Should Teens Earn Less Than Adults?

A part-time job is a great way to earn a little extra cash. Should you make less of it just because you’re a teen?

March 2023

There are plenty of advantages to having a job. You get work experience, make new friends, and learn a skill. Still, let’s be honest—the biggest perk is probably the paycheck. But in some states, businesses are allowed to pay teen workers 20 percent less than the state’s minimum wage for adults. Proponents of this practice say it encourages businesses to hire young workers and give them the experience they need to get full-time jobs once they’re out of school. Opponents say this discriminates against teens who may need to help support their families or pay for their school tuition. What do you think?

Yes

Yes, teen workers should earn less money than adults. The truth is many businesses are reluctant to hire teens. According to a poll by the organization teens4hire.org, some business owners think teenagers are not reliable or responsible workers. As teenagers, we are still learning about real life and responsibilities. We need to be taught the importance of showing up to work on time, dressing appropriately, and acting professionally. Often, we learn these lessons through trial and error at our first jobs. Business owners should have a financial incentive for hiring young workers and teaching them these skills. Adults doing these jobs have likely already learned these lessons, so I believe they deserve to make more than their younger, less-experienced co-workers.

—Gavin Villepigue, Connecticut

No

No, I don’t believe teens should be penalized for wanting to join the workforce at a young age. Teens have to go through the same process as adults in order to get a job, while also facing potential discrimination because of their age. If a teen gets a job, they may need to work doubly hard to prove that they are as valuable as an adult employee, while also balancing schoolwork, sports, and any other extracurriculars. Plus, business owners should remember that they were teens once too. They had a first job that taught them the skills they needed to become successful. Employers should want to motivate their teen employees to do the best job possible and succeed the same way they did. One way to do that is by paying them an equal wage.