Want a Summer Job? Here's What You Should Know
Want a Summer Job? Here's What You Should Know
Employers are hiring workers for seasonal summer jobs—particularly in the restaurant, hospitality, travel, and recreation industries. As summer vacation plans start to fall into place, foot traffic increases around restaurants and stores, and people begin heading outdoors, employer demand for hotel receptionists, restaurant servers, retail sales associates, tennis club staff, and summer camp counselors rapidly rises.
If you’re about to graduate from high school or college, or if you’re looking for a way back into the labor force, summer seasonal jobs may present an attractive opportunity. While many of these jobs offer modest pay, they can serve as a gateway to permanent employment. They can be an opportunity to learn about an industry and try out a job, or to network and build work experience. They can also serve as a means to develop essential soft skills, including communication, professionalism, and organization. Plus, many summer jobs offer perks, such as in-store discounts!
As you consider applying for summer jobs, here are some key insights to keep in mind:
The summer market is sizzling in recreation, sales, and now IT too
Summer is heating up, and so is the job market. Whether you’re stocking shelves or supporting IT systems, this season’s hottest gigs span everything from retail floors to rec centers. Recreation, Commercial Sales, and Retail Sales are leading the charge again this year, with Retail showing off the biggest growth spurt. And while Customer Service is having a moment, IT is too. But not every role is riding the wave: Delivery Driving took a detour out of the top ten, hit by cooling demand and some economic headwinds. Here’s the scoop:
The top three industries maintained their leading positions from last year and continue to grow with recreation up 16% year-over-year, Commercial Sales up 32%, and Retail Sales surging 60%. With roles like Customer Service Associate nearly tripling this summer, it’s no surprise that Customer Service overall has jumped in the rankings, doubling the number of summer job postings compared to last year.
A new entrant to the top ten is Information Technology, driven by a sharp rise in internships—aligning with a 13% year-over-year increase in internships across the board. Meanwhile, Delivery Driving dropped out of the top ten, likely impacted by continued tariff concerns and sluggish consumer spending. As a result, companies like UPS, FedEx, and Amazon have slowed their seasonal hiring of Package Delivery Drivers, with job openings falling 30% compared to last summer.
Top 10 Industries for Summer Job Postings
| 20251 | 20241 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Recreation (+16%) | 1. | Recreation (+22%) |
| 2. | Commercial Sales (+32%) | 2. | Commercial Sales (-4%) |
| 3. | Retail Sales (+60%) | 3. | Retail Sales (+3%) |
| 4. | Restaurant (+52%) | 4. | Engineering (+15%) |
| 5. | Customer Service (+100%) | 5. | Delivery Driving (+171%) |
| 6. | Marketing (+36%) | 6. | Restaurant (+11%) |
| 7. | Information Technology (+47%) | 7. | Marketing (-22%) |
| 8. | Facilities Maintenance (+38%) | 8. | Merchandising (+92%) |
| 9. | Engineering (-8%) | 9. | Customer Service (+16%) |
| 10. | Merchandising (+15%) | 10. | Facilities Maintenance (+26%) |
1Rates represent year-over-year growth
Summer wages are inching up with big payouts for skilled roles
Whether you’re chasing paychecks or passion projects, this summer’s job market has something for everyone — and it’s paying a little more to sweeten the deal. On average, summer jobs pay $16.35 per hour in 2025, according to job postings on ZipRecruiter. This marks a 3% increase from last year ($15.87), just below the overall wage growth of 3.8%.
Many summer jobs are exceeding this average—some with minimal requirements, and others needing specific qualifications. CDL Drivers are leading the pack in summer pay, though these roles require a commercial driver’s license. For those with a creative edge, Photographers and Piano Accompanists are also among the highest-paying summer gigs, though they demand specialized skills and experience that not everyone possesses.
Top Jobs for Summer Pay1
| No Requirements | Special Knowledge/Skill Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Highway Maintenance Worker - $23.17 | 1. | CDL Driver - $37.80 |
| 2. | Dispatcher - $22.03 | 2. | Field Assistant - $22.42 |
| 3. | Gardener - $21.42 | 3. | Piano Accompanist - $22.12 |
| 4. | Seasonal Recruiter - $21.12 | 4. | Tractor Driver - $20.73 |
| 5. | Construction Laborer - $20.93 | 5. | Photographer - $20.36 |
1Internships are excluded from this list
Law Offices and Clinics also saw the highest average pay among summer jobs, with Accounting coming in a close second. The increase in summer internships drove the average pay up in many of the top earning industries, with titles like Summer Law Clerk and Product Development Intern being plentiful and well-paid. On the other side, our top-earning summer jobs bolstered average pay, like CDL drivers in Truck Driving and Piano Accompanist in Entertainment.
Top 10 Industries for Summer Pay
| 1. | Law Office and Clinics - $35.28 |
| 2. | Networking - $31.73 |
| 3. | Product Development - $28.65 |
| 4. | Entertainment - $22.12 |
| 5. | Data & Analytics - $21.15 |
| 6. | Research - $21.15 |
| 7. | Architecture - $20.13 |
| 8. | Industrial Maintenance - $19.80 |
| 9. | Taxes - $19.23 |
| 10. | Truck Driving - $19.23 |
Big cities are cooling off while smaller metros heat up
When it comes to summer jobs, New York, Chicago, and Boston still top the charts — but there’s more to the story. While it’s no surprise that major metropolitan areas still post the highest number of summer jobs overall, many are experiencing sharp declines in seasonal hiring. New York is down 45%, Chicago down 55%, and Boston down 22% compared to last year.
Meanwhile, smaller cities are seeing surprising gains, hinting at a shift in where the summer hustle is happening. Bridgeport is up 33%, Worcester up 27%, and Charleston, WV up 17% compared to last year.
Top 10 Cities for Seasonal Jobs
| Population >1M | Population <1M | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | New York, NY | 1. | Charleston, SC |
| 2. | Chicago, IL | 2. | Richmond, VA |
| 3. | Boston, MA | 3. | Worcester, MA |
| 4. | Los Angeles, CA | 4. | Bridgeport, CT |
| 5. | Washington DC | 5. | Albany, NY |
| 6. | Philadelphia, PA | 6. | Allentown, PA |
| 7. | Dallas, TX | 7. | Madison, WI |
| 8. | Atlanta, GA | 8. | Harrisburg, PA |
| 9. | Minneapolis, MN | 9. | Omaha, NE |
| 10. | Pittsburgh, PA | 10. | Charleston, WV |
Hotels turn up the heat on summer hiring, especially at the front desk
The hospitality industry is rolling out the welcome mat for summer, with hotel job postings climbing 8.4% compared to this time last year, with summer-specific roles surging by 41%. Front desk positions remain the top choice for seasonal hiring, accounting for one-third of all hotel summer job postings. However, these roles appear under various titles: Front Desk Agent postings are up 25% year-over-year and Front Desk Team Member listings have surged by 118%, while Front Desk Associate postings have dipped by 3%. Trailing behind (but still in high demand) are Concierge roles (up 55%) and Room Attendant positions (up 67%), making up 8% and 7% of summer hotel jobs, respectively. With demand rising across a range of guest-facing roles, it’s clear that hotels are staffing up across the board to deliver a seamless summer experience.
Making waves and roasting s’mores: 2025 is bound to be a summer of fun
From saving lives to leading campfire sing-alongs, summer jobs are making a splash in all the right ways. With summer travel and time outdoors on the rise, lifeguard jobs are seeing meaningful growth—up 11% compared to last year. Many of the top hiring cities are well-known beach destinations, such as Los Angeles, Miami, and San Diego. Landlocked cities are also riding the wave, with Dallas, Atlanta, and Las Vegas ranking among the top for lifeguard hiring—highlighting demand at pools, water parks, and resorts beyond the coast.
Summer camp = core memories, and luckily, kids across the U.S. have fun times in store. Summer camp jobs are on the rise with 14% growth over last year. Camp Counselors account for the majority of openings—64% of all camp roles—but demand for Camp Directors is also climbing, making up 7% of positions and growing 46% year-over-year. These roles also see relatively low competition, attracting only half as many applicants per opening as the average summer job. That’s good news if you have experience in team-based environments, strong time management skills, and are open to getting basic first aid training—these core skills can lead to a rewarding and fun summer position.
Whether you’re looking to gain experience, earn extra cash, or create unforgettable summer memories, this season’s job market offers a wide range of opportunities across industries and cities. With shifting demand, rising wages, and new roles on the rise, now’s the perfect time to dive into the summer hustle.
