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23.7 million youth were working or actively looking for work in July 2025
September 22, 2025
The youth labor force (16- to 24-year-olds working or actively looking for work) grows sharply between April and July each year. During these months, large numbers of high school and college students search for or take summer jobs, and many graduates enter the labor market to look for or begin permanent employment. In 2025, the youth labor force grew by 1.9 million, or 8.9 percent, from April (21.7 million) to July (23.7 million).
Number of people 16 to 24 years of age by employment status, April–July 2025
Employment status
April
May
June
July
Civilian labor force
21,739,000
21,836,000
23,458,000
23,663,000
Unemployed
1,857,000
2,124,000
2,681,000
2,547,000
Employed
19,882,000
19,712,000
20,777,000
21,116,000
Note: Data are not seasonally adjusted.
There were 21.1 million employed 16- to 24-year-olds in July 2025. Between April and July, the number of employed youth rose by 1.2 million, or 6.2 percent.
Typically, the number of unemployed young people increases with the onset of summer, as people who were not in the labor force while attending school begin seeking employment. To be classified as unemployed, a person must either be looking and available for work or on temporary layoff. From April to July 2025, the number of unemployed youth rose by 690,000 to 2.5 million.
United States Department of Labor
