Hey, NYC trailblazers! If you’re ready to step outside the classroom and explore what real-world work actually feels like, paid internships for high school students in NYC are one of the smartest moves you can make. Whether you’re curious about cancer research, environmental science, law, museum studies, engineering, or community health, there’s a place in this city where you can test your potential.
Why NYC Is One of the Best Cities for Paid High School Internships
New York isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a living lab. With top universities, advanced hospitals, global nonprofits, and innovative tech hubs packed into one city, you get access to a wide array of opportunities. And if you’re local, choosing paid internships for high school students in NYC means fewer expenses, shorter commutes, and a chance to see whether a future career or college campus truly feels right for you.
These internships don’t just give you “experience.” They give you hands-on lab work, data analysis practice, exposure to real research workflows, collaboration with professionals, and insight into how big institutions operate from the inside. In other words, you’re not observing; you’re contributing.
Below is a curated list of 15 paid internships for high school students in NYC, selected for their skill development, academic relevance, credibility, and accessibility. You can also check out our blog on summer programs for high school students in New York.
15 Paid Internships for High School Students in NYC (New York City)
1. Memorial Sloan Kettering: Summer Student Program (SSP)
Stipend: $1,200 for the summer
Program Dates: June 29–August 21
Application Deadline: February 6
Cost: Free
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Upper East Side, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school juniors living within 25 miles of MSK (NY, NJ, CT) | A minimum GPA of 3.5 in science subjects | Legally authorized to work in the U.S. | Must be 14+ by program start | Requires 8-week full-time commitment
The MSK Summer Student Program places you in a biomedical or computational research lab where you work on a self-directed project linked to an active PI’s research agenda. You gain hands-on proficiency in core laboratory methods, including cell culture techniques, PCR workflows, microscopy, imaging tools, and computational analyses, all of which are used in cancer biology. Depending on your lab, you may also work with programming tools for genomics or data processing (e.g., Python, R, or bioinformatics pipelines). Regular lab meetings expose you to experimental design, data interpretation, and scientific communication in a real research environment. The program also includes professional development sessions that introduce translational medicine, clinical research workflows, and scientific career paths.
2. Futures and Options: Internship Program
Stipend: Min. $17.00 per hour
Program Dates: 6 weeks in July and August
Application Deadline: Summer application opens January 5
Cost: Free
Location: New York City (various corporate, nonprofit, and government host sites)
Eligibility: NYC high school students aged 16–19 | Requires online application, resume submission, and interview | Matching depends on available host sites
This internship places you in a paid role within a partnered business, nonprofit, government office, or multinational company, where you handle structured project tasks tied to real workplace functions. Depending on the placement, you may work with tools such as Excel for data tracking, CRM platforms for managing client workflows, or office productivity software for documentation and reporting. Workshops supplement the internship with modules on communication, interviewing, resume writing, and financial literacy, giving you practical operational skills. Career exploration field trips expose you to different sectors and help you analyze workplace structures, roles, and pathways using authentic industry examples. You are also paired with a program coordinator who monitors progress, provides mentoring, and supports goal-setting throughout the internship.
3. CITYarts: Summer Internship Program
Stipend: Stipends are offered to qualified interns
Program Dates: June–August (8–10 weeks, part-time)
Application Deadline: Opens in April | Rolling until filled
Cost: Free
Location: CITYarts Office, 77 Bleecker St, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school students | Selection based on application | School credit available | Some internships require design, media, or software-specific experience
CITYarts places interns in various roles, including design, social media, video production, development, PR, and community arts projects, where you work directly on public art initiatives and youth engagement projects. Depending on the position, you may use tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, or social media analytics platforms to produce creative assets and document ongoing murals or events. You will also support logistics for community workshops, helping coordinate artists, volunteers, and material workflows for on-site art projects. Roles such as development or PR involve data management, CRM usage, donor research, and drafting outreach materials, giving you hands-on exposure to nonprofit operations. The program emphasizes collaborative project execution and professional communication within a NYC-based arts organization.
4. Environmentor (RISE: Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity)
Stipend: Up to $1,200
Program Dates: June–mid-August
Application Deadline: Opens in March | Group interviews in May
Cost: Free
Location: 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY
Eligibility: NYC students in grades 9–11 who live in NYC and attend school in or near the Rockaway peninsula | In-person participation required | Priority given to students who completed Shore Corps
Environmentor pairs you with scientists from local universities and research institutions to conduct field-based environmental research on the Rockaway shoreline and Jamaica Bay. You work on data-driven ecological studies such as salt marsh species interactions, flooding analysis, or coastal vegetation monitoring, using tools like water-quality meters, GPS units, and environmental sampling kits. Workshops introduce you to environmental science methods, CPR and water safety, and outdoor skills used in field research, such as kayaking and coastal surveying. The program emphasizes hypothesis-driven inquiry, research documentation, and iterative testing under scientist mentorship.
5. NYU ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering)
Stipend: $1,000
Program Dates: June 1–August 14
Application Deadline: February 21
Cost: Free
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are NYC residents attending NYC high schools | Requires interviews, lab matching, and participation in all program stages
ARISE places you in one of NYU’s research labs for a 10-week immersion that begins with safety training, research skill modules, and scientific writing workshops before moving into mentored lab work. You gain around 120 hours of hands-on experience using lab-specific tools that may include wet-lab techniques, microscopy workflows, bioinformatics pipelines, machine learning frameworks, environmental sensing equipment, or engineering prototyping tools, depending on your assigned lab. You also prepare formal research outputs, including a presentation for the NYU community and a poster for the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Poster Symposium, which builds scientific communication and visualization skills. The program involves structured mentoring, lab tours, multi-round interviews, and a detailed ranking and matching process that mirrors real-world academic research placements.
6. NYC Ladders for Leaders
Stipend: Paid (rate varies by host employer)
Program Dates: Summer (exact start–end dates vary by host site)
Application Deadline: January 9
Cost: Free
Location: Across all five NYC boroughs (corporate, nonprofit, and government host organizations)
Eligibility: NYC residents aged 16–24 enrolled in high school or college | Must be legally allowed to work in the U.S. | Requires application, vetting, prior work or volunteer experience, and 30 hours of mandatory pre-employment training
Ladders for Leaders places you in paid internships across finance, marketing, technology, healthcare, government, media, and nonprofit sectors, depending on your application profile and training performance. During the internship, you may work with productivity suites, CRM tools, data spreadsheets, scheduling software, or industry-specific platforms, based on your host organization. Many placements expose you to real operational workflows such as client communication, project tracking, data entry, campaign drafting, or administrative analytics. The program’s structure mirrors professional recruiting pipelines, making it a strong starter experience for NYC students building a technical or business-oriented portfolio.
7. CCNY College Now: STEM Research Academy (Summer Research Internship)
Stipend: Up to $1,575
Program Dates: July 6–August 6
Application Deadline: January 16
Cost: Free
Location: City College of New York (CCNY), 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY
Eligibility: NYC public high school 10th–11th graders | Must have a minimum overall high school GPA of 80 | Must have passed at least one New York State Regents (Algebra, Algebra II, Geometry) exams with a grade of 66 or better | Only students who complete the spring research course are eligible for the summer internship | Limited to ~10 students
This internship places you in a CUNY or CCNY research lab for a five-week mentored STEM project where you work four to five days per week on an inquiry-based research topic aligned with a faculty mentor’s work. Depending on the lab, you may use tools such as micropipettes, PCR machines, gel electrophoresis setups, environmental sensors, or computational analysis platforms to collect and process data. You will participate in structured seminars and workshops on experimental design, scientific writing, and research documentation. The program culminates in a formal presentation at CCNY and the New York Science Center for Research and Mentoring (NYSCRM) poster presentation at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), requiring you to translate your raw data into visual formats and defend your methodology. Participants who complete all components, including lab hours and weekly sessions, are eligible for the full stipend.
8. YES in THE HEIGHTS (Columbia University Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Stipend: Paid for 8 weeks of full-time work (35 hours/week)
Program Dates: June 29–August 21
Application Deadline: January 9
Cost: Free
Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1130 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 14+ | High school students in good academic standing with a strong interest in science | Must commit to 8 weeks in-person | Priority for students from the HICCC catchment area or prior participants in Columbia-affiliated youth programs
This program places you in a cancer research lab where you work full-time under the supervision of a Columbia University faculty mentor, contributing to projects in population science, clinical research, or basic science. You analyze cancer biology concepts through journal clubs, complete an Individual Development Plan, and develop a scientific abstract tied to your research tasks. Depending on the assigned lab, you may work with molecular biology workflows, data management tools, imaging datasets, or computational analysis platforms used in cancer research. Second-year students deliver an oral scientific presentation, building proficiency in scientific communication and data visualization.
9. Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program (HSIP)
Stipend: Paid (minimum wage)
Program Dates: June 29–July 31
Application Deadline: Opens January 26
Cost: Free
Location: Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who reside in Manhattan | Must attend in-person Monday–Friday, 9:30 am–4:30 pm
This five-week internship places you inside the Manhattan DA’s Office, where you can examine the criminal justice system using real-world cases and workflows. You’ll build skills in legal writing, case analysis, and the logic of courtroom procedures through a structured mock-trial curriculum. You will also learn office-based professional tools, including research workflows, case-tracking methods, and documentation standards used by prosecutors. You’ll participate in seminars led by legal staff, apply rules of evidence in structured exercises, and practice communication techniques used in actual legal settings. The internship provides a detailed and technical insight into how prosecutors evaluate cases, prepare arguments, and coordinate with investigative teams.
10. RockEDU Summer Science Research Program (SSRP): The Rockefeller University
Stipend: Paid (amount not publicly listed)
Program Dates: June 22–August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Cost: Free
Location: The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors | Must be 16+ at program start
This seven-week, team-based research program places you in a structured laboratory environment where you work alongside scientists from the Tri-Institutions (Rockefeller, MSK, WCMC). You’ll learn foundational lab techniques, practice experimental design, and develop competency in workflows such as pipetting, microscopy, culture handling, data acquisition, and analysis. Each team focuses on a different research domain, and you’ll select and pursue an independent research question under daily mentor supervision. You also attend elective courses, journal discussions, and workshops on methodological rigor, reproducibility, and scientific communication. By the end of the program, you will have designed a scientific poster and interpreted your dataset through the lens of authentic research.
11. Manhattan–Staten Island Area Health Education Center (AHEC): Summer Health Internship Program (SHIP)
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: June 29–August 6
Application Deadline: Early Bird: January 7 | General: February 28
Cost: Free
Location: Manhattan–Staten Island Area Health Education Center (AHEC), New York, NY
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors (and college freshmen/sophomores) | Must be 16+ by program start | Must have an interest in healthcare | Two recommendations required
This six-week medical internship places you in hospitals, clinics, and community health settings across NYC, where you work alongside healthcare workers and observe real-world patient care workflows. You participate in structured weekly seminars on public health issues, healthcare careers, and professional skills, as well as facility tours and interactions with practitioners. The program emphasizes teamwork, cultural competence, and hands-on exposure to clinical environments, giving you early insight into health careers.
12. The Met High School Internship Program
Stipend: $1,100
Program Dates: Typically June–August
Application Deadline: Applications usually open in early February
Cost: Free
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–11 (or pursuing a High School Equivalency) who live and attend school in NY, NJ, or CT | Must have not completed another internship at The Met
This paid internship at The Met places you inside one of the world’s most influential museums, where you explore how art intersects with fields like curation, education, conservation imaging, design, and digital content. You’ll work alongside museum professionals, participate in cohort-based learning, and develop practical skills in research, visual analysis, communication, and professional collaboration. Interns gain exposure to department-specific projects, contribute to ongoing museum initiatives, and attend workshops that build workplace readiness. You also participate in teen-focused museum events, including Teen Fridays and Teens Take The Met, which provide additional opportunities for public engagement and creative problem-solving.
13. Bank of America Student Leaders® Program
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: 8 weeks, typically within June–August (exact dates vary by city)
Application Deadline: January 15
Cost: Free
Location: Local nonprofit placements across nearly 100 U.S. communities
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors | U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Must be able to participate in both the full-time internship and the Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
Student Leaders® is one of the country’s most recognized community-impact internships for high school students, combining a paid 8-week placement at a local nonprofit with a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C. You’ll work full-time on projects related to community development, social impact, youth services, or public policy, while learning how nonprofits, government, and corporate partners collaborate on civic issues. You also take part in leadership workshops, skills-building labs, and networking sessions with peers from across the U.S. The program is highly selective and valued for its combination of paid professional experience, community engagement, and national-level leadership training.
14. NYSCF Summer Internship Program
Stipend: Paid (approx. $18–20/hour depending on student level)
Program Dates: June 2–early August
Application Deadline: Early February
Cost: Free
Location: New York, NY
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students | The high school internship program is solely open to partners of the NYSCF Summer Internship Program | U.S. citizens/permanent residents or international students with work authorization | Must be 18+ by program start | A GPA of 3.0 is preferred
This 10-week full-time internship immerses you in advanced stem cell and biomedical research, with track options in laboratory science, data science, automation/software engineering, and program administration. You work 35 hours per week at NYSCF’s research institute, developing skills in techniques like tissue culture, high-throughput data workflows, experimental design, and scientific documentation. You’re paired with a mentor, assigned a defined research project, and gain exposure to computational tools, analysis pipelines, and interdisciplinary lab environments. You will participate in seminars, workshops, and collaborative projects that mirror real-world research team structures.
15. NYU Langone: Medical Ethics Internship Program
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: June–August
Application Deadline: Late January
Cost: Free
Location: New York, NY
Eligibility: High school students | Must be at least 16 by program start | Open to students from all schools and backgrounds with an interest in bioethics, medicine, public health, or law
This internship immerses you in medical ethics through projects spanning research ethics, sports ethics, transplant ethics, gene therapy policy, and clinical decision-making frameworks. You work with faculty in the Division of Medical Ethics, contribute to ongoing ethics research, and explore case-based reasoning used in hospital and biotech settings. You will help build teaching modules, analyze ethical scenarios, draft learning materials, and participate in division meetings to understand how ethical standards shape real-world medical decisions. You gain exposure to professionals across public health, pharmaceutical policy, patient advocacy, and clinical care, providing you with a strong foundation in ethical analysis and interdisciplinary thinking.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – NYU Langone Health