11 Business Internships for High School Students in Los Angeles, California
TL;DR
This list covers 11 business-related internships and programs for high school students in the Los Angeles area or online. Depending on the program, students might plan a museum's teen event, research nonprofit donors, prepare tax returns as trained volunteers, or take paid summer roles with local employers. Ladder Internships offers a fully virtual eight-week option in which high school students complete a real project for a start-up and present their final work to the host company.
What does it take to turn an idea into something people will actually pay for? The U.S. Small Business Administration's guide to writing a business plan breaks that question into parts such as market analysis, marketing and sales, and financial projections. Working inside a real organization lets you see how those pieces play out, whether you are promoting an event, researching donors, or helping a team reach new customers. That kind of practical experience can show you whether marketing, finance, or operations is the part of business you want to explore further.
We selected these programs for their business focus, their openness to high school students, and their availability in the Los Angeles area or online.
If you're drawn to the advisory side of business, you'll find more ideas in these consulting internships for high school students in California. And if you're still working out your first move, this guide on how to get a business internship in high school covers everything from picking a focus to preparing for interviews.
Why should you do a business internship?
A business internship shows you how organizations make decisions about customers, budgets, and growth, which is hard to picture from a classroom alone. Seeing that work up close can help you figure out whether marketing, finance, or operations is worth pursuing in college. If you want that experience remotely, Ladder Internships pairs high school students with start-ups for real projects.
What skills can you pick up in business internships?
Business internships often build practical skills like market research, organizing data, and writing clearly enough for a manager or client to act on. You also learn to communicate professionally, meet deadlines, and support your reasoning with evidence. These skills matter because almost every business role depends on turning information into decisions other people can trust.
How do you choose the right option?
Consider several factors before applying, including your grade level, location, academic background, schedule, and budget. Also check requirements related to citizenship, residency, coursework, or GPA, as these can vary significantly!
|
Program type |
Top programs |
Cost/Stipend |
Best for |
|
Virtual Programs |
Fee-based (financial aid available) |
Students interested in fully remote startup projects involving business strategy, marketing, or entrepreneurship |
|
|
Employer Placements and Work Study |
The Intern Project, Expanding Horizons Institute, Verbum Dei Work Study, Port of Long Beach, EXP Internship |
Free – up to $4,800/year income-based tuition, plus fees; stipends paid |
Students seeking regular workplace experience in corporate offices, public agencies, logistics, or community organizations |
|
Arts and Nonprofit Business Roles |
MOCA Teen Program, LA World Affairs Council, Bloomberg Arts Internship |
Free; stipend $27.81/hr |
Students interested in arts management, nonprofit communications, fundraising, membership, or audience engagement |
|
Financial Education and Tax Service |
Free; $1,000/school year stipend |
Students interested in personal finance, structured financial education, or helping community members prepare tax returns |
1. Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles – MOCA Teen Program
Location: Los Angeles, California
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; ~15 interns per year
Dates: Year-long, starting mid-September; meets Thursday nights and some weekends
Application Deadline: Early June
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
You will plan and run the museum's annual Teen Night, a free event created by teens for teens, and you will also build online content for Virtual Teen Night, manage a social media account, and work with local artists. You are paid as museum staff for a year-long program, meeting at MOCA on Thursday nights and some weekends and working with museum professionals. Planning events, running social media, and working with museum professionals can help you build project-management, marketing, and communication skills.
Who is it best for: Students interested in arts management who want hands-on experience planning events, running social media, and working with artists and museum professionals.
2. Ladder Business Internship Program
Location: Virtual; fully online
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; need-based financial aid available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10%; 70-intern cohort
Dates: Winter: starts December 7, runs eight weeks; Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts also offered
Application Deadline: Winter: November 15; separate deadlines for Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 5–10 hours per week for 8 weeks
You complete a real project for a start-up over eight virtual weeks, and Ladder's business-related examples include a go-to-market strategy for a personal finance app, a marketing strategy for eco-friendly bags, and a business plan for an AI start-up idea generator. You define your project at the start, present a first deliverable around week four, and present your final project to the host company in week eight. Working with a start-up manager, or directly with a founder in the CEO Internship Program, can help you develop market research, strategy, and business communication skills, and you receive a letter of completion from the company.
Who is it best for: Students who want to test an interest in marketing, strategy, or start-up business planning by completing a real, deliverable-based project for an early-stage company.
3. The Intern Project (TIP)
Location: Los Angeles County, California
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; more than 300 interns
Dates: Summer: eight weeks, June–August; Fall and Spring programs also offered
Application Deadline: Summer: opens in January, closes around March 15; Fall and Spring deadlines not specified
Eligibility: 10th–12th grade; attending a high school in Los Angeles County; past Summer participants cannot repeat Summer; past Fall or Spring participants cannot repeat those programs
You are matched with a paid internship at a Los Angeles County partner employer in business-related fields. Past summer interns have worked on company projects at Salem Partners using Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams. You also earn one free college credit and attend workshops on resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn, case studies, networking, and public speaking. Working with a supervisor and coach can help you develop professional communication, networking, and office-software skills in a real workplace.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, real-world workplace experience with a Los Angeles employer while building professional skills such as networking, interviewing, and business communication.
4. Los Angeles World Affairs Council – Internships
Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Summer: June–August; Fall: September–December; Spring internships also offered
Application Deadline: Summer & Spring: Not specified; Fall: July 31
Eligibility: Current high school students (primarily considered for summer); strong communication and organizational skills; ability to work creatively and independently; reliable, responsible, and hardworking; role-specific qualifications apply
You support the operations of a nonprofit focused on national and international affairs, for example, as a Membership Intern managing the membership database, monthly renewal letters, and retention surveys, or as a Marketing Intern evaluating the brand and creating Instagram reels and TikTok videos. As a Research and Development Intern, you research and analyze corporations and potential donors whose values align with the Council's mission. Alongside attending and assisting at events, you receive personalized mentorship and may request a recommendation letter from leadership.
Who is it best for: Students who want hands-on experience in nonprofit marketing, membership, and donor research while exploring an interest in international affairs.
5. Teach Democracy – Expanding Horizons Institute (EHI)
Location: Los Angeles County, California
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed; transportation stipends for seminars
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 20–30 students per year
Dates: June 14 – July 28
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: Neither parent graduated from a four-year college; sophomore or junior at a Title I high school in Los Angeles County; eligible to work in the United States
You'll attend more than 40 hours of interactive seminars on professionalism, college preparation, and civic engagement, including help with college applications and SAT preparation. You'll then complete a paid summer internship at a law firm, corporation, government agency, or nonprofit. Teach Democracy itself employs you as an intern and handles your payroll and work paperwork, while a sponsor pays for your wages.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid work experience in a corporate, legal, government, or nonprofit office, along with college-preparation support and the chance to meet working professionals.
6. Verbum Dei Jesuit High School – Corporate Work Study Program
Location: Watts, Los Angeles, California; partner workplaces across Los Angeles
Cost/Stipend: Income-based tuition up to $4,800 per year, plus fees; $9,200 work-study award and $10,000 scholarship offset the $24,000 full cost; need-based aid available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Every school year, one workday per week, across all four high school years; Summer Readiness Program training first
Application Deadline: Through the school's admissions process; late January in past cycles
Eligibility: Boys enrolling at Verbum Dei Jesuit (freshmen or transfers; senior transfers generally not accepted); at least 14 years old; HSPT required for freshman applicants; transfers need 2.75 minimum cumulative GPA, on-track standing, strong attendance and no significant disciplinary issues; Summer Readiness Program completion
You work one full day a week at one of 75+ Los Angeles partner organizations, including financial-services firms such as Capital Group and City National Bank, doing entry-level office tasks like data entry, filing, answering phones, sorting mail, and creating Microsoft Office documents. You share one full-time entry-level position with three classmates, and the partner's fees are applied to your tuition. A Summer Readiness Program first trains you in Microsoft Office and workplace etiquette.
Who is it best for: Students who want weekly office experience at Los Angeles businesses throughout high school and are prepared to enroll full-time at Verbum Dei Jesuit.
7. Youth Champions – Paid Internship
Location: Los Angeles, California
Stipend: Up to $1,000 per school year, based on participation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; 600 places
Dates: 24 weeks, September–April (12 fall and 12 spring weeks)
Application Deadline: August 21; first-come, first-served
Eligibility: Grades 10–12; Los Angeles-area high school students, focused on underserved communities
You attend 24 weekly one-hour virtual workshops with the same cohort of about 30 peers, covering budgeting, banking and credit, investing, taxes, leadership, problem-solving, and business communication, with a different working professional presenting each week. You can earn up to $1,000 over the school year based on your workshop and field-trip participation, and the program is free. You participate in six in-person field trips, including a career panel, a Junior Achievement Finance Park visit, and a networking day.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, structured exposure to personal finance, business communication, and working professionals while building leadership and goal-setting habits.
8. Port of Long Beach Internship
Location: Long Beach, California
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 31 interns
Dates: June 22 – July 30
Application Deadline: February 20 (no late applications accepted)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors; live in Long Beach or attend a high school in the Long Beach Unified School District service area; 2.5 GPA or higher; reliable transportation
You work alongside Port of Long Beach Harbor Department staff for six paid summer weeks, gaining hands-on experience and mentorship in international trade and the goods-movement industry. The internship pairs your work at the Port with work-readiness training from Future LB, the City's youth employment center, covering life skills, work ethics, financial literacy, and career exploration. Together, these can help you build professional workplace habits and see how trade and logistics operate as a business.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, mentored work experience exploring international trade, logistics, and the business side of port operations.
If you live outside Los Angeles or don't want to commute every day, consider Ladder Internships, which pair you with startups to work on real projects in a fully virtual format.
9. Haven Services – Volunteer Income Tax Preparer (VITA)
Location: Los Angeles, California; hybrid; sites across Southern California
Stipend: None; free IRS training and certification
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Tax season, January–April; flexible recurring shifts
Application Deadline: Year-round, through the online volunteer portal
Eligibility: Ages 16+; located in California; driver's license; background check; virtual info session and 3-hour virtual training; annual IRS certification as greeter, tax preparer, or advanced tax preparer
As a VITA volunteer with Haven Services, you help low- and moderate-income households file their taxes at no cost, handling client intake interviews, eligibility screening, identity checks, tax-document collection, return preparation, or quality review of finished returns. You become IRS-certified as a greeter, tax preparer, or advanced tax preparer through the organization's training program, then sign up for shifts at its 8+ regional sites or 60+ pop-up events across Southern California. This hands-on work can help you develop practical skills in personal tax rules, financial documentation, accuracy checking, and professional client service.
Who is it best for: Students who want hands-on experience with tax preparation and personal finance while building client-facing professional skills in a community setting.
10. EXP – The Opportunity Engine – EXP Internship Program
Location: Los Angeles and Orange Counties; Barstow, California
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 171 interns across all regions
Dates: July–August; preceded by school-year career-readiness workshops and April mock interviews
Application Deadline: Set by each participating school
Eligibility: 11th-grade students enrolled at EXP-supported high schools; partner schools grouped under Barstow USD, LA Harbor, Long Beach, South Bay, and Orange County
During the school year, you take career-readiness workshops, have your resume reviewed, and do mock interviews. Then you interview with host employers for a paid summer internship with one of EXP's industry or community partners. In a recent cohort, EXP placed 171 students with 66 host organizations, including Yusen Logistics, Coldwell Banker, Union Pacific Railroad, and DoubleTree Carson. Working alongside professionals in these settings can help you build interviewing, communication, and workplace skills, and the program includes an EXP Career-readiness Certificate.
Who is it best for: Students who want to build career-readiness skills and try out business, logistics, or other professional workplaces through a paid local summer internship.
11. LA County Department of Arts and Culture, with Bloomberg Philanthropies – Bloomberg Arts Internship – LA County
Location: Los Angeles County, California; worksites across county regions
Stipend: $27.81 per hour for 120 worksite hours, plus a separate Program Days stipend; transportation support and lunch provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 48 interns at 22 organizations
Dates: Summer: June 14 – August 6; School Year extension for summer interns at invited worksites: September–April
Application Deadline: March 26
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors entering senior year in fall next year; attending a Los Angeles County public high school; living or attending school within 10 miles of the worksite; legally able to work in the U.S.; not a current or former worksite employee or relative of its staff or board; no prior BAI participation at that worksite
You work three days a week at a Los Angeles County arts nonprofit. Placements could include business, marketing, development, communications, and administration. You could research fundraising and business projects, support outreach and events, and create social media and newsletter content. On two weekly Program Days, split between a Regional Hub and cultural excursions, you join workshops on writing, college applications, creative career exploration, and professional skills, and you build a portfolio with a cover letter, resume, and internship work samples
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, hands-on experience in the business side of arts nonprofits, such as marketing, fundraising, and administration, alongside structured college and career preparation.
Can a business internship help with your college applications?
A business internship can give you concrete experiences to discuss, such as planning an event, researching potential donors, or presenting a project to a start-up. The value lies in explaining the problem you tackled, the choices you made, and what you learned about how organizations work. That reflection can show an informed interest in economics, marketing, or finance.
How do you apply for a business internship?
Start with each program's official instructions, since eligibility, deadlines, and requested materials vary widely. Prepare a few examples of your interest in business, such as a club role, a part-time job, or a project where you tracked money or customers. Allow plenty of time, since some programs ask for interviews or work-eligibility documents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do nonprofit business roles differ from company placements?
Nonprofit roles can involve maintaining membership records, researching potential donors, and promoting cultural programs or events. Company placements offer a different setting for business experience, with responsibilities determined by the employer rather than a nonprofit’s fundraising, membership, or public-engagement needs.
2. Are these all workplace internships, or do some center on workshops?
The list includes both employer placements and a workshop-centered personal-development program. Some opportunities combine workplace responsibilities with career-readiness sessions, while the workshop-based option uses weekly virtual meetings and in-person field trips rather than a conventional office placement.
3. Are the opportunities limited to summer?
No, the list also includes school-year workshops, year-long museum employment, seasonal tax volunteering, and ongoing school-based work-study. Summer placements generally provide a concentrated experience, while the longer options involve recurring meetings, shifts, or workdays alongside school.
4. Will I be paid, and are there participation costs?
The entries include paid employer placements, participation-based earnings, and unpaid nonprofit or volunteer roles. Some options also involve tuition or program fees rather than wages. For the fee-based remote startup option, Ladder Internships offers need-based financial aid.