Paid Internships for High School Students
- Estelle Reardon
- Mar 25
- 8 min read
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From building skills and improving career readiness to gaining real-world experience, high school internships provide a host of benefits. Paid internships for high school students have the added advantage of compensating students for their time and highlighting the value they bring to their position.
That said, don’t discount the value of unpaid internships, which are more accessible than their paid counterparts and can pave the way to future rewards.
Paid vs. Unpaid Internships
Paid internships offer many advantages for high school students; however, they’re generally difficult to find and typically very competitive when available. Most paid high school internships are offered through government and university programs and are targeted at specific groups, like students from low-income backgrounds.
Just because a high school internship doesn’t come with a paycheck, it doesn’t mean there isn’t something to gain from it. Unpaid internships offer the same experience, knowledge, and networking opportunities as paid internships, with a notable upside: they’re generally more common.
Because unpaid internships require less financial commitment, companies and organizations are often more willing to take a chance on high school students. This makes it easier for high schoolers to pursue opportunities that better align with their interests rather than merely what’s available.
Unpaid internships also offer a low-pressure way to explore fields of interest and potential career paths. If you try something and realize it’s not for you, you’ve still gained valuable self-knowledge. Conversely, if you love it, you’ll have a head start on building skills and experience that set you apart when it’s time to apply for colleges or paying jobs.
Why Do Internships for High School Students?
There are a number of reasons high school students should pursue paid internships.
Real-World Experience:Â As mentioned above, high school paid internships provide students with firsthand experience and insight into fields of interest, enabling them to make informed decisions about their academic and professional futures.
Hard and Soft Skills: Paid high school internships also help students build valuable skills. Interns develop soft skills such as leadership, communication, and critical thinking—abilities they’ll use throughout their lives, regardless of the field they pursue. They also gain hard skills like coding, software proficiency, and structured research experience.
Professional Network: A paid high school internship can also help students build their professional network. These connections can lead to impactful letters of recommendation and open the door to future opportunities, such as admission to pre-professional groups and college internships.
Improved Admissions Odds: Engaging in a paid internship for high school students can also improve your chances of getting into your dream school. A paid internship shows admissions offices that you’ve pursued your interests outside of the classroom and validated them with hands-on experience.
A Paycheck:Â The most obvious perk of a paid internship is the paycheck. For students looking ahead to major expenses like tuition, room and board, meal plans, books, and other college-related costs, that income can make a meaningful difference.
Almost all the benefits of paid internships listed above—with the obvious exception of a paycheck—also apply to unpaid internships. Ultimately, both paid and unpaid internships allow high schoolers to learn how a real workplace operates, develop professional skills, and build their resume.
How to Find Paid Internships for High School Students
Online lists and search engines are fantastic tools for finding paid internships for high school students. One notable resource is StandOutSearch. The largest free online database of internships for high-school-age students, it makes discovering the right opportunity simple with filters for everything from location and field of interest to whether the internship is paid or unpaid.
Cold outreach—reaching out to businesses, organizations, and professionals to introduce yourself and explore the possibility of an internship—is another way to secure a paid position. At the end of this article, we’ve included some cold outreach tips along with an email template you can use to simplify the process.
10 Paid Internships for High School Students
Ages:Â Sophomores and Juniors
Location:Â New York, NY
Timeline:Â Year-round
Deadline:Â March 1
The Science Research Mentoring Program is a paid internship offered by the American Museum of Natural History. Participants work under the supervision of museum scientists while learning to code and analyze data using Python and R, read scientific articles, and develop teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills.
During the school year, students work for four hours a week on a research project in fields including astrophysics, anthropology, conservation biology, and genetics and genomics. In the summer, students engage in a four-week institute focused on understanding data science through the lens of equity and justice.
Participants are awarded a $2,500 stipend upon completion of the program.
Ages:Â Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Location:Â Varies
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â November 1
Paid internships for high school students are available in roughly 40 Department of the Navy labs in 17 states across the U.S. During the eight-week summer internship, participants engage in real-world STEM research, receive mentorships from professional scientists and engineers, and explore potential career paths.
New participants to the SEAP program receive a $4,000 stipend, while returning participants earn a $4,500 stipend.
Ages:Â Rising Seniors
Location:Â Varies
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â January 25
This paid eight-week summer internship is designed to inspire the next generation of fisheries professionals. Opportunities are available across all 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico.
Interns are mentored by fisheries professionals, gain insight into conservation issues, and explore potential career opportunities in the field. Activities interns engage in vary, but may include:
Assisting with children’s education programming
Examining specimens
Establishing aquatic vegetation and fish habitat
Taking fish population surveys
Water quality testing
Participants receive a $3,000 stipend.
Ages:Â Juniors
Location:Â New York, NY
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â February 6
Tri-State area students interested in a career in biomedical science will want to explore this paid high school internship at a Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) research lab. Participants are paired with a mentor who supervises a self-directed research project in fields including:
Cancer Biology
Cell & Molecular & Developmental Biology
Chemistry/Chemical Biology
Computer Science/Computational Biology/Genomics
Engineering/Optics/Imaging/Research Tools
Immunology/Immuno-oncology
Pharmacology & Drug Development
Structural Biology
Students also participate in lab meetings, program sessions, and network with the MSK community, ultimately gaining insight into life as a professional scientist. Participants are awarded a $1,200 stipend.
Ages:Â Graduating Seniors
Location:Â Atlanta, GA, and Redmond, WA
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â N/A
Graduating high school students can gain firsthand experience at one of the world’s largest tech companies through this paid internship. Mentored by Microsoft employees, students develop professional skills while gaining hands-on project experience.
Our ultimate guide to the Microsoft high school internship has everything you need to know about this exciting opportunity, along with some similar internships to explore.
Ages:Â Rising Seniors
Location:Â Ann Arbor, MI
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â N/A
Students become part of a thriving scientific community during this paid, six-week, residential internship—living, learning, and working at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Participants engage in real research projects, develop research skills, and explore STEM careers under the mentorship of professional scientists.
The program concludes with students presenting their work to the public and scientific community. Interns receive $3,000 for their participation in the program.
Ages:Â Juniors
Location:Â Washington, D.C.
Timeline:Â Year-round
Deadline:Â N/A
The U.S. Senate Page Program is one of the nation’s most prestigious high school internships. Only 30 positions are available, and participants must be sponsored by a senator. Pages live on Capitol Hill and maintain a rigorous schedule—attending school, preparing the Chamber for Senate sessions, and working on the Senate floor to support senators and staff.
Pages get an incredible, up-close view of the nation’s political process. They also have the chance to explore the nation’s capital and live and learn away from home. Pages are paid based on an annual salary of $38,547 (because they don’t serve a full year, they don’t earn the entire salary).
Ages:Â 15-18
Location:Â Varies
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â N/A
High schoolers can earn a paycheck while doing important work on the nation’s public lands. YCC interns assist with a variety of projects, including:
Building trails
Cleaning campgrounds
Maintaining fences
Preserving buildings
Restoring habitats
Participants also explore careers with the National Park Service and learn skills that will serve them in their academic and professional lives. YCC internships last between eight and ten weeks, and interns are paid whichever is higher, the state or federal minimum wage.
Ages:Â Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Location:Â New York, NY
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â March 13
Students in this paid high school internship program gain experience working at the nation’s largest art museum. Interns connect with the arts and creative professionals, but opportunities aren’t limited to artistic pursuits, with roles in fields including:
Curation
Design
Education
Imaging
Social Media
The internship is open to students in the Tri-State area. Interns receive a $1,100 stipend for their participation in the program.
Ages:Â Juniors and Seniors
Location:Â California
Timeline:Â Summer
Deadline:Â January 9
Kaiser Permanente offers paid internships to high school students across California in administrative and supporting careers in healthcare. Participants gain work experience, prepare for careers in healthcare, and begin developing their network of like-minded peers and professionals.
The internship lasts seven weeks, and interns are paid a wage of $24 an hour.
Cold Outreach Strategy for Paid High School Internships
Landing a high school internship is hard and securing a paid opportunity is even more challenging. Targeting the right positions and making a compelling case for the value you’ll add will go a long way to obtaining one of these coveted positions through cold outreach.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is a great resource for high schoolers looking for paid internships and unpaid internships alike. Search for smaller companies and organizations that align with your interests and where your skills can make a difference. It’s a lot easier to convince decision makers to take on a high schooler when you can demonstrate how you’ll help make a meaningful impact.
The more internship inquiries you send, the better your chances are of someone being interested in your assistance. Consequently, we recommend emailing at least 50 potential internship providers.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
A compelling resume is your best tool for showing businesses and organizations what you bring to the table. When emailing professionals, include a Google link to your resume—which is preferable to attaching PDFs and Docs, which can cause delivery issues—and ensure anyone with it can view its contents.
To build a resume that helps you secure an internship, highlight any applicable work experience and skills. This can include after-school jobs, volunteer roles, or leadership positions, as well as relevant skills such as coding, digital marketing, or software proficiency, like Excel.
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
If you’re unsure how to format outreach emails to prospective internship providers, here’s a simple template you can tailor to fit your needs.
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Mr./Ms.____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I read about your company on LinkedIn and found the concept quite interesting. For context, [briefly state how the company relates to your interests or experience].
I was wondering if you might be looking for interns. I know I would have a great deal to learn from working with you, and I would love to contribute in any way I can. I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Whether you’re working to land a paid or unpaid high school internship, applying to official programs, or pursuing cold outreach, the key to securing a position is persistence. The process can sometimes feel discouraging, but persistence is usually rewarded, and the effort is well worth the payoff.
If you find this article helpful, bookmark it as a reference or share it with someone you believe will benefit from it. Good luck with your internship search!