South Florida Jobs for High School Students — Hiring Apr 2026

Finding your first job in South Florida is one of the best things you can do as a high school student or recent graduate. A part-time or seasonal job builds your resume, teaches you how to manage money, and gives you real-world experience that colleges and future employers care about — often more than grades alone. South Florida's year-round tourism economy, thriving food service industry, strong retail sector, and growing healthcare and tech markets create a large and steady volume of entry-level, part-time, and seasonal jobs specifically suited to students ages 14 to 18 and recent high school graduates.

This curated job list is updated regularly and pulls open positions across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Every listing shows the pay rate, hours, and location — so you know what you're getting before you apply.

South Florida has strong hiring activity for high school students in several key areas. Food service and restaurant roles — including positions at fast food chains, casual dining restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries — are among the most plentiful entry-level jobs for students in the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach areas. Retail and customer service roles at malls, outlets, and shopping centers including Aventura Mall, Brickell City Centre, Sawgrass Mills, and Town Center at Boca Raton hire heavily for part-time and seasonal positions. Hospitality and hotel jobs — including front desk support, bellperson, and food and beverage roles at South Florida's large resort and hotel properties — are accessible to students 16 and older with no prior experience. Grocery and pharmacy store jobs at chains including Publix, Whole Foods, Winn-Dixie, and CVS are among the most student-friendly employers in South Florida, offering flexible scheduling, consistent hours, and benefits for those who grow into full-time roles. Recreational and outdoor jobs including lifeguard, camp counselor, beach and pool attendant, and aquatic instructor positions are widely available throughout the region given South Florida's year-round warm climate. Healthcare support roles including patient service representative, front desk coordinator, and medical records assistant are available to recent high school graduates at hospital systems including Baptist Health, Jackson Health System, Memorial Healthcare System, and Broward Health.

Several structured internship programs specifically designed for South Florida high school students offer paid work experience, mentorship, and career development during the summer and throughout the school year.

Miami-Dade County Summer Youth Internship Program (SYIP) — This program provides high school students in grades 10 through 12 with paid five-week internships at Miami-Dade County government departments, typically running from July through August. Students gain real-world work experience in areas including communications, technology, public administration, and community services. Applications typically open in the spring through the Miami-Dade County website at miamidade.gov.

Bank of America Student Leaders Program — This eight-week paid summer internship is open to high school juniors and seniors in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Students are placed with local nonprofits including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity, and the program culminates in a leadership summit in Washington, D.C. Students work 35 hours per week and receive a paid stipend. Applications typically open in the fall.

JJ Vance Memorial Summer Internship at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine — An eight-week paid summer research internship for high school juniors in the Miami and Broward areas focused on biological and computational sciences. Students work alongside scientists and researchers on human genetics projects. Highly competitive. Application deadlines are typically in the spring.

Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience High School Internship — A six-week paid summer research internship for students entering junior or senior year at a Palm Beach or Martin County high school. The 2026 program runs June 22 through July 31. Students work full time Monday through Friday on neuroscience research projects alongside MPFI scientists. Stipend is $13 per hour. Applications open in late winter.

Kenan Fellows High School Summer Internship at UF Scripps (Jupiter, FL) — A competitive paid biomedical research internship for rising juniors and seniors in Palm Beach and Martin Counties with a 3.0+ GPA. The program runs approximately June through August with a stipend of $4,480. Students conduct laboratory research at the Wertheim UF Scripps Institute campus in Jupiter, Florida.

Florida law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act both set specific rules about when and how many hours students can work. Here is what students and their parents should know before applying:

Students who are 14 or 15 years old may work up to 3 hours on school days and no more than 18 hours per week when school is in session. During summer break (June 1 through Labor Day), those limits are lifted to 8 hours per day and up to 40 hours per week. They may not work before 7am or after 7pm during the school year, or after 9pm during summer.

Students who are 16 or 17 years old may work up to 8 hours per day and up to 30 hours per week when school is in session. They may not work between 11pm and 6:30am on nights before a school day. During summer and school breaks, hour restrictions are lifted.

High school graduates who are still under 18 have no hour restrictions but are still subject to rules about hazardous occupations until they turn 18.

Florida's minimum wage in 2026 is $14.00 per hour for most workers. Employers may pay a training wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days for new employees under 20 years old. Tipped workers must still earn at least $14.00 per hour when tips are included.

No work permit is required in Florida for most jobs. Florida eliminated the work permit requirement, but employers are required to maintain proof of the employee's age on file. Students should bring a copy of their birth certificate or school ID when starting a new job.

Apply early and apply broadly. Most entry-level jobs in South Florida — especially at restaurants, retail stores, and hotels — are filled on a rolling basis, meaning the first qualified candidates to apply get the interviews. Don't wait for the perfect job. Apply to five or more positions at once.

Be clear about your availability on your application. Employers hiring students know your schedule has limitations — being honest and specific about which days and hours you can work makes you a stronger candidate, not a weaker one. "Available Monday through Friday after 3pm and all day Saturday and Sunday" is exactly what a hiring manager needs to see.

Bring a simple resume even for your first job. It doesn't need to be long — a one-page resume listing your school, graduation year, any extracurriculars, sports, or volunteer experience, and your contact information is enough to stand out. Many students applying for entry-level jobs show up without one at all.

Walk in when possible. For food service, retail, and hotel roles in South Florida, walking into a location and asking to speak with a manager still works — especially at locally owned restaurants, boutiques, and service businesses where the decision-maker is often on-site. Dress neatly and bring your resume.

Use your school resources. Many South Florida high schools, especially in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County school districts, have career and technical education coordinators, guidance counselors, and after-school programs that maintain relationships with local employers. Ask your counselor if your school has a job placement or work experience program — you may be able to earn school credit while working.

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