5 Side Hustles Teens Can Start This Summer To Make $5,000

Forbes

20-04-2025

SIDE HUSTLE text word collage colorful fabric on denim, entrepreneur, horizontal aspect
With teen summer workers earning an average of $15.68 per hour—up 36% since 2019—ambitious high schoolers have unprecedented earning potential. But the truly savvy teens aren't punching time clocks. They're launching businesses that offer more flexibility, higher profits, and valuable experience for college applications.
As the founder of WIT (Whatever It Takes), I've seen firsthand how teens transform simple ideas into profitable ventures, many outperforming traditional summer jobs. Research shows that 66% of teens aged 13-17 express interest in starting businesses, and for good reason. These early entrepreneurial experiences build skills that translate directly to future success—teens with summer work experience earn 14-16% higher wages in their twenties. They are 7% more likely to graduate on time. With over 6 million teens competing for traditional summer jobs, creating your own opportunity offers a distinct advantage.
Here are five accessible side hustles any motivated teen can launch this summer with minimal startup costs and realistic potential to earn $5,000 before school resumes:
Summer is the peak travel season, so pets need reliable care. This service requires minimal startup investment while providing consistent income.
Getting Started: Create a simple one-page business plan outlining services and rates. Advertise services on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor, distribute flyers at local pet stores, and leverage family connections for initial clients.
Smart Pricing Strategy: Charge $25-30 per day for dog walking (two 30-minute walks) and $50-75 daily for overnight pet sitting. Adding premium services like plant watering or daily photo updates can increase rates.
Path to $5,000: Securing just 3-4 regular dog walking clients (at $150/week) plus weekend pet-sitting gigs ($300/weekend) puts this goal within reach. The key advantage is the recurring nature of these services—once you prove reliable, clients tend to book repeatedly.
Most small businesses know they need social media content but lack the time or skills to create it. Teens with digital fluency can effectively fill this gap.
Getting Started: Build a simple portfolio showcasing your video editing or graphic design skills. Select a specific niche—coffee shops, boutiques, fitness studios—and approach businesses with a concrete offer: "I'll create eight short-form videos for your social media for $300."
Competitive Edge: Offer to handle everything: filming, editing, adding trending music, and writing captions. This comprehensive service appeals to busy business owners who know social media matters but don't have time to learn the platforms.
Path to $5,000: Landing just two clients monthly at $300 each yield $1,800 over the summer. Expand to 3-4 monthly clients by July, and reaching $5,000 becomes realistic. The scalable nature of this business makes it particularly attractive—teens can manage multiple clients simultaneously as efficiency improves.
Academic support remains in high demand year-round, and summer offers a perfect opportunity for students to strengthen their skills before the next school year.
Getting Started: Identify 2-3 subjects where you excel and create a simple flyer outlining your qualifications, subjects, and hourly rate. Distribute to neighborhood families and local parent groups on social media.
Smart Positioning: Rather than generic tutoring, focus on specific needs: SAT/ACT prep, essay writing support, or math skill development. Specialization justifies higher rates and attracts more motivated clients.
Path to $5,000: Charging $30-40 hourly and securing 10-15 weekly tutoring hours puts this goal within reach. The advantage of tutoring is minimal overhead—just transportation costs and possibly workbooks or online resources. This translates to high profit margins.
Seasonal yard maintenance provides a practical option for teens who are comfortable with physical work and outdoor conditions.
Getting Started: Invest in basic equipment (lawn mower, trimmer, work gloves) or use clients' equipment initially. Create service packages (basic mowing, premium care including edging and cleanup, and garden maintenance) with transparent pricing.
Smart Scaling: Begin with neighbors and family connections, then expand through referrals. Offering reliable weekly service schedules makes this attractive to busy homeowners.
Path to $5,000: Charging $30-50 per standard yard (depending on size) and servicing 10-15 yards weekly generates $1,200-1,800 monthly. Adding specialized services like garden weeding, mulching, or hedge trimming increases profit margins substantially.
Selling handmade or personalized products can be financially rewarding and artistically fulfilling for creative teens.
Getting Started: Choose one specific product type—custom tumblers, digital illustrations, handmade jewelry, or personalized apparel. Initially, focus on quality and consistency rather than variety.
Smart Marketing: Establish a dedicated Instagram account showcasing your process and finished products. Leverage local summer markets, craft fairs, and online platforms like Etsy or Depop to reach customers.
Path to $5,000: This model requires calculating your costs precisely. If each item costs $8 to produce and sells for $25, you must sell approximately 300 units over the summer. While this sounds substantial, focused production sessions and strategic marketing can make it achievable.
The difference between teens who dream about making money and those who earn $5,000 comes to execution. Here are the practical implementation steps that successful teen entrepreneurs consistently follow:
Start with a minimal viable product (MVP) - Rather than perfecting your offering, launch a basic version quickly to test market response. For lawn care, start with just mowing before adding edging and landscaping. For content creation, offer a single-video package before developing comprehensive plans.
Implement consistent marketing blocks. Dedicate 30-60 minutes daily to promoting your services. This might mean sending five direct messages to potential clients, posting on community boards, or creating content showcasing your work. Consistency matters more than duration.
Develop systems immediately. From day one, create simple templates for client communication, scheduling, and payment tracking. These systems allow you to scale efficiently as demand grows.
One WIT student, Maya, started a personalized study guide service for AP courses last summer. Rather than creating materials from scratch, she developed a template system that allowed her to customize existing frameworks for individual students. By charging $75 per customized guide and focusing on five subjects she knew well, she generated over $6,200 in three months while working just 20 hours weekly.
While making $5,000 represents a tangible goal, the skills developed through these entrepreneurial ventures provide lasting benefits beyond financial gain. Teen entrepreneurs build critical customer service, financial management, marketing, and problem-solving capabilities—skills that translate directly to college applications and future careers.
Young business owners learn to spot market needs, handle finances, interact with customers, and respond to changing situations. These practical experiences directly build the capabilities colleges and employers want, giving entrepreneurial teens a distinct edge when applying to universities or future positions.
The key step is to begin. The best approach is to start with current resources and refine the business model through experience. By solving real problems, maintaining quality service, and building genuine customer relationships, teens can transform a summer side hustle into a profitable venture and powerful learning experience that will serve them long after summer ends.