17 High Paying Summer Jobs for 15-Year-Olds in NYC

Published on January 27, 2017 at 2:49 am by Amber Hewitt in Lists

Summer is the perfect opportunity to make some cash, which is why we’ve created this list of 17 high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC.

Chances are your parents, like mine when I was your age, are asking that you get a job so you don’t sit around the house all summer. It’s annoying because up until know that’s what summer was created for, but then you realize making money is quite nice because then you don’t have to beg whenever you want to go hang out with your friends. For me, it was worth the time sacrifice even just a little bit. It’s one thing to get a job that just takes up time, but it’s another to get one that pays you well; therefore, we made this list that combines both of those things.

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In New York, the legal working age is 14, but there are limits on the types of jobs a 14- and 15-year-old can be hired to do. The New York State Department of Labor created a list of jobs 14-to-17-year-olds are eligible for, since they are rather similar. Most teenagers start in informal work, like babysitting, petsitting, and mowing lawns. Formal jobs tend to require someone older or more experienced. There are also limitations on how many hours one in this age group can work, but in the summer it can go up to 40 hours per week.

In order to create this list, we took some suggestions from Forbes, The Balance, and Money Crashers. To rank the jobs on the list, we looked up average pay on Payscale. For more job suggestions, take a look at our list of 16 Part-Time Jobs in NYC for High School Students, but if you’re 15 and looking for a high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC, keep reading:

17. Car wash attendant

Average pay: $8/hour

The base pay for this is pretty low considering you’re outside washing cars all day, but there’s a high probability for tips from customers.

16. Busser

Average pay: $8/hour

There’s a lot of growth in the food service industry, so starting out here provides opportunities to gain experience and work your way up. In a position like this, you’ll be assisting wait staff, cleaning up tables, and helping with other miscellaneous tasks.

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15. Bagger

Average pay: $8/hour

The primary role in this position if to help bag a customer’s groceries. There are other tasks you may have to do, but basically all you’ll be doing is bagging groceries. The pay is low, but there are opportunities for advancement within the store if you want to be there for longer than just the summer.

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14. Housekeeper

Average pay: $9/hour

New Yorkers work a lot of hours during the week. When they’re not at the office, they’re commuting, which can take up to two hours total during the day. It doesn’t leave much time to do anything else, so a lot of them hire housekeeping services. There are a lot of hotels that recruit housekeepers, but also many apps that have on-demand services. If you like cleaning, check this one out. The base pay is low but you might get tips.

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13. Dishwasher

Average pay: $9/hour

This isn’t the most glamorous job on this list of 17 high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC, but it’s consistent. NYC is home to tons of restaurants that are likely hiring for a position like this.

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12. Camp counselor

Average pay: $9/hour

This is one of the best high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC. Camp counselors work with children and supervise, plan activities, and assist with cleaning and other essential activities. Many camps employ high school students.

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11. Caregiver

Average pay: $10/hour

If you wouldn’t mind working with seniors and the elderly, try this out. The shifts aren’t that long and the pay is decent. Your duties may include physical tasks, like whatever a client has difficulties with, and also general support to the client.

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10. Nursery worker

Average pay: $10/hour

Nursery workers take care of children while the parents are at work or doing other tasks. If you’re good with children, this job can be interesting and fun.

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9. Farmhand

Average pay: $10/hour

You might have read this and thought, “but these are supposed to be for NYC,” but there are places here where this can be an actual job. The job might be physically demanding, but it’s great for this age group.

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8. Activities assistant

Average pay: $11/hour

Activity assistants work in extended care facilities and community centers and help to plan and organize activities for patients.

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7. Sales associate

Average pay: $11.84/hour

We are continuing our list of high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC with sales associates that typically assist in daily store operations, help customers, and process merchandise. These are primarily jobs in retail, and they’re almost always hiring.

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6. Dog walker/pet sitter

Average pay: $12/hour

This is an ideal job for any animal lover. The job pays pretty well and you get to hang out with dogs. There are a variety of services that provide on-demand dog walkers that you can sign up to work with that function similarly to Uber.

5. Receptionist

Average pay: $12/hour

Receptionists are the first people customers encounter in most offices. The job is simple and pays pretty well. It doesn’t require much experience to start, so if you’re efficient with communication, this could be a great option.

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4. Product merchandiser/stocker

Average pay: $12.50/hour

In this job you’ll likely spend your shift restocking shelves, doing product demonstrations, or taking inventory. It can be physically demanding, but it’s a great job for 15-year-olds.

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3. Packing and moving

Average pay: $12.75/hour

This is one of the most physically demanding jobs on our list of high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC. There’s an opportunity for tips and it functions on a by-job basis, so you’ll get to enjoy your summer and make a decent amount of money at the same time.

2. Library assistant

Average pay: $13/hour

This is a perfect job for anyone with a ton of summer reading to catch up on. It’s in a quiet place and you’ll help out the librarian with miscellaneous tasks. It might be a little meticulous, but if that isn’t off-putting to you then you should definitely consider it.

1. Caddy

Average pay: $80/bag for ~4.5 hours

You don’t need to know how to play golf to do this job, all you have to do is carry around clubs. You can make a pretty decent amount of money doing this job and if you like dressing well and standing outside, you might actually enjoy it.

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That concludes our list of 17 high paying summer jobs for 15-year-olds in NYC. If you’re a youngster and looking to get a job this summer to get your parents off your back hopefully our list was helpful for you!