16 Best Business Internships for High School Students

Want to experience the business world? There’s a wide variety of paths when it comes to business careers, whether you’d like to work at a tech firm, a nonprofit organization, or on the business side of healthcare. Perhaps you’re interested in finance roles, or maybe you’re more drawn to marketing and communications. Here are some excellent business internships for high school students. These high school internships range from on-site full-time jobs to flexible remote gigs. Either way, they can be great for gaining an understanding of the business field, boosting your resume, and in many cases, earning money.

Business Internships for High School Students

1) Ladders for Leaders

Part of NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program, Ladders for Leaders places high school and college students in paid professional internships across New York City. Internships are available in a variety of industries to accommodate student interests.

• Pay: Payment provided (at least $15/hour)
• Location: New York, New York
• Dates: 6 weeks (July-August)
• Application Deadline: TBA (deadline was March 31 for 2023)
• Eligibility: Applicants must be between 16 and 21 years old with a minimum GPA of 3.0. They must reside in NYC and have some prior work experience, paid or volunteer.

2) The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI)

Founded in 2005, BALI was named after the New York Congresswoman Bella S. Abzug. BALI’s summer program aims to help underserved, underrepresented, and under-resourced communities, and particularly female-identifying and gender-expansive youth throughout NYC, develop skill sets to become effective leaders in political, corporate, and community life.

• Pay: $500 stipend provided
• Location: New York, New York (Hunter College Main Campus)
• Dates: TBA (program includes three 11-day sessions in July and August)
• Application Deadline: TBA
• Eligibility: The program is open to youth ages 13-21 in or from the NYC metropolitan area. There are no academic or skills criteria, though there is an interview process.

3) Meta Summer Academy

“Externs” at Meta Summer Academy have the opportunity to learn about day-to-day operations at Meta (formerly Facebook). For California students interested in a business career in the tech field, this could be a great place to start. Daily transportation is provided.

• Pay: Stipend provided
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Dates: 6 weeks (June-August)
• Application Deadline: TBA (deadline was March 1 for 2023)
• Eligibility: Applicants must be high school sophomores and full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required.

Business Internships for High School Students (Continued)

4) Port of Seattle High School Internships

Designed to provide high school students with skills necessary for success in corporate environments, this internship focuses on areas such as public speaking, project management, and networking. Interns can explore careers in the following Port of Seattle focus areas: Aviation Operations, Maritime Operations, Governance, Community Engagement, and Green Jobs. All internships are paid and based in real Port of Seattle projects.

• Pay: Payment provided
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Dates: TBA (8 weeks in either winter or summer)
• Application Deadline: TBA (applications open in May for summer program, November for winter program)
• Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 16 and currently enrolled in high school (or recently graduated) or in a GED completion program.

Business Internships for High School Students (Continued)

5) Jimerson Berr High School Internship

Interested in the legal side of business? Jimerson Berr is a business and commercial litigation firm offering opportunities for students to work in a variety of departments, including accounting, communications/marketing, legal services, and information technology.

• Pay: Unpaid
• Location: Jacksonville, Florida
• Dates: 4-6 weeks (dates vary)
• Application Deadline: TBA
• Eligibility: High school seniors may apply.

6) Bank of America Student Leaders Program

Student Leaders are assigned paid internships at local nonprofit organizations in a variety of locations. During one week of the internship, they also attend the Student Leaders Summit held in Washington D.C. to learn how government, business, and nonprofit sectors can work together to address community needs.

• Pay: Payment provided
• Location: Multiple locations (Student Leadership Summit held in Washington D.C.)
• Dates: 8 weeks (June-July)
• Application Deadline: TBA
• Eligibility: Current juniors and seniors in high school who live in one of the program locations and are legally authorized to work in the US can apply. Bank of American employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to apply.

7) DOROT Summer Teen Internship Program

DOROT, a nonprofit that supports the elderly population, offers internships in New York City where high school students can learn about nonprofit management and conduct intergenerational activities with older adults. Interns can earn up to 112 community service hours.

• Pay: Unpaid, though interns receive community service hours
• Location: Manhattan, Long Island, or Brighton Beach, depending on the session
• Dates: 4 weeks (dates depend on location and session)
• Application Deadline: TBA
• Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in NYC high schools are eligible to apply.

8) KPMG Future Leaders Program

KPMG aims to increase the number of women in business and STEM fields. In this program, 22 high school seniors are chosen to receive mentorship with a senior business leader, as well as career development opportunities. Recipients are awarded annual $10,000 college scholarships and continual mentorship through their college education. It is a highly competitive internship.

• Pay: College scholarships awarded
• Location: Varies
• Dates: TBA (will be posted mid-fall)
• Application Deadline: TBA
• Eligibility: Applicants must be female high school seniors planning to enroll in a 4-year undergraduate program for the following semester. They must also have a minimum GPA of 3.5, an interest in business or STEM, demonstrated financial need, and demonstrated academic excellence. Letters of recommendation must come from a nonprofit or community organization.

Business Internships for High School Students (Continued)

9) PNNL High School Business Intern

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provides business internship opportunities during the academic year, in which students attend regular classes for half the day and then work up to 4-hours with a PNNL mentor. The program includes a range of educational and leadership development activities, and interns receive elective credits to apply toward graduation.

• Pay: High school elective credits
• Location: Richmond, Washington
• Dates: Academic year (August-May)
• Application Deadline: Applications open early February; deadline TBA
• Eligibility: Local high school students may apply.

10) KP Launch

In this full-time and paid internship, students experience administrative and other supporting careers in healthcare environments. The program includes networking activities, individualized mentorship, and weekly workshops on professional development.

• Pay: Hourly minimum wage (varies by location, between $15.50-$18 per hour)
• Location: Northern California (varies by service location)
• Dates: 7 weeks (June-August)
• Application Deadline: TBA (usually late November or early December)
• Eligibility: Eligible applicants will be 16-19 years old by June 1, 2024, and priority is given to junior and senior high school students. Applicants must have a permanent residence in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area.

11) Work! As Learning

This New Hampshire program connects high school students with local employers for paid internships. Students benefit from work experience in a number of business-related areas.

• Pay: Varies
• Location: New Hampshire (exact location varies by internship)
• Dates: Varies
• Application Deadline: Varies
• Eligibility: New Hampshire high school students can apply for this program.

12) Building-U High School Internship

Building-U is a nonprofit dedicated to helping high school students with postsecondary plans. The organization offers remote internship opportunities for high schoolers to help with the business and administrative sides of the organization. Internships can focus on business development, marketing, multimedia, blog-writing, and more.

• Pay: Not listed
• Location: Remote
• Dates: Varies (Building-U offers 3-month summer internships and year-long programs)
• Application Deadline: Rolling (apply as soon as possible!)
• Eligibility: Applicants must be currently enrolled in high school.

Business Internships for High School Students (Continued)

13) Interns 4-Good

This organization connects high school students with nonprofit organizations and charities. All internships are virtual, and there are options to filter for flexible hours and particular skill sets.

• Pay: Unpaid, but volunteer hours earned
• Location: Virtual
• Dates: Varies
• Application Deadline: Varies
• Eligibility: High school students can apply for these internships.

14) Department of Education Internship Opportunities

The Department of Education (ED) offers internships for high school students and recent graduates interested in education administration. Interns have opportunities to contribute to ED while gaining skills related to Human Resources Management, Education Policies, Grants Management, Communication, and a range of other areas.

• Pay: Not listed
• Location: Washington D.C.
• Dates: Internships available for fall, winter/spring, and summer (length varies)
• Application Deadline: Varies
• Eligibility: Eligible applicants are at least 16 and attend an accredited high school or other institution. Recent high school graduates are ineligible unless they are able to provide proof of future enrollment in a university, college, or trade/vocational institution.

15) Forage Virtual Internships

Another virtual platform, Forage provides opportunities for “bite-sized” (5-6 hour) project-based internships with companies such as JP Morgan, Lululemon, Red Bull, and more. These job simulations build real-life skills and offer windows into various companies.

• Pay: N/A
• Location: Virtual
• Dates: Flexible
• Application Deadline: Flexible
• Eligibility: Anyone can complete these job simulations.

Business Internships for High School Students (Continued)

16) SPARK Summer Internship Program (SIP)

SPARK provides internship opportunities for high school students in the greater Seattle area, connecting them with industry experts and mentors in business, engineering, and science. Business-related internships include Engineering Sales and Marketing, Competitive Analysis and Market Research, Social Media and Content Generation, and Travel Research and Marketing.

• Pay: Some internships provide stipends
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Dates: 8-10 weeks (June-August)
• Application Deadline: March (exact date TBA)
• Eligibility: High school students in the Seattle area who are eligible to work in the US may apply for this program.

Business Internships for High School Students – Final Thoughts

Whether remote or on-site, paid or volunteer-based, business internships can offer high school students real-world windows into a range of fields, from education, to tech, to banking, to healthcare. These internships can also be excellent resume-builders and strengthen college applications. For further research, check out these articles on Best Colleges for Business, Best Small Colleges for Business, and Feeders into MBA Programs.