Savanna Hoffman
Internships are a great way for college students to gain experience in their chosen field. While some internships are unpaid, especially those in the medical and education fields, which are considered part of academic studies, others offer competitive salaries. As of August 2025, the average hourly pay for a student internship in the United States is $18.84, with wages ranging from $10.10 to $34.13. Annually, the average pay falls between $25,000 and $47,000, with a mean of $34,803. However, these numbers vary based on location, education, and experience. For example, the average student internship salary in Alaska, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are among the highest in the country, while Oklahoma, Indiana, and Missouri are the lowest. Additionally, certain internship roles, such as education consultant, program advisor, and admissions advisor, tend to pay higher rates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Average yearly salary | $34,803 |
| Average hourly rate | $16.73 |
| Yearly salary range | $25,000 - $47,000 |
| Highest-paying cities | Oakland, CA; Washington, DC; Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest-paying states | Alaska, North Dakota, New Hampshire |
| Lowest-paying states | Oklahoma, Kentucky, South Carolina |
| Highest-paying types | Education consultant, program advisor, admissions advisor |
| Highest-paying companies | Los Alamos National Laboratory, ALDI USA, Microsoft, Pace University |
| Average salary in 2014 | $25,518 |
| Average hourly rate in Aug 2025 | $18.84 |
| Hourly rate range in Aug 2025 | $10.10 - $34.13 |
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What You'll Learn
Average pay
The average pay for college student internships varies depending on various factors, including the industry, location, and experience level of the intern. While some internships are unpaid, others can offer competitive salaries that even exceed the earnings of experienced workers.
According to Zippia, the average yearly salary for a college program internship in the United States is $34,803, with salaries typically ranging from $25,000 to $47,000. This represents a 7% increase over the last ten years, indicating a positive trend in intern compensation. The average hourly rate for college program interns is $16.73, but this can vary significantly depending on the specific internship and location.
Other sources provide slightly different estimates for the average student internship salary. ZipRecruiter reports an average hourly wage of $18.84 per hour, with wages ranging from $14.42 (25th percentile) to $19.47 (75th percentile). Meanwhile, Indeed suggests an even higher hourly rate of $19.97 per hour for student interns in the United States.
The highest-paying internships are often found in specific industries, such as finance, where interns can earn $36 per hour or more. Additionally, certain companies are known for offering competitive internship salaries, such as Bloomberg L.P., which pays interns $6,400 per month.
Location also plays a significant role in intern compensation. For example, the highest-paying cities for student interns include Boston, MA, Seattle, WA, and San Francisco, CA, while states like Alaska, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island boast the highest average salaries for student internships.
It is worth noting that while salary is important, the primary focus of an internship should be on gaining valuable experience and skills that will benefit your long-term career prospects. Many internships provide opportunities for growth and learning that can lead to higher earnings in the future, even if the initial pay is not as high as desired.
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Highest-paying internships
The typical pay for college student internships in the United States falls between $25,000 and $47,000 yearly, with an average hourly rate of $16.73. The average yearly salary for college program interns has increased over the years, from $25,518 in 2014 to $34,803 as of August 2025.
College program internship salaries are influenced by location, education, and experience. For instance, the average salary in Alaska North Dakota, and New Hampshire is higher than in states like Oklahoma, Kentucky, and South Carolina. Additionally, Oakland, California; Washington, DC; and Jersey City, New Jersey, are among the highest-paying cities for college program interns.
The highest-paying internships are often found in the tech, finance, and consulting industries. Companies like Stripe, Roblox, Meta, Amazon, and Salesforce offer internships with average monthly salaries exceeding $8,000. Financial firms such as BlackRock and Goldman Sachs also provide competitive compensation and additional perks like housing stipends.
Some specific examples of high-paying internships include:
- Microsoft: Microsoft is renowned for offering competitive pay and providing interns with meaningful work. They also offer perks such as free daily meals, transportation, and relocation benefits.
- Uber: The ridesharing company provides internship opportunities for business, software engineering, computer science, finance, and marketing majors, among others.
- Bloomberg L.P.: According to Glassdoor reviews, Bloomberg L.P., a fintech media company, offers a welcoming and supportive work environment, great pay, and valuable skills.
- Capital One: An internship at this American bank, especially in their Commercial Banking Program, can provide a good understanding of the finance industry and look impressive on a resume.
- Los Alamos National Laboratory and ALDI USA: These organizations offer highly competitive salaries for internships, according to Zippia.
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Internship pay by location
The pay for college student internships varies depending on several factors, including location, education, experience, and industry. On average, college student interns in the United States earn between $25,000 and $47,000 per year, with the average being $34,803 per year. This average has increased by $2,389 over the last ten years.
Location plays a significant role in determining internship pay rates. Here are some examples of how internship pay varies across different locations:
- States: Alaska, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire are among the highest-paying states for college student interns. In contrast, Oklahoma, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, and South Carolina offer lower average salaries for internships.
- Cities: Boston, MA; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; Oakland, CA; Washington, DC; and Jersey City, NJ, are some of the highest-paying cities for student interns.
- Cost of living adjustments: Some employers may offer higher salaries for internships in cities with a high cost of living to compensate for the higher expenses incurred by interns in these locations.
Industry variations
In addition to location, the industry in which the internship takes place also influences pay rates. For example:
- The finance industry offers the highest average internship salary at $36,856 to $37,485 per year.
- Non-profit organizations typically provide lower internship salaries, with an average of $32,696 per year.
- Tech companies, particularly FAANG+ (Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Alphabet/Google), are known for offering competitive internship salaries, with rates reaching $7,500 per month or $62 per hour in some cases.
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Internship pay by industry
While there is no standard rate for internship pay, and it varies by industry, location, education, and experience, paid interns are legally entitled to receive at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked. In the United States, this includes overtime wages if they work overtime.
According to Zippia, the average student internship salary across all industries in 2025 is $34,803 per year, a 7% increase from 2014. This figure is lower than the one provided by another source, which states that the average student internship salary in 2024 was $31,256 per year, a 14% increase from 2014.
- Finance: The finance industry offers the highest internship salaries, with an average of $37,485 per year according to one source, and $36,856 per year according to another. Fintech firm Stripe Inc. reported an average monthly salary of over $9000 for entry-level internships.
- Tech: Tech internships are also highly paid, with video game developer Roblox Corp. reporting an average monthly salary of over $9000 for entry-level internships. Software internships at FAANG+ companies (Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Alphabet/Google) are in high demand and can command high salaries.
- Non-profit: The non-profit industry typically offers lower internship salaries, with an average of $32,696 per year.
- Education: Internships in the field of education may sometimes be unpaid and considered part of academic studies. However, some education-focused internships, such as education consultant or program advisor, can be among the highest-paying types of college program internships.
It is worth noting that internship salaries are generally higher in high-cost-of-living areas, and some companies may pay interns higher rates due to supply and demand or to attract top talent.
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Unpaid internships
While there are concerns about the implications of unpaid internships, some sources suggest that interns at certain organizations can expect compensation ranging from $18 to $20 per hour, even if the internship is advertised as unpaid. This may be due to funding streams that organizations can access to support interns or legal protections that extend to unpaid interns in certain states or sectors.
In conclusion, while unpaid internships may provide valuable experience and serve as a bridge from college to career, they present challenges and inequities that policymakers and institutions should address to ensure fair and inclusive opportunities for all students.
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Frequently asked questions
The average hourly rate for college student internships in the US is $18.84, with wages ranging from $10.10 to $34.13. The average yearly salary for college student interns is $34,803, with salaries ranging from $25,000 to $47,000.
No, the pay for college student interns varies across different states. For example, in August 2025, the average yearly salary for a college student intern in Alaska was higher than in Oklahoma.
Some of the highest-paying college student internships include education consultant, program advisor, and admissions advisor roles. Additionally, companies like Los Alamos National Laboratory, ALDI USA, Huitt-Zollars, and Northwestern Mutual offer competitive salaries for college student interns.
