What:

Today’s teens are balancing the desire for financial independence with economic uncertainty, all while navigating academic, social, and personal pressures. This nationally representative study of over 2,000 teens (ages 13-18) provides a comprehensive look at how they earn, spend, and save their money. It reveals their motivations for working, their financial priorities, and the anxieties shaping their future outlook.  

For businesses, brands, and institutions, understanding Gen Z’s financial behaviors is key to engaging them effectively—whether through products, services, education, or marketing. This report offers actionable insights to help you connect with the next generation of earners and consumers.  

Key Insights: 

• Learn how age, gender, and location impact teen employment.

• Gain insights into what motivates their spending choices and how they balance needs vs.wants

• Understand how teens balance short-term financial goals with long-term uncertainty.

• Explore gaps in financial literacy and how they impact teens' financial confidence.

How:

This special report on teens’ financial habits is excerpted from one of three robust studies conducted in March 2024. Over 2,000 7th through 12th graders responded to each survey. Final survey sample sizes were each nationally-representative on gender, age, race, ethnicity, and region of the US.

Why: 

Understanding teens’ financial behaviors is crucial for anyone looking to connect with Gen Z. This report can help inform decisions so brands, businesses, organizations, and institutions might:

• Create messaging that is tailored to teens’ financial priorities and spending habits. 

• Anticipate and respond to teens spending habits and purchasing decisions. 

• Develop financial literacy programs and career readiness resources.  

• Advocate for financial education that prepares teens for real-world financial challenges.