Youth Braid and Business Academy brings together practical beauty skills and entrepreneurship because youth need space to see what they can do. These national survey findings offer useful context for schools, youth organizations, writers, and community partners shaping those opportunities.
71%
of teens would consider starting a business
In an October 2024 survey of 1,004 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17, 71% said they would be likely to consider starting a business as an adult.
Source: Junior Achievement USA, October 2024Link to this statistic22%
said a school class or program sparked their business interest
Among teens likely to start a business, more than one in five said their interest was sparked by a class or program at school.
Source: Junior Achievement USA, October 2024Link to this statistic12%
named a service business as the type they would most want to start
Service businesses, including hair care, childcare, lawn care, and plumbing, ranked behind social media influencing and ahead of retail stores among teens' top business choices.
Source: Junior Achievement USA, October 2024Link to this statistic49%
saw a nontraditional pathway as enough preparation for their career
Nearly half of surveyed high school teens said a high school degree, trade program, two-year degree, or other enrichment program was the highest level of education that would prepare them for their anticipated career.
Source: Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, July 2024Link to this statistic56%
said real-world experience is more beneficial than a higher education degree
More than half of surveyed teens viewed real-world and on-the-job experience as more beneficial than obtaining a higher education degree.
Source: Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, July 2024Link to this statistic33%
were concerned they do not have the skills to reach their goals
One-third of surveyed teens said they were concerned they lacked the skills needed to reach their career aspirations.
Source: Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, July 2024Link to this statistic36%
were concerned about affording education or skill development
More than one in three surveyed teens were concerned they would not be able to afford the education or skill development programs needed to reach their goals.
Source: Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, July 2024Link to this statistic94%
of teens said they are optimistic about their future careers
In a 2025 survey of 1,000 nationally representative U.S. teens ages 13 to 18, 94% said they were optimistic about their future careers.
Source: Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, 2025Link to this statistic62%
said they are exploring side hustles
The same 2025 survey found that 62% of teens were exploring side hustles and 38% were exploring gig pursuits as ways to build security and opportunity.
Source: Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, 2025Link to this statistic36.2%
of U.S. 16- to 19-year-olds were in the labor force
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 36.2% labor force participation rate for 16- to 19-year-olds in its 2025 annual average data.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025 annual averageLink to this statisticSources and Methodology
The first three statistics come from Junior Achievement USA's October 2024 survey of 1,004 nationally representative U.S. teens ages 13 to 17. The remaining four come from the Junior Achievement USA and Citizens July 2024 survey of 1,000 nationally representative U.S. teens ages 13 to 18. The next two come from Junior Achievement USA and Citizens' 2025 survey of 1,000 nationally representative U.S. teens ages 13 to 18. The final figure is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 annual average for people ages 16 to 19. The source links on each statistic lead to the full survey release, methodology, or federal table.
- Junior Achievement USA, Teen Entrepreneurship Survey, published October 30, 2024
- Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, Career and Higher Education Survey, published September 11, 2024
- Junior Achievement USA and Citizens, Teens and the Future of Work Survey, fielded July 30 to August 10, 2025
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment status by age, 2025 annual average
Cite This Page
Youth Braid and Business Academy. "Teen Entrepreneurship and Career Readiness Statistics." Updated October 9, 2026.
Use the "Link to this statistic" label beside any figure to share a direct link to that finding.
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