11 Economics Internships for High School Students
Are you in high school and looking to complete an internship in economics or other related fields? If so, keep reading to check out our list of 11 economics internships for high school students.
Why should I do an economics internship in high school?
Participating in an internship can offer valuable exposure and opportunities that set you up for success both in college and for future employment.
Economics internships can bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world experience.
An internship can also be a valuable signal of your interest in economics and your professional; abilities when you apply to college.
The internships below cover fields such as economics, finance, entrepreneurship development, and business management. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Cost: Hourly minimum wage, varying by city
Location: Northern California, multiple cities
Application Deadline: TBA, but applications typically open in November.
Program Length: 8 weeks (from mid-June to early August)
Eligibility: Must be: 16-19 years old, eligible to work in the United States, a permanent resident of a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area
Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare company based in California, provides internships for high school students to explore finance and economics-related interests in healthcare environments. At multiple sites across northern California, you can improve your skills in business while networking with leaders in the healthcare field. A full list of the program's career options can be found here. This is an especially interesting internship given its focus on fields such as finance and sales within a healthcare setting. Most high school students are eligible to apply, but juniors and seniors are given priority. KP especially encourages students from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities to apply.
Cost: No cost
Location: Richland, Washington
Application Deadline: TBA, applications open in early February and openings can be found here
Program Length: During the academic year, between August and May
Eligibility: High school student
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, known informally as PNNL, is one of the United States Department of Energy's national laboratories. The laboratory offers a business internship for high school students that runs throughout the year for up to four hours a day, five days a week. A personal statement, cover letter, and transcript are required for an application. Throughout the year, you will participate in educational and leadership development activities, including laboratory demonstrations, field trips, communications, and career awareness workshops.
Cost: Paid
Location: Chicago
Application Deadline: TBA, but applications typically open in February.
Program Length: Six weeks
Eligibility: Requirements include: Current sophomore or junior high school student, resident of the city of Chicago, family income below $80,000/year, 3.0 average GPA
The Chicago Summer Business Institute provides paid summer internships for Chicago high school students in the financial services sector. Work experience is coupled with educational material in a classroom setting. Part of the internship is spent at work sites, where a supervisor guides you through office work and projects. Other parts of the internship include seminars and lectures from professionals. This program is an introduction to the world of finance, with many of its alumni moving on to complete their Bachelor's and MBAs.
Cost: Paid
Location: Miami, Florida
Application Deadline: TBA, email internships@miamidade.gov for more information.
Program Length: Five weeks, June through July
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th grade high school student, between 16-18 years old, 2.5 GPA or higher, resident of Miami-Dade County, eligible to work in the USA
Miami Dade County provides several internship opportunities for high school students to explore their career interests through the lens of public government affairs. The program offers work experience as well as mentorship from a supervisor from Miami-Dade County. You will be evaluated twice during the course of the summer as you participate in activities like program design, financial planning, and delivering presentations. Interns must work a minimum of 150 hours total. By the end of the program, you will learn and develop employability skills and money management skills while earning academic credit.
Cost: Paid
Location: Seattle, Washington
Application Deadline: TBA, but applications typically open in November.
Program Length: Varies
Eligibility: At least 16 years of age, enrolled (or recently graduated from) high school, authorized to work in the USA
The Port’s internship program aims to equip students with the skills needed to succeed in a corporate environment. Over 80 high school internships are available across various departments, including finance, accounting, business administration, facilities management, and business technology. Interning with the Port is a beneficial way to make a significant impact on your local community and regional economy. In addition to the work itself, interns are offered workshops to promote personal development, such as resume-building, public speaking coaching, and LinkedIn 101 sessions.
Cost: $10/hr compensation and a $2,500 scholarship upon program completion
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Application Deadline: TBA, applications likely due February
Program Length: Two sessions of 4 weeks each; students can participate in one or both
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, residents of Kansas City, Missouri
YEP is an entrepreneurial internship for high schoolers in the Midwest. Their internship program provides practical experience in business and entrepreneurship fields. You will connect with professionals from fields ranging from analytical finance to marketing and engineering. Alumni from the program have successfully started businesses, participated in economic forums, and become leaders in financial investment. The cohort model also grants opportunities to network with peers and establish professional connections.
Cost: $600 stipend
Location: New York, parts virtual
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Program Length: Eight weeks
Eligibility: High school students
Pentacle is a non-profit organization in New York City catering to the performing arts community across the United States. Their high school internship program offers students work experience, mentorship, and career development over the course of eight weeks. You will be paired with a small business where you will acquire knowledge of economic frameworks and market health. Responsibilities are 5 hours/week working with one’s paired business partner and 2.5 hours/week for professional development workshops (virtual). The workshop topics cover a range of useful economic skills, such as economic management and data collection/analysis.
9. On the Money
Cost: Paid
Location: Chicago
Application Deadline: Applications are due before September. See more details here.
Program Length: Four months (September-December)
Eligibility: Current high school student, resident of the city of Chicago
On the Money Magazine is an online publication platform based out of Chicago. Made by teens for teens, their publication seeks to increase financial literacy and entrepreneurship education for young people. Their publication’s fall internship seeks a cohort of students each semester to research and publish articles related to finance and entrepreneurship. The magazine works alongside DePaul University’s Writing Center and the internship is an excellent way to apply economics and finance in an interesting way. Do note that an interview (virtual or in-person) is required and that interested students should provide a work sample prior to their interview.
Cost: Fully funded, hourly stipend
Location: Washington D.C
Application Deadline: TBD, applications open in October
Program Length: Eight weeks
Eligibility: Current junior or senior high school student, legally authorized to work in the U.S
The Bank of America offers hundreds of high school students across the country an opportunity to engage with their communities in meaningful ways via their internship program. Students are paired with a nonprofit organization local to them and participate in a paid internship for eight weeks. Popular participating nonprofits include Habitat for Humanity and The Boys and Girls Club. Students interested in economics can apply their knowledge and gain more skills through a hands-on internship over the course of a summer.
Additionally, as part of the internship experience, students convene in Washington, D.C at their National Student Leaders Summit where they interact with professionals in a variety of fields ranging from business to governmental affairs. This program is considered highly selective, but is another phenomenal way to apply economics hands-on while developing connections on a nationwide level.
Note: We've covered this opportunity in detail here!
Cost: Paid, part-time
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Application Deadline: TBD, see their website for openings
Program Length: Varies depending on program
Eligibility: High school student between 16-19 years of age, US citizen
Textron Aviation is an aviation company that provides aviation equipment for government, military, and commercial customers. Although their work is rooted in engineering and manufacturing, the company provides an extensive range of internship opportunities for high school students, including in the fields of finance, sales, and marketing. This opportunity for career exploration through the aviation industry intends to provide exposure to meaningful business-driven work that connects foundational knowledge with future career goals. Many different offerings for internships are available during both the fall and spring semesters.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are interested in doing university-level research in economics, then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for high school students. Last year, we had over 2100 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Aisha is a student at Princeton University, studying Anthropology and Global Health. On campus, she is involved with student groups centered around health equity and cultural affinity. In her free time, she enjoys podcasting, learning languages, and trying new recipes.
Image Source: Bank of America Student Leaders logo