What seasonal job pays the most with no experience?

Delivery driver, at $21.57 an hour, the May 2025 median for light truck drivers, according to the BLS. You need a standard driver's license and a clean record; no CDL.

Do seasonal workers get overtime?

Yes. Under federal law, an hourly seasonal worker who works more than 40 hours in a week gets 1.5 times their regular rate for the extra hours, the same as a year-round worker, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Do seasonal workers get holiday pay?

Not by federal law. The Fair Labor Standards Act doesn't require pay for holidays you don't work, or extra pay for working on one, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday pay is up to the employer, so check the job posting (see is holiday pay required by law).

Do banquet servers and bartenders keep their tips?

Yes. Under federal law, your employer can't keep your tips. A service charge on the bill is different: it belongs to the employer unless they choose to pass it on (see service charge vs tip).

Highest paying seasonal jobs in the USA, with pay

The highest paying seasonal job in the USA is event planning, at $29.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. AV technicians follow at $27.93. If you have no experience, delivery, setup crew and banquet work pay $17 to $22. We checked 10 seasonal roles against the same official data; here they are, ranked by pay.

Key takeaways

Event planner tops the list at $29.41 an hour, the May 2025 BLS median; AV technician ($27.93) is next.
Five jobs need no experience: delivery driver, setup crew, security guard, banquet server and usher, $15.82 to $21.57 an hour.
Every figure is a median for all workers in the occupation, not a seasonal rate; a posting may sit above or below it.

Which seasonal job pays the most?

Event planner pays the most, at $29.41 an hour. Here are all 10 jobs, highest pay first. Each wage is the national median from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), so a posting near you may pay a little more or less.

Event planner

$29.41/hrSpring, fall, Nov–DecExperience needed

Conference season in spring and fall, then company holiday parties from Thanksgiving to New Year's. Pay: $29.41 an hour, the May 2025 median, according to the BLS, which files the job under meeting, convention and event planners. You'll need a year or two of event coordinator work first. The catch: contracts end with the season, so the hourly rate matters more than an annual figure.

More about event planners

AV technician

$27.93/hrSpring, fall, Nov–DecExperience needed

Conference season and holiday parties need extra hands on sound, projection and lighting. Pay: $27.93 an hour, the May 2025 median for audio and video technicians, according to the BLS. You'll need hands-on gear experience; a venue may test you on a console. The catch: load-ins start before dawn and strikes end after midnight.

More about av technicians

Delivery driver

$21.57/hrOct–JanNo experience

Parcel carriers and retailers add drivers and driver helpers for the holiday peak. Pay: $21.57 an hour, the May 2025 median for light truck drivers, according to the BLS. You'll need a standard driver's license and a clean record; no CDL, no experience. The catch: long routes in December weather, and the peak ends in early January.

Photographer

$21.47/hrNov–DecPortfolio needed

Santa sets, portrait studios and company parties hire photographers from November to Christmas Eve. Pay: $21.47 an hour, the May 2025 median, according to the BLS. You'll need your own camera and a portfolio. The catch: the photo company sets the schedule and often a day rate instead of hourly pay (see what mall Santas make).

Setup and teardown crew

$19.35/hrNov–Dec, summerNo experience

Venues and event companies add crew to build and strike holiday parties, trade shows and festival sites. Pay: $19.35 an hour, the May 2025 median for laborers and freight, stock and material movers, according to the BLS. You'll need to lift, stand and work nights; no experience. The catch: load-out runs past midnight, and the work comes in bursts.

More about setup and teardown crew

Brand ambassador

$18.91/hrNov–Dec, summerBooked shift by shift

Sampling and demo shifts peak in holiday stores and at summer festivals. Pay: $18.91 an hour, the May 2025 median for demonstrators and product promoters, according to the BLS. You'll need to stand and talk for a whole shift; retail work helps (see how to become a brand ambassador). The catch: shifts are booked one at a time, so hours are never guaranteed.

More about brand ambassadors

Security guard

$18.28/hrNov–Dec, summerNo experienceGuard card

Holiday retail, summer festivals and stadium seasons add guards and event security. Pay: $18.28 an hour, the May 2025 median, according to the BLS. You'll need a state guard card where your state requires one, plus a background check; no experience. The catch: long stretches at one post, and overnights pay the same unless the posting says otherwise.

More about event security

Banquet server

$16.94/hrNov–Dec, springNo experience

Hotel and venue banquet teams add servers for the holiday party run and for spring gala season. Pay: $16.94 an hour, the May 2025 median for waiters and waitresses, according to the BLS. You'll need black pants, a white shirt and non-slip shoes; no experience. The catch: late finishes, hours on your feet and no promise of tips.

More about banquet banquet servers

Bartender

$16.51/hr + tipsNov–Dec, summerAge and permit rules

Event bars run hardest from Thanksgiving through New Year's and at summer festivals. Pay: $16.51 an hour plus tips, the May 2025 median, according to the BLS. You'll need to be of serving age in your state; some states also require a permit (see bartending license rules by state). The catch: tips depend on the event; a hosted bar may pay flat, with no tip jar.

More about bartenders

Usher

$15.82/hrFall, Nov–Dec, summerNo experience

Arenas, theaters and stadiums hire extra ushers for football season, holiday shows and summer concerts. Pay: $15.82 an hour, the May 2025 median, according to the BLS. You don't need experience; you learn the seating chart on your first shifts. The catch: a game day can be only a few paid hours (see arena and stadium jobs).

More about ushers

High-paying seasonal jobs with no experience

You can get five of these jobs with no experience. This is what each one asks for instead:

What the employer checksDelivery driver ($21.57): a valid driver's license and a clean driving record.Security guard ($18.28): a state guard card where required, plus a background check.Setup and teardown crew ($19.35): that you can lift and stand for the shift, and work nights.Banquet server ($16.94): the black-and-white uniform, and a food handler card where your county requires one.Usher ($15.82): a background check at most arenas.

Highest paying holiday seasonal jobs

For November and December, the best-paid jobs here are event planner ($29.41) and AV technician ($27.93), both May 2025 BLS medians. Without a trade, delivery driver ($21.57) and photographer ($21.47) pay best.

Holiday parties also need setup and teardown crew, banquet servers, bartenders and ushers. Mall Santa is the one holiday job we can't rank: the BLS has no category for it, so the photo company sets the pay (see how much mall Santas make).

When do seasonal jobs start hiring?

Holiday jobs: apply in September and October. Delivery companies hire drivers and helpers before the November rush, and hotels and venues staff up for company holiday parties from October.

Summer jobs: apply in March and April for festivals, concerts and stadium events.

Event shifts: these are posted all year, often a week or two ahead. See open event shifts.

Highest Paying Seasonal Jobs in the USA (With Pay)