2017’s Best Places for Summer Jobs

Summer isn’t just a season of daily walks on the beach or picnics at the park. For some people, especially young adults, the warmer months are a time to gain extra spending power or work experience.

But whether you need or want a summer job, where you look for one will matter almost as much as what you do. Obviously opportunities will be more widely available in some places than in others. And while a job may pay well in one city, the same position may not pay as much in another, where the standard of living is much higher. Minimum-wage laws and local costs, for instance, will determine how much you earn and consequently what you’ll be able to afford in terms of housing, transportation and social activities. More importantly, if you’re supporting yourself, location will dictate how much of your income you’ll be able to save if that’s your goal.

With summer-job seekers in mind, WalletHub’s analysts compared the relative strength of the 150 largest markets in the U.S. across 21 key indicators of employment outlook, affordability and downtime-friendliness. Our data set ranges from median income of part-time workers to availability of summer jobs to rental price for a one-bedroom property. Read on for the complete ranking, job-hunting advice from a panel of experts and a full description of our methodology.

Main Findings

Best Places for Summer Jobs

Ask the Experts

As with searching for permanent employment, finding part-time, seasonal or temporary work can be challenging. For advice on overcoming those obstacles, we asked a panel of experts to answer the following key questions:

1. What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job or internship?
2. What types of summer jobs or internships will best equip young people with the skills and experiences they need to secure a full-time career after graduation?
3. What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job or internship?
4. How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs or internships for young people? Should the government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?
5. In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?

• Tanya Menon Associate Professor at Ohio State University
• Claire T. Kent Associate Professor of Business, Marketing & Communication and Bertie Wilson Murphy Distinguished Chair in Business Administration at Mary Baldwin University
• Scott Donaldson Research and Jobs Coordinator at Claremont Graduate University
• Marick F. Masters Professor of Business, Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Director of Labor@Wayne at Wayne State University
• C. Darren Brooks Management Faculty and Director of the Center for Human Resource Management in the College of Business at Florida State University
• Von Pouncey Director of the Human Resources & Augusta Business Programs and Associate Professor of Business Administration at Brenau University
• Jessica Steele Career and Recruitment Coordinator in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at Pennsylvania State University

Tanya Menon

Associate Professor at Ohio State University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job / internship?

You have to start early. The larger companies with organized internship programs have a pre-set schedule in the fall. I’ve had students approach me after winter break and at that point it is too late. The best I can do for them is to reach out in my personal network -- and it’s just luck of the draw and not likely to be an organized internship.

If you miss the boat in terms of the organized internships (or if that is not what you are interested in) you will have to be more entrepreneurial. This means talking to the broadest cross-section of people possible. Friends of friends, people doing things that might not be interesting to you on the surface, and places where you have interesting opportunities to contribute.

In these situations, you might find yourself doing interesting things even if you don’t have a “name brand” company on your vita. In my junior summer in college, I had a dream internship: I was an intern at Morgan Stanley in London. But the other half of the summer, I spent doing research with my college advisor evaluating a summer program in which African American college students from elite universities mentored youth from inner city Boston. I ended up learning that writing/research was what I wanted to do.

If you are lucky enough to land the interview, you have to be fully prepared in terms of knowing the industry and job. It sounds like obvious advice, but consider this story. When I was in college, I applied for an internship at a major national news magazine. I was fortunate enough to receive an interview. The moment I got there, before anyone interviewed me, they handed me a 100-question current events test on politics, business, and international affairs. I was a college student in my own world and I flunked that test -- and squandered a great opportunity. Know the company’s strategy and the types of questions that are likely to be top of mind for them.

What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?

• The internship process is psychologically hard on students because of social comparisons. People are discussing with their friends, comparing with each other, and it creates pressure and feelings of inadequacy. You have to really know yourself and separate from all of this pressure. In my own situation, my Morgan Stanley London internship got a lot of “wows” vs. the research assistant job. Investment banking was what our social circles respected. To this day, I’m grateful I never sunk 2 years in that industry. I would have been miserable, and probably fired.

• The students have to also think about the high growth opportunities of the future vs. hopping on bandwagons of the past. I graduated from college in 1995, we didn’t email very much, Facebook, eBay, Google, none of them had been founded yet. While many of my friends grabbed investment banking jobs, a few avoided the pull of New York City and went to Silicon Valley instead. Such as one of my classmates Anthony Hsieh, who four years later sold his internet advertising business to Microsoft, and then became CEO of Zappos. They have to think about what’s new, where will be growth, what do my skills position me to do there vs. what’s prestigious right now and will earn me respect from my local peer set.

• At the internship itself, the fact is that these are often highly unstructured. Sometimes there is a clear and structured project, but often there is no real “job” for the intern to do, and the first job is to structure that job for yourself. This means you need to have a clear conversation with the boss, define the job/deliverables/process, and then integrate yourself in the network of people you are working with so that you become a real member of the team. Many people wait to be “given” the job and they flail around all summer long with nothing to show for it.

• Find roles where people can’t do the job (because they don’t have the skills/expertise) or don’t want to do the job (because it’s hard). These are often unstructured situations and the people who become invaluable and rise to power very quickly are those who can fill these gaps in the organization.

• Integrating yourself into the group/team is the other issue. Are you socializing with the group, connecting with them, are you part of the team? This is the determinant on whether you convert internship to a job.

• Initiative but not too much initiative. The intern has to be in listening and learning mode at all times vs. a mindset where they act like they (without deep knowledge of the company) can change the company in six to eight weeks. But at the same time, it’s not about being passive. Learn about the challenges, contribute to others’ initiatives. Introduce yourself to people. One of my students described to me how he and another intern fared in their internships in DC for a very prominent government appointee. The other intern was of the same ethnicity and from the same hometown as the boss, and his desk was in fact right in front of the boss. He was “waiting” for the boss to introduce himself and initiate the connection. My student, by contrast, introduced himself to the boss, shared his background including his YouTube talk about a tech business he started in Latin America. The boss then invited my student along on his next international trip and they became close collaborators. You have to help people help you. Make it easy for them by introducing yourself and letting them know your skillset/experience and how you can be useful to them.

How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people? Should government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?

Waste is my pet peeve -- whether it is personal or government. In fact, I’ve just written a book on corporate “waste” with my co-author Leigh Thompson (“Stop Spending, Start managing,” Harvard Business Review Press). So when I recommend spending, I am always thinking about ROI. I strongly believe that the best spending we can do as a country is on which positions people (youth as well as older people in declining industries) have productive careers and a future. I would love to see investments in people’s futures in this way.

I also believe universities have a tremendous responsibility in this regard. This McKinsey white paper is one of my favorites. It is on the education to employment gap -- the paradox is that we have high youth un/underemployment and at the same time, employers who can't find employees. The particular gap, as we all know, is around quant/stem/technical/engineering skills. This is why the companies are forced to hire internationally, and we have this paradox: of underemployment of youth-shortage of workers.

Universities must navigate this societal problem by pushing for better and more specific answers from employers as to what they want. There are new jobs being created all the time that we have to be responsive to, and ideally, we have to be proactive in creating those needs in the companies based on our own expertise.

For instance, I was consulting with a company for many years applying psychological insights to their area. They created an internal group to do this job, and asked me to help staff it with people I knew. I sent it to my MBA/Executive students but it was hard to identify people, other than my former PhD students, who'd be appropriate. They want people in psychology but it was far more specialized than any of the existing disciplinary boundaries in business schools (e.g., marketing or organizational behavior). These are the emerging organizational roles/needs in organizations and we need to get better at identifying them.

In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?

• Politics/economic policies. Do they have favorable policies in place for inviting in businesses, encouraging economic growth, and making it easy for people to start new businesses?

• National patterns: are people moving in or moving out?

• Cost of living -- may not seem “hot” like Silicon Valley or NYC, but conducive for people to start up new businesses and hard on younger people particularly.

• Clusters: is there a community of likeminded people in your field/industry? Michael Porter talks about why certain geographic areas tend to get competitive advantage -- many companies in that industry cluster there (Silicon Valley is an obvious example, but look at your own industry for the geographic areas where people tend to cluster).

I always encourage people to pick up and move to a new environment even though it may be uncomfortable. Some of our students are quite unwilling to relocate; I see people return to hometowns where they are going to be comfortable with their friends -- but they won’t have any path to new opportunities.

Since many students remain in the same geographic area as the college they attended, another interesting feature is how universities engage with their communities. This article compares Harvard and Stanford on their community engagement (it is written from Harvard perspective, and it's not a research article, but I found the history/culture that led to these outcomes fascinating). I’ve also read a dissertation which considered why Princeton failed to engage with application, the community, and turn its brilliant engineering knowledge into its own vibrant silicon valley.

Claire T. Kent

Associate Professor of Business, Marketing & Communication and Bertie Wilson Murphy Distinguished Chair in Business Administration at Mary Baldwin University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job / internship?

Know your strengths and practice communicating your strengths in a professional and credible way. What do you have to offer? Why should an organization decide to hire you? If you have not yet identified and articulated your strengths, begin by making an honest assessment of yourself. Once you have identified what you believe to be your strengths, ask close family and friends what they think. Practice using language that helps you to communicate this information to a potential employer.

Recognize the value of using your extensive network to find internship opportunities or summer jobs. Many students (and others) do not recognize that their network consists of both “close ties” and a number of other layers of ties or connections that are more on the periphery. Accessing individuals from various levels of your network can be incredibly important when trying to secure an internship or job. Don’t be afraid to share your quest with others. Most people genuinely like being helpful to others at an earlier stage of their career and certainly while in school. Take advantage of your “student” status while you can.

Look for organizations (both small and large) that have healthy organizational cultures. Talk to friends, relatives, trusted faculty members and advisors to see what organizations they recommend. Check out the website of organizations that come highly recommended; then, do an extensive Google search to see what kind of information has been circulating about these organizations. If you have a presence on LinkedIn, use this resource to see if there are any points of personal contact that may be feasible to gain information from those with more direct contact with a particular organization. If you secure a connection, ask questions about the culture of the organization. If you feel positive about the information you have gathered, ask about the best way to make contact with appropriate persons regarding internship possibilities or summer jobs.

Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged. Ask close friends and family members for support in your quest. Most people have been in a similar situation at some point in their lives. You can do this! Commit to taking a few steps forward each day to find the new opportunity you desire.

Scott Donaldson

Research and Jobs Coordinator at Claremont Graduate University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job / internship?

The best advice I have for students looking to land a summer internship is to implement proper strategy beforehand. For example, creating a goals-hierarchy sometime in January about the types of jobs they are interested in and how that relates to more long-term goals is helpful. I also find that students who reach out to people in their professional networks (e.g., alumni of their institutions) fare the best.

Another tip is developing a concrete mechanism to track their job search. I see time and time again students forgetting where they applied, making the job search that much more frustrating. So, organize an excel sheet with all of the proper information such as organizations, key players, and touchpoints, etc. It is also imperative to follow up with employers in order to check the status of your application.

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?

I am responsible for coordinating jobs in the psychology department. As such, jobs that help students employ their research methods and statistical analysis skills best equip them for life after the university.

What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?

Not doing enough background research on the organization and assuming that everything in the job description is precisely what you will be doing. A lot of times, organizational life can be chaotic and unpredictable, so being adaptable to changing circumstances is an attitude all prospective interns should bring.

How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people? Should government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?

This question has a lot to do with location. For instance, San Francisco and Los Angeles have ample job and internship opportunities, whereas maybe a place like Utah does not. In the hub areas I do not believe a government subsidy is necessary because companies are already proactively seeking top talent.

In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?

• Number of organizations/policies in the area supporting your desired work.

• Themes around shared values are a great predictor (e.g., Do many companies in the area take a social justice perspective?).

• Ratio of the price of living/wage earned on the job.

• Location you would ideally like to work upon graduation. You want to start building your professional network now.

• Weather, right?

Marick F. Masters

Professor of Business, Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Director of Labor@Wayne at Wayne State University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job / internship?

I have three pieces of advice:

• Prepare a resume, even for lower level jobs. This is good experience especially for the younger segment of the youth workforce (16-19);

• Work on your communications and interviewing skills, and in so doing, demonstrate a strong work ethic;

• Pursue a wide variety of channels looking for a job and keep your eyes and ears open to opportunities where someone can refer you to help get you through the gate.

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?

Any type of work is good in that it demonstrates work ethic, commitment, and ambition. Jobs that enable you to use and acquire skills in math, problem solving, communications, and teamwork are vital to future prospects.

What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?

The most common mistakes are:

• Being unprepared for interviews;

• Not conducting a wide and diligent enough search;

• Having naive expectations about what employers are looking for and what they value.

How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people? Should government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?

Local authorities can work to ensure that information about job opportunities for young people reach the high schools, community colleges, universities, and relevant associations in which young people participate. They can post opportunities on their websites. They also can hold information sessions with younger people that bring them together with companies offering positions -- a youth job fare.

If government chooses to subsidize young people, perhaps to bring them up to something closer to $15 per hour, it should do the same for all similarly situated workers. I believe the U.S. should adopt a work assistance program somewhat like President Nixon's proposed family assistance plan that is aimed that putting the hourly rate to a level that would put people above the poverty line if they worked full time year round.

In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?

Several criteria are used, and WalletHub has a systematic methodology that considers two categories (job market outlook and social environment) to rank cities. Among the most significant factors are the summer employment rates and internship listings. Labor force participation among younger people is also important. It is noteworthy that the labor force participation rate among the 16-19 age group peaked in 1979 at almost 72 percent but has fallen to 43.2 percent in 2016. It is expected to drop to 30 percent in 2024.

C. Darren Brooks

Management Faculty and Director of the Center for Human Resource Management in the College of Business at Florida State University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job / internship?

Start early in identifying summer jobs or internship opportunities. All too often, students wait until the end of the school year/semester before beginning their search. At that point, many potential opportunities have been filled. If you are just beginning your search network with parents, friends, former employers, teachers, etc., let them know that you are looking for work/internship opportunities.

If your school has career advisors, talk with them as well. They usually have employer contacts in the community and can help in securing information about available opportunities and possibly an interview with an employer.

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?

This depends on the career interests of the student. Even if the students are not sure what they want to do, if they have a general interest in an industry or type of work then look in those areas, if available in their community. For example, if you are interested in health care, then try to intern at a hospital or clinic. If you are interested in general business or management, then intern at a firm that will let you spend some time shadowing a manager or business owner to learn about how the “business” is run and the types of decisions the manager has to make.

Regardless of the career track students eventually select, starting out with a focus on the “types” of careers they may have interest in, and this will help them begin to narrow down the type of work they like to do. It is very rare to find a 17 to 20-year-old student who knows exactly what he or she wants to do for the next 30 years. But, they must begin exploring different opportunities to help them determine the kinds of things they might be good at and will enjoy. From this initial vantage point, students can begin developing career options.

What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?

In terms of internships, many students lack focus on the skills they want to develop and lack of creativity in identifying opportunities to gain those skills. Often, there has not been much thought given to what they might want to do career wise. By identifying the top skills employers are seeking in all candidates and how the student might acquire those skills through the internship can make the experience more productive. In contrast, students may end up taking a job or internship that is not suited for developing necessary skills or providing exposure to relevant career areas.

In addition, many firms, especially smaller organizations lack “formal” internship programs so knowing the skills a student wants to develop will make the "work" experience more valuable. In fact, students may work with the owner or manager to create an internship from a summer job. More specifically, a student might consider approaching their manager with a proposed list of assignments to gain additional experience while working for the firm. It might be activities such as job shadowing or even doing some extra project work for the firm.

Regardless of the agreement, the student can turn a seemingly mundane summer jobs into a quasi-internship in which they develop professional skills. The key thing for students to remember is to be creative. This is a critical skill in and of itself. However, if there are no formal internship opportunities available, be proactive and create skill development opportunities and show the employer how this will benefit them.

How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people? Should government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?

In general, employers are sufficiently motivated to identify and recruit student employees and interns. Local authorities can assist firms by encouraging summer work opportunities and providing resources to employers on ways to develop/sustain internship and summer work programs. In addition, authorities can partner with local universities, colleges, and vocational schools to hold job fairs and promote opportunities to students.

From the student perspective, as I have mentioned previously, it may require that students be more focused and creative in how they approach potential employers. If students start early in their search, are focused and creative, develop a professional looking resume, practice interviewing, and use their network, they will likely find opportunities for summer jobs/internships.

In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are some key indicators?

Several key indicators are population and number of organizations with entry-level needs. Since internships are a way for many employers to identify talented entry-level employees, cities look at locations that have many of these type of opportunities. Sites like Glassdoor and college/university career centers regularly provide this type of information.

In addition, if a student is interested in a particular field or industry, they should look at locations that employee people in those industries. Interested in aerospace, biotechnology, or consumer products? Identify where firms in these industries are primarily located. Many students are unable to leave home for a summer job or internship. In that case, they should start early and network in their community for opportunities. Do not overlook non-profits or government jobs during the summer. These organizations may need additional help but are often overlooked and provide excellent experience that can be transferrable to a variety of fields.

Von Pouncey

Director of the Human Resources & Augusta Business Programs and Associate Professor of Business Administration at Brenau University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job / internship?

Stand out. In today's world of social media and lack of boundaries, the advice of "stand out" can seem like a tall order. Interestingly enough, standing out is pretty much synonymous with "going against the trend." The best way to land a summer job or internship is to have a bold and unique approach. Granted -- it's summer or you may be working for free - but don't act like it. Put the business attire on, do your homework on the industry and the organization, and know what value you -- not just anyone -- can add.

Replace selling points like "ability to multi-task" with phrases like "proven effectiveness meeting multiple deadlines while cutting expected costs." If you do not have prior work experience, then let your personality prove your worth. If you have a persistent nature, make sure they know you will not give up on completing a task, no matter how challenging or how big the learning curve. If you prefer to work behind the scenes, make sure they know that you will be silently dependable. In other words, make sure that potential employer knows that you view their summer job/internship as a "win-win" situation -- you are not just investing in them -- you are investing in yourself, and because of that, you will be committed to their success. It also helps to be aggressive -- apply online and in person if possible.

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?

What I love most about discussing this topic is bringing to the forefront the fact that it is not the degree, skills, and/or work experience alone that helps a person the most after graduation. What helps them the most is what they chose to do with the degree, skills, and/or work experience. Self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to determine what area of industry will "shore up" your deficits and better equip you into becoming a well-rounded employee. Intuitively -- pick the summer job/internship that seems the most challenging. If you master it, you have turned a past weakness into a future strength and you are closer to success of a full time career after graduation.

Most employers look for the proof of your believing in yourself (the pursuit of a degree) and of your accepting the challenge of change (trying new things). Don't be afraid to take the summer job/internship that everyone else views as "bad/beneath them." Perception is just a filter and every single job in this world is as "good" or as "bad" as you chose to make it.

What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?

It does seem that two of the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship is that they let the "honeymoon" stage end too soon and also that they forget the value of loyalty. Getting a summer job/internship is euphoric. It builds confidence -- an employer believed in you enough to give you a chance. They picked you. That blessing need not be forgotten, even when you are in week 6 of the job. You got what you wanted -- a chance. You applied for the summer job/internship and you got it. Granted, it may not turn out to be all that you imagined, but many things are not. Welcome to the real world of becoming an adult. Take pride in the accomplishment of going after a goal and achieving it. As an adult, that may not happen as often as you would like.

Don't quit -- see it through to completion. Employers like to see people stick through better and worse, and they will reward loyalty. A summer job/internship is not just about the money or the opportunity of building up your resume, it is about character. It is about your character and it is about your legacy. What do you want to leave behind?

How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people?

This is a circular and political question, I think. I think the vantage point used by local authorities matters. Should they encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people as a means of remediation? Not so much. Remediation, I believe, lies in the hands of parents, society, and ones culture, in general. Should local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs/internships for young people as a means of preventive maintenance? Yes.

Serving as Role Models, teaching others, and providing the building blocks for tomorrows leaders is something that all organizations should do as one facet of social responsibility. It is preventative maintenance in that we have the ability to show them the choice of life -- we have paths and we chose them. Local authorities can help us show young people an alternative path.

Should government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?

Yes. Simply put, it is a positive investment in our future. Let me explain. Whether we admit it or not, we are responsible for our society. Believing in Capitalism does not change that, but it also is not a battle cry for Socialism. We all pay -- in some way -- for a failed society. I think it is a question of when do we want to pay: on the front end as an investment in our future/preventive maintenance, or on the back end as remediation/corrective action.

In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?

This one is easy. A summer job is not city contingent -- it is person contingent. Employers want people with commitment, with positive energy, with unique talents, with the ability to adapt to change, and with the ability to help them improve a weakness as an organization to improve competitive advantage. That exists in any city. Be that person -- show an employer that you are that person -- and the city in which you reside does not matter.

Jessica Steele

Career and Recruitment Coordinator in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at Pennsylvania State University

What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job/internship?

The best advice I can possibly give to someone looking for a summer job or an internship is to use all of your resources. Visit your school career service office often. Make sure they know you by name. If you have multiple offices, visit them all.

Talk to people about your goals: friends, family, professors, alumni of your program, and career counselors at your school. Get connected with alumni at your school through LinkedIn and conduct power interviews.

Join student organizations that are within your major. Often you will have notable guest speakers that can be of great help in networking with people. Often it’s your network that will help you get a job or internship.

Lastly, never forget to say thank you! Realizing that you had help along the way in getting that internship or job will go a long way in helping you to maintain long-lasting relationships built on mutual trust. Thank everyone from the receptionist to the person who organized events. A “thank you” goes a long way.

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?

The best internships are where you will get real experience, get treated like an employee, and be allowed to have impact.

Look for job descriptions for careers that you want to do. For example, if you want to go into a career in Human Resources but you aren’t sure which area you might want to do after graduation (i.e., recruiting, compensation and benefits, training and development, or a generalist role), look for an internship that will give you exposure to at least one of the areas that you are interested in. Talk in your interview about your willingness to learn. There may be opportunities to do internship projects with different areas of the business or to shadow a different area for an afternoon.

Look for opportunities that are going to stretch you in ways that may be a little uncomfortable. You may be asked to learn a new piece of software that you have never heard of or to edit video. Being open to these opportunities is important for getting everything you can out of the experience.

What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?

Some of the most common mistakes that young people make when taking internships or summer jobs are:

• Not being flexible about the location. Sometimes the business need changes and you may need to get sent to a new location. Be willing to give it a chance. You can often ask for a bit of extra funding to assist with re-location if you need it. Don’t base your location needs around your relationships. Things can change and you don’t want to limit yourself for someone else. You only get one life -- go for the stars!

• Accepting the position and then disappearing. Recruiters contact me all the time after a student accepts an internship because they have tried emailing someone they have hired and they haven’t heard back from them for a few weeks. Don’t be that person. Ghosting is not professional.

• Asking for multiple extensions. If you aren’t sure that you want to accept an internship or a full-time position, talk with a career professional. Asking for one extension is acceptable, but anything beyond that makes you look like someone who isn’t committed to the position.

• Once you accept a position, you have committed and need to follow through. Reneging on a position is a huge no-no. It makes you, your school, and anyone who assisted you along the way look bad. There are situations that do come up, like illnesses in the family or other extreme cases. Talk to the recruiter, there may be something that can be done to help you in the future or they may even ask you to refer someone because you have built up trust.

Methodology

In order to determine the best cities for summer jobs, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 150 most populated U.S. cities across two key dimensions, including “Youth Job Market” and “Social Environment & Affordability.” Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

We evaluated the two dimensions using 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for individuals seeking summer work.

We then calculated the total score for each city based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.

Youth Job Market – Total Points: 75

• Availability of Summer Jobs: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of part-time and temporary jobs per total civilian population aged 16 to 24 in the labor force.
• Availability of Internships: Double Weight (~10.71 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of internship listings per total civilian population aged 16 to 24 in the labor force.
• Summer Employment Growth: Double Weight (~10.71 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the change in employment during summer 2016 and during summer 2015.
• Summer Employment Bump: Double Weight (~10.71 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the difference in employment during summer versus year-round. A higher difference favors summer employment.
• Labor-Force Participation Rate of Population Aged 16 to 24: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
• Unemployment Rate of Population Aged 16 to 24: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
• Net Employment Outlook: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Notes: This metric measures the percentage of employers who expect to add employees minus the percentage who expect to have fewer, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
• Ratio of Part-Time Workers to Full-Time Workers: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of part-time employees per 100 full-time employees.
• Median Income of Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Share of Insured Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: “Insured” refers to those with health-insurance coverage.

Social Environment & Affordability – Total Points: 25

• Share of Population Aged 16 to 24: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Share of Population Aged 16 to 24 Living Under Poverty Line: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Minimum Wage: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: Data for this metric were available at the state level only.
• Rental Price for One-Bedroom Property as Share of Median Income of Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Access to Public Transportation: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the percentage of commuters who use public transit.
• Commuter-Friendliness of Jobs: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of jobs accessible by a 30-minute transit ride per total civilian employed population.
• Annual Costs of Public Transportation Pass for Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures annual costs of public transportation pass as a share of the median income of part-time workers.
• Fun-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Most Fun Cities in America ranking.
• Active-Lifestyle-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle ranking.
• Singles-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Cities for Singles ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, ManpowerGroup, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Indeed.com, Internships.com, Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Conference of State Legislatures, Center for Neighborhood Technology and WalletHub research.