CAPE COD — U.S. teenagers are projected to gain 790,000 jobs between May and July 2026, the lowest number of summer hires since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the data in 1948, according to a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That total represents a decline of 801,000 jobs compared with summer 2025.
As of mid-May 2026, the unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds stood at 14.4%, up from 13% earlier in the year. Industries that typically hire teenagers are pulling back on hiring, increasing competition among teens for available summer jobs, said Kory Kantenga, head of economics, Americas at LinkedIn. Rising inflation, higher oil prices, and a sluggish hiring market are contributing factors to the decline in teen summer employment, according to the Challenger report. Inflation and rising fuel costs are also pressuring households and small businesses that traditionally employ teens, such as amusement parks and retailers.
Hiring trends show sharp contrasts across sectors. Retail salesperson hiring is down 30% year-over-year based on LinkedIn data, and restaurant hiring has declined by 5% year-over-year, also according to LinkedIn. However, certain seasonal roles are growing: lifeguard positions saw a 78% year-over-year increase in job postings, per Indeed data, and hiring for camp counselors rose by 30% over the past year, according to LinkedIn’s head of economics.
The 2026 projection would mark only the second time teen summer hiring has fallen below one million jobs. The previous low occurred in 2010 during the Great Recession, when teens gained 960,000 jobs. The 2025 teen summer job market was weak despite the absence of a recession, said Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Kantenga advised high schoolers to be entrepreneurial, remain flexible about where they seek opportunities, and recognize that early work experiences build transferable skills even if unrelated to future careers. The Challenger report recommends that teens apply for jobs as early as possible, network within their communities, use AI to improve resumes, explore non-traditional industries, and practice interview questions.