Here are the hottest industries for teens to find jobs this summer

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

For teenagers, the time off from school could be an opportunity to earn some cash.

The share of teenagers that work in the summer has fallen over the years. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the share of those aged 16 to 19 who worked or looked for a job in July peaked in 1978, at 71.8%.

It's more complicated than just wanting more free time: teens are studying for longer, some choose unpaid internships, and non-white teenagers are less likely to land summer jobs overall.

About 43% of teens were active in the job market last July. Most of them worked in the leisure and hospitality industry, working gigs such as waiting tables and housekeeping.

The table below from the BLS shows the top industries that employed teens in summer 2016:

Business Insider/Andy Kiersz; data from the BLS