and drinking places accounted for the greatest share of employed youths, about one-third of all employed 15- to 17-year-olds. Another 1 in 4 youths was employed in service industries. In the summer, youth employment was less concentrated in retail trade and youths were employed in a wider variety of industries than during the school months. Retail trade still accounted for about half, services increased to 30%, and employment in agriculture and goods-producing industries (mining, construction, and manufacturing) increased. This seasonal pattern of employment also was present in earlier periods.

Percent of U.S. Population Age 15–17 Employed, 1977–1998

	School months			Summer months
Characteristic	1977–1979	1987–1989	1996–1998	1977–1979	1987–1989	1996–1998
Total, 15 to 17 years	29.8%	27.6%	24.7%	42.6%	39.6%	33.8%
Sex:
Male	31.4	27.4	24.3	47.7	41.8	34.3
Female	28.1	27.9	25.2	37.4	37.4	33.3
Age:
15 years old	17.3	13.7	9.4	29.9	24.5	17.7
16 years old	29.5	27.7	25.8	43.2	41.4	36.0
17 years old	2.6	40.4	39.0	54.5	51.9	47.8
Race/ethnicity:
White, 15 to 17 years	33.2	30.9	27.8	46.1	43.3	37.6
Male	34.8	30.5	27.3	51.2	45.3	38.1
Female	31.5	31.2	28.4	40.8	41.3	37.0
Black, 15 to 17 years	10.7	12.9	12.8	22.8	23.8	20.1
Male	12.3	13.4	12.0	27.4	27.2	20.0
Female	9.2	12.4	13.7	18.2	20.3	20.2
Hispanic origin, 15 to 17 years	19.8	17.1	14.6	30.4	24.2	19.6
Male	23.5	18.9	15.4	34.6	26.6	22.1
Female	15.7	15.3	13.7	26.4	21.8	16.7

NOTE: School months are January to May and September to December. Summer months are June, July, and August.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor. Report on the Youth Labor Force, June 2000. Web: stats.bls.gov/opub/rylf/rylfhome.htm .

Industries that Employ Largest Share of Youths Age 15–17

Industry	Percent of total employed youths
Male
Eating and drinking places	31.3%
Grocery stores	13.6
Miscellaneous entertainment and recreation services	4.5
Agricultural production, livestock	3.6
Construction	3.6
Department stores	3.1
Landscape and horticultural services	2.2
Newspaper publishing and printing	1.9
Agricultural production, crops	1.5
Gasoline service stations	1.3
Female
Eating and drinking places	32.6%
Grocery stores	9.9
Private households	5.7
Department stores	4.4
Miscellaneous entertainment and recreation services	4.0
Stores, apparel and accessory, except shoe	3.6
Drug stores	1.9
Nursing and personal care facilities	1.7
Retail bakeries	1.5
Child day-care services	1.4