With summer approaching and a labor shortage leaving many employers looking to hire, the personal-finance website WalletHub took an in-depth look at 2025’s Best Places for Summer Jobs, as well as expert commentary.
To help job seekers find the best summer employment opportunities, WalletHub compared more than 180 markets in the U.S. across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from the median income of part-time workers to the availability of summer jobs to the commuter-friendliness of jobs.
Top 20 Cities for Summer Jobs
Scottsdale, Arizona came out on top in the survey, the best city to find a summer job. Columbia, MD was second, followed by South Burlington, VT; Portland, ME; Rapid City, SD; Peoria, AZ; Charleston, WV; St. Louis, MO; Chandler, AZ; and, rounding out the top 10, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Ranked number 11 through 20 were Pearl City, Hawaii at number 11 followed by Warwick, RI; Boise, ID; Glendale, AZ; Juneau, AK; Gilbert, AZ; Mesa, AZ; Charleston, SC; Orlando, FL and, at number 20, Nampa, Idaho.
California’s top-rated city in the study was Huntington Beach, coming in at number 21 overall.
Best vs. Worst
Charleston, West Virginia has the most part-time job openings per 1,000 people aged 16 to 24 in the labor force, which is 23 times higher than in New York, the city with the fewest.
Scottsdale, Arizona, has the highest median income for part-time workers (adjusted for cost of living), which is 3.4 times higher than in Burlington, Vermont, the city with the lowest.
South Burlington, Vermont, has the highest labor-force participation rate of people aged 16 to 24, which is two times higher than in Irvine, California, the city with the lowest.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has the lowest unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24, which is 6.2 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest.
Pearl City, Hawaii, has the lowest share of people aged 16 to 24 living in poverty, which is 10.1 times lower than in Burlington, Vermont, the city with the highest.
“It’s a great time to get a summer job, considering that a lot of places are still having labor shortages and may increase their compensation as a result. In addition to good pay and good work conditions, the best cities for summer jobs also have attractive features like short commute times and fun activities to engage in outside of work,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst. “Scottsdale, Arizona is the best city for summer jobs, and it has the highest median income for part-time workers, over $33,000 per year. Scottsdale also has a good employment outlook, with 28 percent more employers expecting to add employees than cut jobs. To top things off, Scottsdale has the seventh-most part-time job openings per capita.”
To view the full report and, visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-places-for-summer-jobs/21137
Expert Commentary
What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job/internship?
“It’s never too early to start looking and applying for summer work. Whether seeking part-time or full-time work, or even volunteer opportunities, it’s best to get started early. Not only should summer workers apply early, but they should approach the summer job search just as they would any professional job search. Whether you are looking to be a lifeguard at the local pool, obtain a nanny position, or are looking for something in an office setting, job seekers should be prepared with a well composed resumé outlining skills and abilities, as well as a prepared list of professional references. Whether this is a job seeker’s first job or their 25th, it’s important to portray themselves as an ambitious professional.”
Elizabeth Lintelman – Director of Career Services, Rasmussen University
“Start now … Assess what you want and need. Are you looking for a summer job to earn some money or looking more for an internship that focuses on desired skill set learning? Or both? Do you need to stay close to home or are you willing to travel to another state? Pay attention to cost of living, housing, expenses, etc. when reviewing summer opportunities close to home versus away from home. Assess your skills and values. Know yourself and what you want to learn and hope to gain by working this summer. Research organizations … that interest you and match your interests and values. Network with friends and family … they may know or have heard of organizations hiring for the summer. Use your social networking audience, like LinkedIn, to get ideas and put yourself out there in terms of seeking a summer position. Work on your resumé and cover letters. You should create a resumé and cover letter for each position you are applying for – make it unique and individualized to that particular position.”
Jenna Crabb, PHD, LPCC, NCC – Executive Director for Student Resources; Acting Director for Career Services, Division of Student Affairs, The University of New Mexico
What types of summer jobs/internships will best equip young people with the skills and experience they need to secure a full-time career after graduation?
“In my professional opinion, the importance of summer employment should be focused on the type of employment. What is more important than the type of job is that any job, whether part-time, full-time and volunteer work, demonstrates a commitment to continued learning. The cultivation of transferable skills gained through those experiences successfully contribute to young people transitioning into full time employment after graduation.”
Elizabeth Lintelman – Director of Career Services, Rasmussen University
“All summer jobs and internships are valuable. Too often, we overlook or underestimate the skills we gain with every position and experience. Learning to identify and articulate the skills developed in summer jobs and internships is extremely important. I often hear students say, “Oh, I just work at XYZ fast food to earn money. This isn’t to help my resumé or future career.” However, every experience offers us valuable learning opportunities, especially when building essential “soft” skills such as communication, team dynamics, organizational skills, time management, task management, collaboration, and critical thinking. To be successful in our careers after graduation, it’s important to articulate the in and out of classroom experience or the hard and the soft skill development. Even the dreaded group projects in our classes serve a valuable purpose: they teach us how to navigate team dynamics, resolve conflict, and meet goals. Additionally, that summer fast food job can build our skills in customer service, time management, strong communication, conflict mediation and service-oriented skills. These skills help build the foundation for future career success.”
Jenna Crabb, PHD, LPCC, NCC – Executive Director for Student Resources; Acting Director for Career Services, Division of Student Affairs, The University of New Mexico
What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?
“Too often, job seekers are siloed into thinking that they need to obtain summer employment in the field in which they are pursuing their education, or ultimately want to work. For example, I have encountered students that want to be a nurse and do not see immediate value in obtaining work in anything other than health care. Unfortunately, all this does is limit their exposure to positions that provide excellent transferable skills. For example, waitressing and retail experience provide fundamental transferable skills in professional communication and conflict resolution that easily translate into what is required to be a successful, compassionate nurse. It’s important to understand that career progression is not always linear. There are many paths you can take to set yourself up for success in the career you wish to obtain.”
Elizabeth Lintelman – Director of Career Services, Rasmussen University
“Not taking it seriously. Again, every job and internship is a way to learn new skills for any future jobs. Even if you realize you don’t particularly like what you are doing for that summer job and it is not your career path – you are still ahead of the game as you now know something you don’t want to do. I had a student once that was really upset as she went through a summer internship within a healthcare environment and realized she did not like dealing with some of the things around pain management and blood. She was upset as she had always thought she would go into healthcare. She realized, after reflection and assistance from her Career Service’s Center, that it was good to find out now that she didn’t want to work in that particular industry rather than finishing a nursing degree and realizing it after devoting her college studies to that major. Every internship and summer job teaches you something.”
Jenna Crabb, PHD, LPCC, NCC – Executive Director for Student Resources; Acting Director for Career Services, Division of Student Affairs, The University of New Mexico
