Paid Internships for High School Students – 2025
February 14, 2025
Paid internships for high school students are somewhat rare, given that most high schoolers have little work training or experience. However, there are still many options available to ambitious students eager to acquire both early work experience and a paycheck. The list below covers paid high school internships that are either virtual or hosted in-person across the country. They involve anything from STEM-based research and journalism to civic governance, mental health advocacy, museum curation, and law practice.
Paid High School Internships – #1-3
1) Bank of America Student Leaders Program
What is it?
The Bank of America Student Leaders program offers paid high school summer internships, connecting juniors and seniors to local nonprofits. Students gain valuable work experience, develop leadership skills, and receive financial education.
How much?
Varies; this is a paid eight-week internship.
Where?
Local nonprofits across the U.S.
Who?
High school juniors and seniors invested in service.
When?
This is a summer program.
2) City Limits CLARIFY Program
What is it?
City Limits is a New York City investigative journalism nonprofit. It recruits high schoolers with strong writing skills and an investment in local issues for its CLARIFY paid internship program. Interns learn about journalism’s core tenets and work with City Limits’ reporters on local stories with the goal of publication.
Where?
New York City.
Who?
Residents of New York City who will be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school.
When?
CLARIFY runs in both the summer and fall.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
3)Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program
What is it?
The Fred Hutch Cancer Center offers paid internships for high school students interested in biomedical research. Participants work with lab mentors conducting cancer and infectious disease research. Through projects, interns develop scientific skills of data analysis and laboratory techniques.
How much?
The program is advertised as offering full-time paid internships.
Where?
Seattle, WA.
Who?
High school students interested in biomedical research and careers.
When?
Summer session, typically eight weeks long.
Paid Internships for High School Students – #4-6
4) Honeywell High School STEM Internship Program
What is it?
Honeywell is an engineering company focused on aerospace, automation, and energy. They host a “#FutureShapers” program of paid high school internships. Students can acquire experience engineering fields through working with subject matter experts on real-world projects. The program also includes training and experience in networking, mentorship, and professional development.
How much?
This is a paid internship program.
Where?
Honeywell locations across the country.
Who?
High school students interested in STEM and engineering.
When?
During the school year or summer.
5) The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Summer Internships
What is it?
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research offers paid summer internships open to recent high school graduates. Before beginning college in Fall 2025, high school graduates can gain real-world experience in fields like robotics, AgTech, and PR.
How much?
Interns are paid for their weekly time commitment of 28 hours over eight weeks.
Where?
Danville, VA.
Who?
High school graduates entering college in Fall 2025, as well as college students.
When?
Summer, for eight weeks.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
6) KP LAUNCH High School Program
What is it?
Kaiser Permanente’s LAUNCH program is a seven-week paid summer internship for students interested in healthcare careers. Student interns experience work in various departments, such as administration and nursing, without directly treating patients. The program also provides professional development through workshops, mentoring, and networking with senior leaders.
How much?
Interns are paid $24/hour.
Where?
Kaiser Permanente medical centers, as well as business offices in California.
Who?
Current high school students or graduates (Class of 2025), aged 16-19.
When?
June 16th-August 1st.
Paid High School Internships – #7-9
7) The L.A. Times High School Insider Youth Journalism Program
What is it?
The L.A. Times High School Insider program offers paid summer internships for high school students. Interns work alongside the paper’s journalists and contribute stories to the HS Insider platform. In the process, they can expect to develop writing, reporting, and multimedia skills.
How much?
This paid internship program offers students $17 per hour of work.
Where?
Los Angeles Times headquarters and remotely, with opportunities to cover stories across the city.
Who?
L.A. area high schoolers who have demonstrated interest in journalism, storytelling, and media.
When?
The internship takes place over the summer, typically from June to August. Interns can expect to work 24 hours each week.
8)The Met Summer High School Internship Program
What is it?
The Met’s paid internship program is for high school juniors and seniors in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Participants learn from museum professionals in various departments, including marketing, conservation, and education. Interns develop career skills, attend workshops, and gain hands-on experience through contributing to museum projects.
How much?
High school interns receive a stipend that is commensurate with New York State minimum wage law.
Where?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
Who?
High school juniors and seniors from NY, NJ, or CT.
When?
This is a summer internship program.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
9) MIT Lincoln Laboratory Summer High School Internship Program
What is it?
The MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a US Department Defense-funded research center specializing in national security. It offers a regional internship program for rising seniors. The program is meant to familiarize high schoolers with various STEM careers before committing to a college program. Students are compensated for their work, in addition to experiencing a professional environmental where they learn from mentors.
How much?
This is a paid internship program.
Where?
The Lincoln Laboratory is in Lexington, MA.
Who?
Rising seniors attending high school in New England.
When?
This coming summer, the program runs from early July through mid-August.
Paid Internships for High School Students – #10-12
10) NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Paid Internships
What is it?
NASA’s OSTEM promotes advancements in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. To this end, the office helps high school and college students acquire practical work experience through paid internships. Selected high school students work with mentoring research scientists and engineers at a NASA facility during the summer session.
How Much?
OSTEM offers paid internships.
Where?
A participating NASA center or facility.
Who?
Students interested in careers in scientific research, technology, aerospace engineering, and space exploration.
When?
The session for high schoolers takes place in the summer.
11) The National Geographic Society and Nature Conservancy Externships
What is it?
Two host organizations support this externship program for youth aged 18-25. Participants complete virtual classes, workshops, and mentorships while pursuing local environmental conservation issues. Each extern is encouraged to create an interactive digital presentation on a chosen topic, applying knowledge gained through the program.
How much?
At the end of the program, participants can apply for seed funding to support their community-driven conservation projects.
Where?
With virtual classes and workshops, this externship has global reach.
Who?
People aged 18-25 invested in conservation.
When?
The program runs several times a year, with specific applications each session.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
12) NYC Ladders for Leaders
What is it?
Ladders for Leaders is a summer internship program that connects high achieving high schoolers with paid professional internships across NYC. Participants can be placed with private companies, nonprofits, or government agencies.
How much?
Varies by internship.
Where?
NYC, NY.
Who?
High school and college students in NYC.
When?
Summer 2025.
Paid High School Internships – #13-15
13) NYC Mayor’s Office Internship Program
What is it?
For New York-based students interested in civic careers, the NYC Mayor’s Office offers a paid summer internship program. Students can work with mayoral staff on research, project management, data analysis, and outreach projects. They also get hands-on experience through a collaborative service project.
How much?
Interns are paid $16/hour.
Where?
NYC, NY.
Who?
High schoolers who are at least 16 years old and reside in NYC.
When?
There are two sessions: June-August and September-April.
14) Scripps Research Institute High School Internship Program
What is it?
Through this Scripps program, high schoolers can gain hands-on experiencing in biomedical research. Participants work in labs, receive mentorship from graduate students, and learn from scientific discussions and courses on advanced research techniques.
How much?
This is a paid internship program, with selected students awarded a $4,760 stipend for the program.
Where?
La Jolla, CA.
Who?
San Diego County high school students aged 16+.
When?
June 24 – August 9.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
15) Spark Summer Internship Program
What is it?
Spark’s Summer Internship Program (SIP) is for students interested in computer science and related fields. Alongside educational components, the program places students in full-time summer internships.
How much?
Selected students receive a $500 stipend.
Where?
Varies by internship and sponsor.
Who?
High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
When?
The program runs for 2-3 months in the summer.
Paid Internships for High School Students – #16-18
16) Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program
What is it?
High schoolers interested in fields like biomedical engineering can investigate Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program. During the eight-week program, students work on medically-oriented research projects with Stanford faculty and researchers.
How much?
Applicants pay a $40 application fee, but if selected they are provided a $500 minimum stipend.
Where?
The Bay Area.
Who?
Current juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old and are attending a U.S. high school.
When?
Early June through the end of July.
17)Teen Science Café Fellows Program
What is it?
This initiative offers a ten-month training opportunity for informal educators to learn to implement Teen Science Cafes in their communities. Fellows receive personalized support to organize and host three science café events, fostering STEM discussions for teens.
How much?
Fellows receive a $2,500 stipend.
Where?
Nationwide, as fellows launch science cafes in their local communities.
When?
Applications are due by August 1st for the next year-long training period.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
18) Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program
What is it?
This program is for high school students in New York City interested in exploring law careers. Participants are placed in paid internships with law firms, legal departments, and law schools. They also attend career development workshops and networking events.
How much?
Employers pay interns directly, typically at the minimum wage rate of $16/hour or more.
Where?
Law firms and legal organizations in NYC.
Who?
Rising juniors and seniors in NYC public schools.
When?
This is a summer internship program.
Paid High School Internships – #19-20
19) US Department of State Pathways Internship Programs
What is it?
The Pathways Internship Program offers paid internships with the Department of State for high school and college students. It includes two tracks: The Internship Experience Program (IEP) and the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP). IEP interns work in long-term roles, with potential federal job placement upon graduation. ITEP offers shorter, flexible appointments. Both programs allow students to gain professional experience while exploring federal careers.
How much?
This is a paid internship program, using different pay scales based on experience.
Where?
Various U.S. Department of State locations.
Who?
U.S. citizens, age 16+, enrolled in school.
When?
Ongoing, varies by position and track.
Paid Internships for High School Students (Continued)
20) Youth Mental Health Academy
What is it?
The Child Mind Institute runs a Youth Mental Health Academy, a learning and paid internship program for California high schoolers. The program draws students to research and careers in mental health science, practice, and communications. Participants complete a 5-week summer academy, project-based learning, and summer internship in a mental health-related field.
How much?
Participants earn a stipend of up to $2,000 as compensation for the summer internship.
Where?
California (both virtual and in-person components).
Who?
High schoolers from underrepresented groups (broadly defined – see website).
When?
Program begins in June 2025 and runs through July 2026.
Paid Internships for High School Students – Further Reading
