A survey by Piper Sandler took stock of 14,500 US teenagers, and this year’s results are interesting. Here are some of the interesting highlights:

• 39% of teens who responded hold a part-time job, up only one percent from Fall 2021.
• Self-reported spending was up 3% year-to-year to $2,331 and down 2% versus last spring. Parent contribution was 61% compared to 60% last spring.
• Females lead the increased spending, up 10%, driven primarily by clothing purchases.
• For upper-income teenagers, food was the priority spending, followed by clothing. Chick-fil-A is the top dining destination, followed by Starbucks and Chipotle.
• Among beauty spending, skincare held the highest priority at $103 versus $93 for cosmetics and haircare at $91.
• 52% of teens say Amazon is their favorite e-commerce site, followed by SHEIN, Nike, Lululemon, and Pacsun.
• Nike is still the number one brand for all teens in apparel and footwear. But Crocs moved from 6 to 5. Converse remains number two, and Under Armor dropped out of the top 10.
• e.l.f. remains the top cosmetic brand, with Bath & Body Works coming in as the top fragrance brand. Ulta is the favored beauty destination.
• TikTok retains its spot at the top of social media platforms, followed by Snapchat and Instagram.
• 87% of teens own an iPhone, and most of them expect their next phone to be the same brand.