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Teen Employment Hits 1948 Low as Jobs Drop 25%

6/21/2026

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Story summary
  • Teen employment in the United States fell to its lowest level since 1948, with only one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds employed and jobs down 25 % last summer, according to BLS data.
  • ZipRecruiter economist Nicole Bachaud said entry-level opportunities are drying up and teens are among marginalized groups.
  • Seventeen-year-old Jaelyn Chester of Lake Mary, Florida, has applied to dozens of jobs and would accept any position, even dishwashing.