California teens desperate for summer work hit a wall as unemployment doubles national average
California teenagers are facing a challenging job market this summer, with an unemployment rate of 23.3%, which is double the national average. This marks the second consecutive year that California has led the nation in teen unemployment. Factors such as inflation and rising minimum wage policies are contributing to the difficulties in securing summer employment for young workers.
- ▪California teens have a 23.3% unemployment rate, significantly higher than the national average of 13.3%.
- ▪The teen unemployment rate has increased from 21% last year, indicating a worsening job market.
- ▪Experts attribute the high unemployment rates to rising minimum wage policies and a slow overall job market.
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Business California teens desperate for summer work hit a wall as unemployment doubles national average By Titus Wu Published May 29, 2026, 3:40 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The California Post on Google California teenagers looking for a job this summer may be out of luck — and with dimmer work prospects than teens in other states. The Employment Policies Institute released data Friday showing that Golden State teens faced a staggering 23.3% unemployment rate in April, double the national average of 13.3% for children ages 16 to 19. California also led the nation in teen unemployment for the second straight year, according to the institute, which calculated rolling 12-month average unemployment rates across the country using census data.
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