Highest-Paying Internship Jobs in 2026
Research Summary. The Zippia data team has leveraged a combination of public government data and insights from thousands of job postings to generate accurate salary estimates for various jobs across the United States. This analysis highlights the highest-paying internship roles based on average annual salaries and reflects current trends in the labor market.
Here’s a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of internships:
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General Internship ranks as the highest-paid internship, offering an average salary of $61,485, which translates to an hourly rate of $29.56.
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The next highest-paying position is the Product Manager Internship, with an average salary of $49,420.
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The overall average salary for internships is $35,254 per year, equating to an hourly pay of $16.95.
Table of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Selecting a career path can be challenging, and while salary should not be the only consideration, it plays a crucial role in your decision-making process. Understanding the highest-paying internships can help you strategically plan your career trajectory.
Here are the top salaries for different internship roles:
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General Internship
Average Salary: $61,485
A general intern supports business operations by performing administrative and clerical tasks under the guidance of a manager or experienced staff. Interns shadow employees across different teams to gain a comprehensive understanding of company services and processes. Responsibilities include attending meetings, writing reports, assisting with events, and data processing.
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Product Manager Internship
Average Salary: $49,420
In a product manager internship, interns are tasked with developing business insights by conducting research and analysis on markets and consumers. They collaborate with clients to understand business processes and respond to inquiries. Interns also report any issues to managers and adhere to company policies.
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Internship Coordinator
Average Salary: $42,446
Internship coordinators typically work in the human resources department and are responsible for designing and executing internship programs. They oversee site supervisors, assign interns to various departments, and manage student hiring for advertising internships. Essential skills include strong interpersonal and communication abilities, a bachelor’s degree, and relevant experience.
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Office Worker
Average Salary: $41,003
Office workers handle a variety of administrative tasks to support business operations, including answering client inquiries, welcoming visitors, and maintaining document organization. Their work is critical for ensuring smooth daily operations.
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Center Coordinator
Average Salary: $40,825
Center coordinators manage specific departments or projects, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and goals. Their responsibilities include task delegation, client liaison, and budget management.
Below is a comprehensive table detailing the average pay for various internships, showcasing the highest earning opportunities followed by our methodology explanation.
Highest-Paying Types of Interns
Methodology
Zippia utilizes publicly available data from government sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to formulate salary estimates.
Our data science team also reviews job postings and company-published resources for the latest salary information for interns.
Data is aggregated to calculate a weighted average for each job title. For further details on our salary estimates, refer to our detailed methodology.
FAQs on Highest-Paying Internship Jobs
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What is the highest-paid internship job?
The highest-paid internship job is a General Internship. General interns earn an average salary of $61,485, or $29.56 hourly.
General interns support business operations through administrative and clerical functions while shadowing employees to understand company offerings and processes. Tasks include attending meetings, writing reports, and assisting with data processing.
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What is a good salary for an internship?
A good salary for an internship is $35,254 or higher. This figure represents the average internship salary, indicating that earning at least this amount qualifies as above-average compensation.
However, internship salaries can vary widely based on location and industry. Research local salary norms based on your expertise and experience to gauge your compensation accurately.
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Do internship jobs pay well?
Internship jobs generally do not pay well. The average internship salary of $35,254 is lower than the average national salary of approximately $44,225 per year.
Nevertheless, many internship positions offer significant earning potential, with top interns earning considerably more. Pay attention to factors such as experience level and industry when assessing internship pay.
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Where do interns earn the most?
Interns earn the most in Alaska. In Alaska, interns achieve an average annual salary of $44,084, with an hourly wage of $21.19.
Following Alaska, the states with the highest-paid internships include Connecticut, North Dakota, and Rhode Island, with average salaries of $42,560, $39,028, and $39,577, respectively.
The cities offering the highest internship salaries are:
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San Francisco, CA – $43,161
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Seattle, WA – $42,657
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Washington, DC – $39,684
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Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
