You may have heard that doing an internship in high school can boost your college application. Paid internships for high school students are a good way to improve your chance of getting into your dream school while also letting you explore future careers. An internship program will give you hands-on experience to help you get a feel for full-time employment.
It can be difficult to find paid internships for high school students because many high school internship programs are unpaid. We combed through internships for high school students to bring you a list of high school paid internships. These internship programs will give you the chance to develop new skills through real-world experience and to start exploring a career.
Can High School Students Access Paid Internships?
Yes, a high school student can access paid internships. Internships are not exclusive to college students or college graduates alone. Many companies are happy to hire high school interns for the energy and fresh perspectives they bring. If you are a high school senior, then a summer program will provide hands-on activities that will benefit your employer and contribute to your professional development.
Are There Paid Summer High School Internships?
Yes, while unpaid internships are the norm, there are paid school-year and summer internship programs for high school students. These internships will develop your professional skills as you start thinking about your career path. An internship also provides networking opportunities so that, even as a full-time student, you already have a foot in the door when you start your career.
Why Are Internships Important for High School Students?
- Professional skills. An internship program will help you develop professional skills such as organization, working on a team, time management, and written communication. These are all foundational skills that apply in any job setting, regardless of your future career field.
- Leadership skills. Leadership skills are always advantageous whether to show on your college application or when you start on your chosen career path. Through mentorship, leadership opportunities will develop your confidence and sharpen your people skills.
- Career exploration. Internships help both high school and undergraduate students explore different career paths. The real-life setting of an internship will give you a practical perspective on how your daily work routine could look.
Top 10 High School Paid Internships
Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI)
- Location: Online
- Length: Four weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Daily, from 9am to 1pm
This program is offered by Google to high school students who are planning to attend a four-year undergraduate degree program in computer science, software engineering, or a related major in fall 2022. You’ll learn about computer science and what it’s like to work at Google with a cohort of other exceptional students in your time zone. The stipend covers the materials you’ll need for the program.
Yes! Teen Internship Program
- Location: National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
- Length: The summer sessions last six weeks and the Saturday sessions, in the fall, last eight weeks. The final outreach project is held in the fall
- Time Commitment: Summer sessions are held Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm; Saturday sessions take place Saturdays, 9am-4pm; the final outreach project is held on your own schedule
The Youth Engagement through Science (Yes!) internship program is a paid internship with a summer session, fall Saturday session, and final outreach project. It is open to high school students interested in STEM careers who live in the Washington, DC metro area. Students will work side-by-side with educators and researchers at the Smithsonian. The stipend for this program is $2,500.
Geosciences Bridge Program
- Location: University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
- Length: Six weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This six-week paid internship is a collaboration between UMES and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Cooperative Science Centers (CSC). This program targets high school seniors who are interested in a career in geoscience. It includes travel, meals, housing, two college courses, and a stipend of $500 per week.
Scripps Student Research Internship
- Location: La Jolla, San Diego
- Length: 10 weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
If you are interested in public health, medical research, statistics, and/or computer science, this internship is for you. High school students, undergraduates, and graduate students learn from scientists who research bioinformatics, digital medicine, and genomics and get career mentoring in these fields. If accepted, you’ll get both a stipend and housing.
Kaiser Permanente’s (KP) LAUNCH Program
- Location: Northern California
- Length: Seven weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This program is a summer youth employment program for students from underserved communities. If you are interested in the healthcare industry, this program will provide you with the skills you need for a career in healthcare. Many employees of Kaiser Permanente are former interns from this program.
Teen Explainers Program
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Length: School year
- Time Commitment: 15-20 hours per month (90 total hours)
During this internship, students will learn both communication and public speaking skills while participating in natural history and museum sciences. You will get behind-the-scenes tours, meet museum professionals, and engage museum visitors in interactive learning experiences. You will be paid an hourly wage and have free access to the Utah Transit Authority transportation system during the course of the internship.
Microsoft High School Discovery Program
- Location: Redmond, Washington
- Length: Four weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This program is for graduating high school seniors who are registered in a high school within 50 miles of Redmond, Washington, and who plan to start a bachelor’s degree in fall 2022. You also have to be a participant of a Microsoft-affiliated organization. If you meet these criteria and are interested in a career in technology, this is a great internship for you.
Pathways Internship Programs
- Location: Washington, DC
- Length: Year-round or summer
- Time Commitment: Depends on specific internship
If you are interested in a career in the federal government, check out one of two Pathways Internship Programs offered by the US Department of State. The two options are the Internship Experience Program (IEP) and the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP). Both are paid programs that give students job experience in the federal government.
Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
- Location: Nevada, Texas, Hawaii, Tennessee, Colorado, Louisiana, Florida, New York, New Mexico, Washington DC, and Ohio
- Length: Generally eight weeks but can vary depending on the site
- Time Commitment: Varies depending on the site and/or project
This program offers project-based learning opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The program is open to upper-level high school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate-level students. You will be able to contribute to the AFRL’s research projects while earning a stipend.
Bank of America Student Leaders
- Location: Many locations in the US
- Length: Eight weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: 35 hours per week
This internship is open to high school juniors and seniors who are interested in community work. You will be working at a local non-profit organization for your internship, and you’ll be required to attend a week-long national Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. This internship is a great way to learn business and leadership skills while giving back to your community.
Enrichment Classes for High School Students
In addition to internships, you might want to take a Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) as a high school student. You could also enroll in an in-person summer college course, or take other online college courses. Classes are usually open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in a wide range of subject areas, and you might be able to earn academic credit.
- Coding and Data Camps by 2U. These coding and data analytics bootcamps are done online in partnership with top universities. They are ideal if you want to enroll in computer science or related programs and are looking for a supportive community.
- Scratch by MIT. This online learning platform is for students aged eight to 16. If you want to pursue computer science and cannot afford summer college classes, you can consider working through the exercises in this program to teach yourself how to code.
- Research Science Institute by MIT. This is an eight-week program for high school juniors. It incorporates on-campus coursework in scientific theory. Research work in science and technology is done off-campus.
- High School to College by Udemy. This is a college prep course designed especially for a high school student who wants to learn more about different college programs and how to apply. It offers career counseling, college selection, and assistance in maximizing the chances of getting admitted to your college of choice.
- Public Speaking by Udemy. This course gives high school students a chance to become more confident in public speaking by learning communication skills. Public speaking is an invaluable skill that will help you ace presentations in college and excel in any career field.
Should You Do an Internship in High School?
Yes, you should. An internship in high school will go a long way in helping you decide which career path you would like to pursue. Additionally, the experience gained will be invaluable as you begin your college career. Internships are also a stepping stone to additional internships or job opportunities during and after college.
Paid Internships for High School Students FAQ
Yes, there are plenty of paid and unpaid high school internship opportunities in Miami. Some paid internship opportunities can be found at Anthem High School, ArtWorks, and NextVet. This city also has plenty of internship opportunities for students in college and graduate school to accumulate professional work experiences.
Yes, you can take a summer job instead of an internship because it is just as valuable in the long run and will give you hands-on work experience. At a summer job, you will also gain professional skills and professional work experiences that translate into desirable qualities such as teamwork, collaboration skills, leadership, and management. Some summer jobs for high schoolers pay well, which will help you pay for your college tuition.
Yes, a skills-based college prep program is another way to kick off your college career. You will learn a broad range of skills, such as critical thinking, research, and academic writing, which are essential for careers in science. You can take these kinds of courses both in-person or online, depending on what works best for you.
Yes, there are free online coding classes for high school students. These are a great way to get started on building technical skills that will be useful in your career. If you are interested in software engineering or another Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) career, then taking an online coding course is a great way to get started.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
