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COLUMBIA (WACH) -- It’s tough for teenagers in the South Carolina to make ends meet. That’s because it’s tough for them to find a job.

According to the Employment Policies Institute, the state’s teen unemployment rate is 32.1 percent, which is the sixth highest in the nation.

Officials say the tough economy and minimum wage mandates are keeping teens out of work.

Michael Saltsman, a research fellow at EPI, says, “Research shows that teens without job opportunities, specifically economically disadvantaged teens are more likely to drop out of high school and end up in the criminal justice system.”

Saltsman says policy makers can help teens in the future by not imposing any new increases in the minimum wage. He also says teens can help themselves by doing internships which allow them to gain at least some of the experience employers may be looking for in an employee.