NewsLocal News

Actions

In Depth: Utah tops the nation for teen employment

Posted

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah teens ages 16-19 tend to take jobs in greater numbers than teens in other states, with a new study showing Utah had more employed teens per capita than all other states last year.

The numbers Self.inc used from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

  • Teen labor force participation rate: 53.2%
  • Total teens in the labor force: 102,000
  • Total civilian noninstitutionalized population 16–19: 192,000
  • Percentage of teen workers that are full-time: 28.3%
  • Percentage of teen workers that are part-time: 71.7%
  • Teen unemployment rate: 9.8%
  • State minimum wage: $7.25

Looking at BLS reports through the years, Utah has consistently had higher teen employment than the nation as a whole, though the gap in 2020 was particularly wide.

  • In 2000, 59% of Utah teens age 16-19 were employed. The national rate was 52%.
  • In 2010, during the Great Recession, 39 percent of Utah teens were employed. The national rate was 35%.
  • In 2020, Utah’s 53% teen employment was far beyond the national rate of 34.5%.