So I was looking into highest paying jobs for teens and found some pretty solid options if you're trying to make real money this summer. Like, most people think retail is the way to go but there's actually way better stuff out there.

The obvious ones are the trades, honestly. Food service managers are making over 31 an hour which is wild for a teen job. Carpenters are hitting 28.51, and if you get into construction you're looking at 22.14. The thing is these all require some training or apprenticeships but that's actually a good investment if you're serious about earning.

If you don't want to do manual labor there's office and admin work. Office clerks make about 21 an hour, admin assistants are at 22.82. Retail supervisors can get to 25 if you've already worked retail for a year. Customer service reps are around 20.59 which isn't bad for just talking on the phone.

For the lazy option, delivery driver roles pay 20.56 and couriers make 18.44 if you have a license. Nursing assistant is solid at 18.96 if you're into healthcare. Honestly the highest paying jobs for teens aren't that hard to find if you actually look beyond the usual Starbucks or mall stores.

The real talk though? Get an apprenticeship if you can. That's how you actually make the highest paying jobs for teens work in your favor. Construction, carpentry, auto tech - they all have apprenticeships that'll teach you while you earn. Way better than flipping burgers for minimum wage all summer.