What Are the Best Remote Jobs for 16 Year Olds - All You Need to Know

Numerous generations of teenagers have earned money babysitting, pet sitting, mowing lawns, and washing cars, and they will continue to do so for generations to come.

Similarly, teens are employed in various retail and dining establishments and in customer service positions, especially in the summer months when school is out.

Jobs for teenagers may include lifeguarding or working as a summer camp counselor, too. However, an entirely new field of work has opened to high schoolers over the past two decades, with opportunities for remote work in the digital age.

While the job market for teens has no shortage of “in-person” roles, these new remote work ways to earn money are particularly enticing to teens who may not have the patience to play 17 consecutive games of Candyland with a kid or do not meet the minimum age requirement for other in-person jobs.

Remote jobs for teenagers create opportunities for young people to save money for college, a car, or perhaps even travel after high school graduation.

Some entrepreneurial teens even start their own online businesses and find ways to turn that work experience into a standout feature in college applications.

If you are looking for work behind the ice cream shop or the lifeguard stand, consider the ideas below to get started. Remote gigs for teens are a great way to earn money, set financial goals, and increase responsibility and independence.

Table of Contents

1. Gaming Galore

Best Remote Jobs for 16 Year Olds Our first tip will be music to many teenage ears: you can earn extra cash for playing games!

Some sites actually pay teens for playing games online; payment will typically come in the form of cashed points for gift cards or PayPal cash.

While it may not be a traditional “paycheck,” this can still help you save money in other ways. Check out apps like Mistplay to find out how you can be rewarded for online gaming.

2. Test it Out

Another easy way to earn that many teens actually enjoy is working as a product tester.

Many companies are willing to pay for consumers to test products to give them valuable feedback. Your review and critique in this remote position could ultimately help a company improve its product and bottom line.

Product Report Card has an easy process for account setup and is a great way to start testing products and taking online surveys to earn some extra money.

Survey Junkie is another online market research community high schoolers may be interested in. The minimum age requirement for completing online surveys on Survey Junkie is sixteen years old.

3. High Fives for Fiverr

The sky is the limit when it comes to ways you can (repeatedly) earn $5 (or more) from Fiverr.

This site matches people who need a specific task completed with providers who can perform that task for $5 (or sometimes more); teenagers can set up a Fiverr profile to advertise their services and earn extra cash.

People use Fiverr to find freelancers who will write a custom poem for a birthday toast, create a short jingle or song for a product, supply artwork for a new website, and more.

Teens with strong writing and design skills can parlay those talents into money-making opportunities on Fiverr as freelance writers.

You can set your pricing based on the time it takes for you to complete the task; you will want to stay competitive and ensure you are charging enough to make it worth your time.

If the task will take you an hour to complete, $5 is not enough to charge. But if you are charging $50 for something that takes 15 minutes to do, you may not get any takers.

Also, bear in mind when setting prices that Fiverr will take a 20% cut each time.

4. Buy and Sell

Another popular way for many teens to earn extra money involves buying and then selling products for profit, also known as “flipping.”

For example, perhaps you have a knack for being in a discount chain store every time a prized shipment of luxury-brand shoes arrives, and you can purchase them and sell them at a higher price on a site like eBay (with permission to use your parent’s account).

This can be a risky way to generate income, but it can really pay off for some savvy teens.

You can also find creative ways to sell, especially when it comes to vintage items.

Fashion-forward teens with an appreciation for vintage clothing may be able to set up an online store selling items found at local flea markets, garage sales, and more.

Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are also easy channels to use for resale; however, it is especially important to keep safety in mind when selling via these sites.

A teenager should never meet buyers alone or in private spaces. Make sure any exchange of goods for money is in a safe, public space, and a family member and/or trusted adult friend goes with you to make the sale.

5. Make it Social

Social media-savvy teens can be extremely helpful to businesses who need assistance with promoting their goods and services online.

Consider any local businesses you may be familiar with, run by friends, family, and neighbors, who could use some help with outreach on sites like Instagram.

Teens can become Instagram influencers or use their YouTube channels.

You may be able to earn money by providing social media assistance or become a social media manager to a local business, and this is also a great experience for any teen who is considering a marketing career in the future.

6. Tutor for Hire

teen Asian girl as tutor Remote tutoring sessions are another great way for teens to earn money.

That means video calls with children who need help with a specific subject or working with a site like Cambly to tutor those who may need help with conversational English.

Tutoring is a fantastic online job for teenagers who may be considering a career in teaching. This is another type of remote work that will really shine on a college application.

7. Share Your Flair on Etsy

Artistic and crafty teens can earn money remotely with Etsy stores.

Selling handmade goods on Etsy is fairly easy to do, with a parent’s guidance and permission. The key to being successful with an Etsy store is careful budgeting and pricing.

If you make jewelry, for example, you will want to be sure it is priced to cover the materials and your time and labor. Graphic design is another plus when it comes to this remote position avenue.

Additionally, before you start an Etsy store, make sure you have considered how and when you will ship items to customers. For example, will you need transportation to a post office or UPS store?

Will you be able to make weekly (or even daily) trips to take care of shipments? You should also be sure not to order too many materials in advance until you see how quickly your products sell.

Remote Jobs for Teenagers: Final Tips

Before you dive into a remote earning opportunity, have a discussion with your parents about how you plan to save, spend, or invest your new income earned from a remote job.

If you do not already have a bank account, you may want to set one up, and your parents or another trusted adult can help you with that.

Be sure you have considered all of the things you will need to be successful with the remote job opportunity, whether it’s access to a laptop, the ability to ship items, or having space in your home where you can create products to sell.

You should also plan to keep a detailed log of your earnings as you may need this information for tax purposes.