Teen hiring hit an 80-year low in 2025 — and it’s expected to fall more this year.
Is AI both the problem and solution?
In summer 2025, teen hiring hit its lowest level in almost 80 years of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That downward trend is expected to continue for summer 2026, according to a report by the career transition services platform Challenger, Gray & Christmas (1). “With fewer teens already on payrolls heading into the busiest hiring months, the runway for a strong summer is narrower than it has been in years,” the report said (1). Must Read – Robert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year and begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’ – – Millionaires under 43 are reshaping investing — just 25% of their portfolios are in stocks.
Here’s where their money is going In fact, almost 20% of companies reported they plan to either hire fewer interns or none at all in 2026, according to Drexel University’s 2026 College Hiring Outlook (2). There are several reasons behind the decline in internships and entry-level jobs. One of the main culprits is also the reason these teens’ and college kids’ parents might have been laid off: AI.