Balancing Work and Study: The Effects of Part-Time Employment on Teenagers

Introduction

Today jobs are very competitive. Many people try to find good jobs, and it is not easy. For this reason, teenagers’ first job is very important. It is like the first step for their future. Some research from OECD and BLS shows that jobs can change the future. Teenagers with jobs sometimes get better results later in life. But not every job is good. Some jobs make problems for school. In this essay I will write that part-time jobs can help teenagers’ careers, but it depends on how many hours they work and what kind of job they do.

Positive Impacts

There are some good aspects of part-time jobs. First, teenagers can earn money. They can use this money for school expenses, to support their family, or to save for the future. This point can be divided into two categories. Some teenagers need money to pay for necessary things or school supplies because their families cannot afford them. For example, the OECD (2025) reports that in less wealthy countries such as India or Brazil, students who work during school earn 5–10% more money in the future. In that case, their income also makes a small but important part of their family budget while they are still in school. In richer countries like Korea or the US, families may already have enough, but teenagers still get psychological benefits. They feel proud to use their own money, they understand the value of hard work, and they become more ambitious (Mortimer 2010).

Second, jobs teach skills. Teenagers learn to use time better, to be responsible, and work in a team. For example, if you work in a shop you must be on time, you must listen to your boss, and you must talk to customers. These things are not always taught in class. Later, they can get better jobs because they already have valuable work skills and experience. Research shows that teenagers who work part-time often develop soft skills like teamwork, problem solving, and leadership (Kroupova 2024). These skills are useful in college and their future career.

Third, part-time jobs let teenagers try different work. Maybe one student works in the library and sees if he likes that job. Another student works in a restaurant and sees if he doesn’t like it. Also, they can meet new people and learn from them. This can help them think about careers. Ballo (2022) writes that job experience is especially important for students from weaker family backgrounds because it gives them a better chance in the labor market. Safrul Muluk (2017) also found that students with average or high GPA can balance work and study, and this experience can help them finish school with experience that is useful for the future.

Negative Impacts

But jobs also have bad points. If a student spends a lot of time working, his grades may drop. Research shows that the exact number of hours is important. For example, the University of Washington (2011) found that students who work more than 20 hours per week often see lower grades and less school engagement. The University of Virginia (2012) also reports that students working over 20 hours show more stress and even higher risk of problem behavior. Sometimes they miss homework or feel too tired in class. The Monitoring the Future project (Staff et al., 2010) also explains that long hours reduce academic engagement and focus. Students may not attend class fully or may sleep less, which hurts their learning.

Also, jobs take away time from other things. In addition to having less time for schoolwork, students also have less time to take care of their health, and less time for friends. This can mean they skip meals, sleep fewer hours, or have little time to exercise, which makes them more likely to get sick. They may also lose important social connections with classmates because they cannot join after-school activities. As a result, they can feel very tired or stressed. Verulava (2022) showed that heavy part-time work can cause health problems like lack of sleep and high stress, and other studies also connect long work hours with depression and lower life satisfaction. Experts say that 10 to 15 hours per week is usually safe, but more than 20 hours is harmful (Kroupova 2024; OECD 2025). If the balance is broken, it is not good for their life.

Conditions

The results of part-time jobs depend on the conditions. Ten to fifteen hours per week is usually safe, but more than twenty hours is risky. “Safe” means that 10–15 hours normally does not harm school grades or health and sometimes even helps students gain skills. “Risky” means that when students work more than 20 hours, many studies show negative effects. For example, the University of Washington (2011) studied U.S. high school students and found that those working above 20 hours often had lower GPA and missed homework. Kroupova (2024) explained that high-intensity work reduces academic achievement, while the OECD (2025) said moderate hours are safe.

The quality of the job also matters. A job related to the student’s future career can give more useful experience than a simple job in fast food. For example, a library job can help a student interested in education, while a restaurant job may not connect to their goals.

Gender and family background also make differences. Mortimer (2010) found that female students in the U.S. often gain soft skills like responsibility and teamwork, while male students sometimes use jobs more for independence. Family support is also important. Ballo (2022) showed that students from poorer or single-parent families can benefit more from job experience, because it helps them enter the labor market faster. But Verulava (2022) found that students without strong family support feel more stress and health problems when they work too much. So the results are not the same for everyone, because gender and family support can change the outcome.

Counterarguments

Some students should work less. If a student wants to go to college, then he should focus on studying and not spend too much time at work. But working “less” does not mean “not working.” Research shows that working about 10–15 hours per week is usually safe, while working more than 20 hours often causes problems. Students who plan to go to college may still need to work some hours to help pay for tuition and other expenses. Students with a low GPA also need more time for school. If they reduce work hours, they can study harder, raise their GPA, and later get into a better college. This can give them better jobs and higher salaries in the future, even more than the money they earn from a part-time job now (OECD 2025). Freshmen and sophomores are young and should focus on classes, because early academic success is more important.

Some students should work more. If a student does not plan to go to college, then a job is more useful. Working “more” can also mean starting earlier. For example, students who want technical jobs can learn by practice, and those who want to begin their career at 17 or 18 instead of going to college could benefit from starting to work in high school, even as early as 14 or 15. Juniors and seniors are older, and they can handle more work hours than younger students.

Conclusion

Part-time jobs can help teenagers, but only with limits. Too much work is not good. The best way is to have a good job, the right number of hours, and support from schools and families. If these three things are together, then part-time jobs can really help for the future.

Bibliography

Bachman, Jerald G., Jeremy Staff, Patrick M. O’Malley, and John E. Schulenberg. 2011. “Adolescent Work Intensity and Substance Use: The Mediational Role of School Engagement.” Prevention Science 12 (2): 173–183. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2926992

Warren, John Robert, Paul C. LePore, and Robert D. Mare. 2012. “Adolescent Employment and Psychosocial Outcomes.” Research in Social Stratification and Mobility 30 (2): 135–149. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258127684_Adolescent_Employment_and_Psychosocial_Outcomes?

Staff, Jeremy, John E. Schulenberg, and Jerald G. Bachman. 2010. “Adolescent Work and Academic Achievement.” In The Benefits and Risks of Adolescent Employment, edited by Jeylan T. Mortimer, 119–138. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2936460

Verulava, Tengiz, and Revaz Jorbenadze. 2022. “The Impact of Part-Time Employment on Students’ Health: A Georgian Case.” Malta Medical Journal 34 (1): 36–43. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/91260/1/MMJ34%281%29A6.pdf?

Kroupova, Zuzana. 2024. “Part-Time Employment and Educational Outcomes among Adolescents.” Journal of Youth Studies 27 (3): 295–312. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11315806

OECD. 2025. Teenage Part-Time Working: How Schools Can Optimise Benefits and Reduce Risks. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2025/02/teenage-part-time-working_75275b29/0dd35152-en.pdf?

Mortimer, Jeylan T. 2010. The Benefits and Risks of Adolescent Employment. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2936460

Ballo, Jari. 2022. “The Role of Student Employment in Higher Education and Its Impact on Students.” International Journal of Educational Research 115: 101–120. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362764071_The_Role_of_Student_
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